Question about CYA

[momof3]

I did shoot for a CYA of 30ppm.

PH = 7.2

I need to add more bleach but should I do that this morning or tonight??

 

[reebok]

bleach/chlorine is something you *never* want to get behind on. that's how you get algae. so the general rule is people lose 2ppm per day, and you will probably lose a little more while your cya is still starting to work, so you have the potential to get to 0ppm fc today which is bad bad bad. I would add today and probably tonight (after checking levels).

 

[momof3]

I added 2 quarts 4 oz just now... I will check again tonight and add more as needed... Is there anything else I should add in the mean time or do I look alright for now??

 

[reebok]

looks like you're doing fine.

 

[momof3]

Good.. Thanks!!

I will recheck tonight and add more chlorine/bleach.. I guess until my CYA disolves I should be checking my FC levels twice a day right? And everything else just once a day??

 

[reebok]

sounds like a plan. as far as how often you test, wait a week for cya as you already know, fc once or twice and ph once. you can pretty much follow the plan outlined in pool school.
pool-school/basic_pool_care_schedule

 

[momof3]

Thank you..


I'll be back tonight with more questions i'm sure.....



LOVE THIS SITE!!!!!!

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

You'll get in a routine of checking PH and Chlorine once a day, TA once a week (unless you are adjusting it), CYA once a month (unless adjusting).

If your PH is 7.2 now, you may see that drop further as the CYA dissolves. Check again tomorrow, you may need to add some Borax if it goes lower.

 

[MikeInTN]

You'll get in a routine of checking PH and Chlorine once a day, TA once a week (unless you are adjusting it), CYA once a month (unless adjusting).

I'll add here that once you get used to how your water behaves, you can probably stretch the TA and CYA measurements out further, too. Your TA and CYA shouldn't fluctuate much, unless something happens to cause them to fluctuate, i.e. many backwashes and fills of water, adding acid on a regular basis, etc.

Good story on learning your pool. Checked my TA and CYA on opening this year. TA was good, CYA was a little low, so I brought the CYA up to where it needs to be. First month, month and a half, pH is stable, FC residual is stable. One day, after draining excess water off of my pool for what seems to be the hundredth time this year (very rainy spring and summer so far), I check my FC, and it's lower than what it usually reads. Hmmmmm...got the solar cover on, running the SWG the same amount every day...what's going on? So I do an overnight FC test, just to make sure I don't have a nascent algae bloom, and don't lose any FC overnight. OK, what's next? Been dumping a lot of water...Hmmm..I wonder what my CYA looks like? Bingo - it had dropped from 80 to 50 from all of the water I've been draining off. Added enough to bump me back up to 80 or so, and my FC residual came right back up to where it was earlier in the season.

 

[momof3]

It is so much to remember...

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Yeah, I was going to confess about how lazy I've become. Last time I added bleach was last Friday, I raised it up to 12-14 (I guessed) because I was leaving on vacation. Came home Wednesday it was 8. Kids swam yesterday and last night it was 6.... I LOVE my dark blue/black solar cover. It is saving me so much chlorine it's not even funny....

I'm now checking PH once a week, TA I can't remember when, before vacation in June?....These numbers just don't budge for me, are rock solid... I should probably test it.

It's ironic that after dealing with an overstabilized pool before, this year I had to add CYA because of all the rain. I need to get some new CYA reagent. I've gone thru 2 bottles this year already.

Anyway, the point is you will get to know your pool and reach a pont where you won't break out in hives if you skip a day of testing....

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

It is so much to remember...

It will eventually sink in, and become second nature. TRUST me.

 

[MikeInTN]

Trust me, we were all overwhelmed initially with testing our pools, and it gets much easier with practice. You'll be a pool geek like us before you know it!

edit: and as you can tell from my and FPM's posts above, you can actually become a lazy pool geek..

'mom, I wouldn't worry about your TA if your pH is rock solid. Your pool is happy.

 

[momof3]

Here is my evening test.. I know I need chlorine.. Should I add anything else??



FC=1

CC=0

TA=70

PH=7.2

Also according to the calculator I should add 137 oz of chlorine.. Is that right?

 

[reebok]

sounds about right. you keep letting the chlorine get too low though. can you add at least once during the day?

 

[Guest]

edit: and as you can tell from my and FPM's posts above, you can actually become a lazy pool geek..

Who you callin' lazy? I test my pool every 4 months whether it needs it or not!

(Sadly, there is more truth in that statement than I care to admit! Then again I know my pool so I'm not worried.)

 

[momof3]

So I should test the FC 3 times a day?? I can probably do that since I am home all day..

 

[reebok]

well, the loss should be slowing down now as your cya starts to take more effect. but the chart has levels. let it fall below minimum which you have twice that I've seen so far (see a few posts above) and you are at risk for algae. you don't necessarily have to test, just add.

 

[momof3]

How much should I add if I add without testing?

 

[reebok]

68oz should bring it up by 2ppm. should be fine. then test as usual in the evening. hopefully you'll only need to do this for a few days, but do whatever it takes to stay at or above your target of 4ppm. pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock