High FC & CYA

[Brick Bossload]

Hello All,
My FC and CYA readings are high and I'm going to start taking care pool cleaning and maintenance by myself. Here is my initial readings with the TF-100 kit.

My readings:

FC=25 PPM
CC= 0-.05CC
TA = 0.0
CH=12
CYA =100+

 

[jcowart]

Re: Bricl Bossload - New Mwmber P_______ Hwlp me PLEASE

How are you getting your test results? The FC of 25 seems right with a CYA of 100, but you have 100+ so 25 might not be at shock level. What puzzles me is TA of 0, CH 12. You give no pH but with an FC above 10 that can't be tested. You came to the right place to learn how to take control and learn YOUR pool. I say that because they are all different in some way. You can learn what your pool wants to stay clear. The very first step is read pool school. It's in the upper right of every page. Start reading with an open mind and try not to think of what the pool store might have told you. They are in the business of selling you more chemicals. Then you need a good test kit so you can trust your own test. A "GOOD" test kit is probably not sold at the pool store. The two that are recommended are the Taylor K-2006 or the TF-100. The TF-100 is your best bang for the buck. You get more of the test you need. They both use the same test chemicals. Now that is ordered read pool school again. It really does get easy and is not the hard learning curve people make it out to be.

BTW: How does your water look.

 

[Patrick_B]

Re: Bricl Bossload - New Mwmber P_______ Hwlp me PLEASE

Welcome!

Are you trying to keep your FC high for a particular reason? Such as doing a SLAM process? A pH level would be helpful, and are you using a test kit? If your TA is correct, you have pH in the 4.5 range. It would be critically low, especially for a plaster pool. If so, it needs to be addressed immediately.

If you want control of this pool you need a good test kit. We like the TF-100. Please post back ASAP, and let us know. We can help you get it lined out. Check out the ABC's of Pool Chemistry in Pool School. Click the links in my sig line.

 

[Brick Bossload]

Forgive my initial post. Few beers to many after the UT loss and Bengals loss yesterday. I am using the TF-100 kit. After reading allot in pool school I've already drained about half of the pool water out to get the CYA down. My eyes were still burning Sunday from a swim on Saturday. I read that it was probably the PH but it measured 7.5. I'm guessing the high FC can cause eyes to burn as well? I have no idea why the FC is so high. A pool service company has been taking care of it. There have been no issues that I've seen that would require it to be so high. I'm not sure if the TA reading is correct or not. I'll measure that again when I get home from work.

 

[jcowart]

Your FC is maybe right if you are clearing your pool from something based on your CYA. With high FC your pH will also test high. If your TA is really 0 then your pH is also very very low and would cause burning. With it maybe that low, that needs to be addressed first. You said that you use a TF-100. When you got the FC how did you get that. 10 or 25ml sample and how many drops?

 

[Patrick_B]

Ok, Your TA cannot be Zero with a 7.5 pH. If you are sure of that reading, there are no worries there. It could be the FC burning your eyes.

Unless it's really because you've been crying about the losses.

Seriously, it is usually caused by low pH and or high CC's in the pool, but you show good numbers on both. Not knowing more, I would presume chlorine. Is that CYA number after a drain/re-fill? I hope not, but let us know. If it was before, get a new number when you re-do TA.

 

[Brick Bossload]

I got the FC using a 10ml sample. Initially Saturday it was 60 drops. I then took a sample from another location Sunday and it was 50 drops. I'm not sure what the actual CYA is but i know that it's higher than 100. Attached picture, at this level I'm unable to see the dot from the top. I've read about diluting the sample and testing to get the actual CYA but I've yet to do that.

 

[Patrick_B]

So when was this CYA? Before, or after the drain and re-fill?

 

[Brick Bossload]

This was yesterday afternoon. I drained 50-60% of the water last night and started filling it this morning. Hopefully it doesn't overflow before I get home from work :-D

Also, I was told that this pool automatically fills itself. In the 5 months I've lived here I've never had to add water to it with the hose (have had to add water to SPA). I cant figure out how it does it. I'm using a garden hose to fill it now because I assumed the pump needed to be on to fill itself. Left the pump off because the water level was below the 2 of the 4 drains.

 

[Patrick_B]

It has an auto-fill. Simply a supply line with a float that works the same way a toilet tank is filled. It has nothing to do with the pool pump. Retest CYA and TA later and let us know. Dont do anything else for the moment. Except not letting the pool overflow.

Actually, go ahead and run a full set from your kit later. It would be good to know how everything lines up from before.

 

[Brick Bossload]

From reading in pool school I'm assuming my high CYA levels are due to the fact that my pool has an automatic chlorinator that uses the pucks? It was set to 5, almost the highest setting. I've since changed it to a setting of 2. I might switch it off and just start using liquid bleach.

 

[Patrick_B]

That is what we like to do. It works, and won't have the side effects the pucks give you, which is high CYA. So now we see why you are so high on both. Your pool guy didn't catch either of those things. You will have much better control testing and understanding the pool and chemicals on your own.

 

[htownjeeper]

automatic chlorinator that uses the pucks? It was set to 5, almost the highest setting. I've since changed it to a setting of 2. I might switch it off and just start using liquid bleach.

Makes sense now. Personally, I wouldn't use that thing except when I went out of town for a few days or something like that. You will find out if you switch to liquid bleach it isn't as big of a pain as you may think. I enjoy knowing my levels are perfect and not just hoping.

 

[danacc]

If your CYA is still measuring above 100, do the diluted test. It looks like it was really high from that picture. Make sure you are outside with your back to the sun, vial at about waist level when you do the test.

I'd switch off that chlorinator until you know what level of CYA you're dealing with.

 

[Brick Bossload]

Took some new measurements when the pool still had about 2 feet left to fill.

FC 12.5
PH 7.5
TA 120
CH 600
CYA 90-100

Finally finished filling around 2330, switched the automatic chlorination device off and turned the pump on. Looks like my water comes from the pipe with high calcium...........there are lots of small particles visible in the pool light. I think I might look into a reverse osmosis treatment.

 

[Patrick_B]

Umm, not good even with 2 feet left. We need a set after it is full and circulated for a few hours to get solid numbers. Your CYA will still be high, but maybe a tiny bit more manageable. More than likely you'll need another big replacement.

RO treatment is exceedingly rare and I doubt you'll find it in Central TX. Your CH isn't good, but it would be good to have numbers on the fill water too. Run a CH, pH and TA on it and let's see. Tiny particles and haze at night are common and will never go away completely.

If you follow the methods we teach here, you'll need to pick up a bunch of bleach ASAP. You do not want to use Calcium Hypochlorite or products that contain CYA. Those would be Dichlor, and Trichlor. Stay away from all three of those. For now, you can hit HEB, Walmart, or Target for Bleach. Get plain unscented store brand that says 8.25% Sodium Hypochlorite. I'd start with 15 gallons for now. Don't worry, you'll use it. It's a while yet before you want to close if you plan on closing at all.

 

[Brick Bossload]

I think I might be good after the refill. Tested last night after 15 hours running the filter.

FC = 10.5 (tested 12 on second test, forgot to do CC)
CC = .5
TA = 120
CH = 600
PH = 7.7
CYA = 70 with 100% pool water sample and 35 with 50% distilled water. So overall I think my 70 reading is fairly accurate. It was cloudy with no sun so I had to test indoors in the light.

I only tested the CH in the water source I used to fill the pool. It tested at 130. Not sure how my CH got so high. I can only guess that CH coming out of the pipe can vary? I called about the RO treatment. The service provider specifically stated that there are water quality issues in my town even before I told him where I was. He recommended gradual drains if my CYA was still a problem and then RO in the spring if I wanted to go that route to tackle the CH and CYA. My pool gets a good amount of sunlight so I'm thinking that 70 is a good spot to be? As long as I keep my TA and PH at good levels the high CH wont be a problem?

 

[Patrick_B]

Well I stand corrected. I guess the drought has created enough demand for RO treating in TX now. This is news as far as I know. With your fill water however, you wont need it for CH at all. I am as water conscious as anyone, but an RO treat may not save enough water to make it worthwhile. It all depends, but I have more questions about RO pool treating than I have answers. I'm very familiar with large industrial RO units, but have no idea how these pool treat units are sized, staged, or what sort of rejection rates they run. All that said, he is right, work it down with gradual drains.

You have Calcium from Calcium Hypochlorite your pool service used, or you put in unknowingly. It otherwise only comes in with your fill water, but your test showed it pretty low (130) compared to your pool at 600. Are you on the Edwards Aquifer just curious? You can work CH down with your fill water easily. I hate to waste water, but in time you can get it down and work with what you have now. You just need to pay some attention to water balance and CSI with the Pool Calculator. Plug your numbers in, and it will tell you if you are in trouble with scaling potential. Remember, pH is very important in this, so keep it on your radar screen.

The 70 CYA is better, but I would work that down to 50 and see how that does. If you run 70, it will take a ton of bleach if you need to SLAM. Reaching 50 isn't much further, but I would do that if it were me. If you lose too much to the Sun, you can work it back up to 55-60. That is the route I'd take to start. Just make sure you don't add any more with Dichlor or Trichlor products.

 

[danacc]

Retest CYA on a sunny day, with your back to the sun and the vial at about waist level. This test is particularly sensitive to light source, and testing indoors may give a reading that is higher than the actual level.