I was using liquid chlorine last year until I could not find it anymore and had to switch to pucks. By the end of '21 my CYA was around 100 and that was just from using pucks part of the year. Before the pucks I was in the 40-50 range. The app shows that the pucks added 91 ppm of CYA so my CYA level makes some sense. What I don't understand is how anyone can use these year round without having to drain annually. If someone averaged 2 ppm FC usage per day with pucks over a year that would add 450 ppm of CYA per my calculations. How can this work even considering some dilution by way of rain? What am I missing? Thanks!
How is it possible to use pucks and not have to drain each year?
- Thread starter Longboat58
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 58,999
- Pool Size
- 6000
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- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
They have very high CYA levels, and have no idea what that means. The pool is always cloudy, though they think that is normal. They have some algae, and also think that is normal. They 'shock' weekly, and think that is normal.
What Marty said ^^^^^. Those are the same people that keep slamming, use algacide and everything else on the pool store shelf. It comes down to understanding pool chemistry which is spoon fed here on TFP.
kul
Bronze Supporter
- Oct 1, 2021
- 1,341
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- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I used to be one of these people courtesy of my pool guy. It stayed that way until I learned better and gained some confidence to do it myself with the help of TFP. I do know some people who still just shock weekly and have never drained their pools or supposedly had any issues. So I guess it just depends on the person and what their expectations are for their pool.
- Jan 7, 2012
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Before I found TFP, my CYA was 500+.
You couldn't find liquid chlorine at Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, Leslies, etc.? Seems strange that you'd have difficulty finding it in Austin.
people in florida get very heavy rainfalls
and are forced to do a partial drain regularly
and are forced to do a partial drain regularly
The definition of shock says 'a sudden, often violent change.'
The only reason to shock a person, or a pool, is that the patient was DOA.
But again, folks just do what they are told by the 'professionals' and consider weekly shocking, gross water and monthly algae blooms to be normal.
The only reason to shock a person, or a pool, is that the patient was DOA.
But again, folks just do what they are told by the 'professionals' and consider weekly shocking, gross water and monthly algae blooms to be normal.
Question from a newbie on the pucks, how many times a year (typically) would i need to do a partial drain and fill to keep the cya down? Before I found this site and during the start of the chlorine shortage i bought two massive buckets thinking i was being smart to ensure a chlorine supply for at least a season maybe 2. It cost maybe 100 bucks to fill my pool so i am looking at cost benefit ratio for chemicals to water.
Several. Each puck adds 7ish ppm CYA for 11k gallons. It's not bad at the start if your CYA was low from the off season. It will quickly get unmanageable once you are starting at 30/40.
If you were going on vacation and had some wiggle room with your CYA at the time, you could use a couple pucks to get by. They last darn near forever when stored cool and dry.
Or the bucket would sell like hot cakes on FB market place / CL / offer up.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,337
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"Non-stabilized" pucks are most likely cal-hypo. They add calcium to the water along with the chlorine.
ANY solid form of chlorine adds either CYA or calcium to the water.
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,232
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- 25000
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- Plaster
- Chlorine
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- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
My brother actually uses pucks and fully understands TFP methods. He controls CYA with scheduled draining a couple times per year. He has a 25000 gal pool in Flower Mound Tx and just doesn't like lugging all the chlorine. So he endures wicked hot summers and used to have bi-annual green pool events that he just thought was normal and spent a fortune each year at the pool store to "clear it up" then gave up and did a complete change out. Then I explained TFP methods to him and he read up on it. He's pretty smart and understood TFP methodology quickly. After switching to drainage method within TFP ranges he's had no green events and never even had anything but a great pool. He has resisted changing to swg because his wife is one of those rare people that dislikes the salt "feel". But now with puck shortages and prices through the roof he's trying to persuade her to a salt conversion.
So bottom line to me is I agree with Marty. People that say pucks work "fine" for them don't know what good looks like.
Chris
So bottom line to me is I agree with Marty. People that say pucks work "fine" for them don't know what good looks like.
Chris
All of this. ^^^^^
the short is answer to your question is that you don't.
We bought our house 2 years ago and the prior owner exclusively used pucks and pool store advise. Over the 2 years, I've gradually worked the CYA down to 50 at time of closing last year. 2 years ago, the pool was a green swamp and I fully intend to never have it look that way again.
But many, many people don't subscribe to the CYA/FC relationship so having 300+ CYA is apparently fine for them and that's how pool stores remain in business.
the short is answer to your question is that you don't.
We bought our house 2 years ago and the prior owner exclusively used pucks and pool store advise. Over the 2 years, I've gradually worked the CYA down to 50 at time of closing last year. 2 years ago, the pool was a green swamp and I fully intend to never have it look that way again.
But many, many people don't subscribe to the CYA/FC relationship so having 300+ CYA is apparently fine for them and that's how pool stores remain in business.
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
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- 15000
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- Vinyl
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- CircuPool SJ-40
Just let them know that a chlorine pool is a salt water pool... The salt is probably at 2000ppm, only 1000 more for a SWG pool, go over and test the salt...
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,232
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- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
I hope she doesn't ever figure out who I am on here because I've explained that they have a salt pool already but she's pretty hard-headed. Not sure where or when she tried a salt pool but it left her with a bad taste for salt pools... sorry couldn't help the pun!Just let them know that a chlorine pool is a salt water pool... The salt is probably at 2000ppm, only 1000 more for a SWG pool, go over and test the salt...
cam2000deluxe
Member
Our liquid chlorine plus CYA from pucks pool measures around 700-1000ppm salinity, but that is partly because it's vinyl so I don't worry about CH on the low sideJust let them know that a chlorine pool is a salt water pool... The salt is probably at 2000ppm, only 1000 more for a SWG pool, go over and test the salt...
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,187
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- Astral Viron V35
I guess with sss's brother's strict regime of multiple drain/refills per year to keep CYA under control he will also keep a lid on the salt levels. And with pucks as the only source of chlorine he'll add only half as much salt compared to a bleach only pool.Just let them know that a chlorine pool is a salt water pool... The salt is probably at 2000ppm, only 1000 more for a SWG pool, go over and test the salt...
@setsailsoon, you should try the "you're soaking in it" trick to convince your sister in law that salt is her friend:
an1vrsy
Bronze Supporter
- Jul 10, 2018
- 1,153
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- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Free water! That would be ok with me. I’ve lived in California and now Southern Nevada, southwest US has been in a drought for quite a while now. Rain would be helpful. I personally would rather have to drain water due to constant rains than wondering if the water district comes after me for the autofill on my pool.
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,232
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- 25000
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Yes, it's really not that bad but does require more frequent salt, CYA, and borates than most.
Deb04
LifeTime Supporter
- Jul 12, 2008
- 673
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- 19000
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- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I’d probably get away with pucks only. Our pool is open only five months of the year and when I open it after the winter the CYA is usually zero. I always have to drain some water after one of our heavy thunderstorms. I’m too fussy about my pool chemistry to let it fall to chance though. I am very proud of the fact that when the pool company comes to open or close our pool they always comment on how the liner looks new and are surprised it’s from 2008. I credit TFP and diligent testing for that.