Getting Started

Kathe · May 14, 2018

Hi All! My CYA was at 35 last fall when I closed the pool. I had it tested at pool store at they say it is at 5. I read where I shouldn't be adding cya or testing it unless my water is at least 70 degrees. It is 59 right now. We've had COLD spring in Saline MI area. Should warm up this week, but don't have new solar cover cut yet.

I'm wondering if the low cya number is due to the coldness of the water tested. Also, does the water temp also impact the other tests? pH, etc?

Today's tests results were:

pH: 8.2
FC: 6.6
TC: 6.8
TA: 133
CYA: 5

jblizzle · May 14, 2018

Why did you have the pool store test your water?

What does your test kit say? The water should be warmed up in your house prior to testing CYA. The temp should not impact any of the other tests.

woodyp · May 15, 2018

There is no water temp requirement for adding chemicals. Your ph is a tad high.

Kathe · May 17, 2018

Tested cya again after water temp was up to 70. Instead of testing at 5, it was now 10.

jblizzle · May 17, 2018

What test kit are you using? None of the recommended test kits go down to a CYA of 10 or 5

Kathe · May 22, 2018

pool store tested it. I don't have the test kit.

jblizzle · May 22, 2018

Well since we do not trust Pool Store testing at all, I'm not sure what kind of recommendations or explanations we can offer

Kathe · Jun 3, 2018

I understand that you all prefer to use a test kit. Since I only use our pool 3.5 months out of the year, and the test supplies expire after 12 months, it seems pricey to get a kit every year. I try to test at a pool store and also use fresh test strips. Does everyone here use a kit when pool usage is so short of a time? I could see getting a kit if I used the pool year round.

AimeeH · Jun 3, 2018

I totally understand the notion of frugality but I'd encourage you to get a test kit. Pool School - Test Kits Compared

Even if only the TF 50. What having that along with learning from pool school gives you is a money saving way to keeping a sparkly pool. We really don't trust pool store testing especially for CYA and that is a very important reading to understand as that dictates how much chlorine you need in your water not just to clear a green pool but to even be sanitary enough to swim safely.

While I understand initial doubt at the value of the expense, I don't understand letting a pool store test my water and tell me what to spend my hard earned money on and not know why. Having a good test kit with some basic understanding puts YOU in control of expense of operating a pool.