Very Low CYA

[lavallee75]

Hello all,

First off I want to say a big "THANK YOU" to this website and forum. I converted to TFP last summer and it was a great experience. Thank you for all that you do.

I opened the pool 3 days ago and here are my most recent stats:

26,000 gallon gunite pool
FC 8
CC 0
PH 7.5
Alkalinity 70
Calcium 260
CYA Less than 30

I tested my pool at noon today and I had FC of 9, just tested at at 7:00pm and FC was zero (full sun all day today in New Hampshire). I rushed and added two gallons of bleach to raise the chlorine. This brought my FC up to 8 and luckily I do not have any CC. I ran a CYA test earlier and I could still see the black dot after filling all the way, I figured this was because the water was very cold(61 degrees). After getting the zero FC reading at 7:00pm I redid the CYA test but brought the water to room temp first and I can still see the black dot which means my CYA is somewhere between 0 and 30.

My question is: I have leftover pucks I bought last year before I converted to BBB. Should I add them to the empty automatic chlorinator to raise my CYA or should I buy stabilizer and do the sock trick? Is it imperative that I raise the CYA ASAP or will the stabilized pucks be enough to get me to 30 or 40 CYA eventually?

Thank you again! You guys are amazing.
-Matt

 

[Richard320]

Pucks take too long to dissolve. If you don't mind adding that much bleach every day to replace all that FC, use 'em. In the long run it would be cheaper to add enough stabilizer to get you above 30 and maybe use up some pucks bringing it up from there.

 

[lavallee75]

Nice thank you for the help. One more question:

I have a couple of 5 lb bottles of leftover Dichlor on hand as well as a jug of stabilizer. It seems with Dichlor I just can throw it in the pool to raise CYA where with the stabilizer I need to play the sock routine and run my filter continuously for days. Is there any reason not to use the dichlor over the stabilizer? I would prefer not to run the filter that much if I can help it.

 

[Richard320]

Nice thank you for the help. One more question:

I have a couple of 5 lb bottles of leftover Dichlor on hand as well as a jug of stabilizer. It seems with Dichlor I just can throw it in the pool to raise CYA where with the stabilizer I need to play the sock routine and run my filter continuously for days. Is there any reason not to use the dichlor over the stabilizer? I would prefer not to run the filter that much if I can help it.

Dichlor is very acidic. Each five pound canister of dichlor will raise FC by13 , raise CYA by 12 and lower pH by .5. Check effects of Adding Chemicals at the bottom of poolmath.

You don't have to leave the pump on 24/7. That's only if the sock is in the skimmer. Tie it to a pool noodle or something and let it bob around in the pool when the pump is off. Or suspend it from a pole in front of a return, so that it won't rub against the wall.