High Cyanuric Acid and phosphates

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VargusAZ

Well-known member
May 29, 2020
145
Phoenix, AZ
Good afternoon,
We build a pool two years ago and I was not given enough instruCtions from the builder. All I have done is maitaining chlorine and checking with a paper strip the different levels.
I recently noticed the chlorine being close to zero and my attempt to increase it for the last 2 weeks has not been successful. I took some water to the pool store and they told me I have to drain the entire pool.
I live in AZ and the temperature is 109 today and will not drop below 95 until 1am. I do not want to risk damaging the pebble on an almost new pool.
Any advice will be appreciated. Here are my result per the store analysis:
Free chlorine: 0.11
Total chlorine: 0.17
pH: 6.8
Total Alkalinity: 0 (adjusted due to CYA)
Calcium Hardness: 234
Cyanuric Acid: 234
Iron: 0.1
Copper: 0.3
Phosphates: 4000
TDS: 2400

Do I need to drain the pool and how can I do it safely? Should I consider partial drain starting at 1am due to temperature? Is it the overall air temperature that could damage the pebble or the actuall sun exposure, basically can start draining at sunset or do I need to wait until temp is below 90?

I am going to spend some time on the forum reading as much as can to learn about how to keep the water balanced...etc Any pointers to articles or specific answer to my questions will be appreciated.
Thank you!
 
Welcome to the forum!
You need to follow the SLAM Process. To do that, you need a proper test kit, see Test Kits Compared. I suggest the TF-100 A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.

While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running. This will replenish the FC lost each day to the sun and also inhibit any algae in the water from growing further.

When you get your kit, run a full set of tests and post them up here.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
 
As far as draining, it is very likely you will need to do a near complete exchange of your pool water.
Read Draining - Further Reading and focus on the No Drain Water Exchange. That is what you are going to want to do this time of year.
 
mknauss said:
Welcome to the forum!
You need to follow the SLAM Process. To do that, you need a proper test kit, see Test Kits Compared. I suggest the TF-100 A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.

While you are waiting on your test kit, add 5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine / plain bleach to your pool each evening with the pump running. This will replenish the FC lost each day to the sun and also inhibit any algae in the water from growing further.

When you get your kit, run a full set of tests and post them up here.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the quick response, knowing the result from the store shows a Cyanuric Acid level of 205 should I SLAM? I am sorry to ask just read the slam article and it said "With CYA above 90 we recommend replacing water to get CYA down before you start the SLAM process."
Or is it to get by until I get the kit and avoid algae to develop. I forgot to mention that I started seing some light green on the walls of the pool.

How do I evaluate what "5 ppm FC worth of liquid chlorine" is?
Sorry for all the questions
 
You need to wait until you obtain a proper test kit before you go too much further. But I suspect you need to drain / exchange regardless. If you decide to start that process, let us know and we can guide you.

For 5 ppm of FC, we use PoolMath. I can guide you, but need to know pool volume.
If you could, fill out your signature. See Create Your Signature - Further Reading
 
I initially wanted to use my pool pump but per the article advice I purchased the following pump should be here by 8am tomorrow:

I will update my signature in a few from a computer, the documents from the builder show different volume for my pool, one refers to 12,000 and the other to 15,000. I suspect it's closer to 15,000. I will have to do some math to get a more precise number.
Yes, any help with the 5ppm and using the app will be appreciated. I will purchase the test kit tonight, however I do not have any bleach or liquid chlorine, any recommendation? Amazon? Pool store?
Thank you again.
 
That pump will work. You need to determine where you will send the pool water you pump out. I use our sewer cleanout.

3/4 gallon of 10% liquid chlorine will add 5 ppm FC to your pool.

Liquid chlorine should be available at HASA dealers in the Phoenix area. Are you in that area? Maybe add your city to your location. Or you can look at Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc for liquid chlorine. You will also need some muriatic acid. Home Depot or Lowes should have that.

If you want to start the water exchange tomorrow, let me know. I will be online in the morning off and on.
 
Yes to Phoenix, never been to HASA but there is one about 10 miles from me hope it's open tomorrow. I can go there in the morning, home depot or Lowes are closer but I'll go wherever needed for the quality and price.
If I need 3/4gal, should I get like 4 gal for at least 5 days?

I have some muriatic acid the builder left however it's 2 years old and was outside in the sun. Can I still use it? How much should I get.

Thanks
 
I think HASA you pay for refillable containers and then take them back to refill.

The acid, be careful if that bottle has been in the sun. The acid is fine but the bottle may fall apart. I would not just pick it up and carry it around. One gallon is good to start unless they come in 2 gallon boxes. That is how I get mine at Home Depot. I use a 20 gallon rubbermaid trash can with lid to store the acid containers in.
 

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mknauss said:
I think HASA you pay for refillable containers and then take them back to refill.

The acid, be careful if that bottle has been in the sun. The acid is fine but the bottle may fall apart. I would not just pick it up and carry it around. One gallon is good to start unless they come in 2 gallon boxes. That is how I get mine at Home Depot. I use a 20 gallon rubbermaid trash can with lid to store the acid containers in.
Click to expand...
Thank you, did you mean one gallon of acid or one gallon of liquid chlorine to start, or both?
 
One gallon of acid. You may as well get 4 gallons of chlorine, at least. Depends on if you need to follow the SLAM Process after the water exchange. If you have any algae now, you will.
 
Yes, that will work, just check the date codes to make sure it's not too outdated. There will be a code that should start with 20xxx. That indicates it was made in 2020. The xxx will correspond to the day of the year. So, 20121 would mean it was produced on the 121st day of 2020.
 
Got it. So I received the pump, have 6gal of liquid chlorine. Will get the muriatic acid Monday and the test kit as soon as I get it.
So should I start the Water replacement with the pump and a hose, or start with the 3/4gal of liquid chlorine? Or both?
Thanks
 
I would just go with the liquid chlorine for now. We don't put much stock in pool store testing. It is often very off, especially the CYA test. Wait for your test kit to arrive. Run all the tests when it does and we'll go from there.
 
I know Dean said to wait, but it depends on you. If you have more time to attack this now, rather than during next week, it might be best to get started. A proper test kit would be nice to have, but you are going to target a near full replacement. So then just maintaining 5-10 ppm FC after refill you should be good.

Tell us, when do you have the most time to devote to this?
 

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