CYA numbers very high - new to pools

[cvent82]

Hi, new here and new to pool maintenance/ownerhsip in general! I recently purchased a home that has a pool. I used the pool service the previous owners used so they could show me the ropes of opening a pool. This was about 2 weeks ago.

It is an above ground 14,000 gallon pool with a chlorinator. When they opened the guy filled it with maybe 5 pucks and also added some to the floating chlorine dispenser. I filled the pool to the level he told me after he left and once it got there I turned on the filter system and left it on the timer the previous owner had (6 hours on 6 hours off, kicks on twice a day)

Alkalinity and PH were off on the test strips so i took a sample to The Great Escape. The guy just used strips and said i needed Alkalinty up which i assume is just baking soda. Used half of the 10 lbs container and nothing happened so I used the rest the next day like he suggested. No change.

Brought another sample to Leslies today and they gave me the results below and said the CYA is super high and I need to drain 1/2 the pool and refill. Also tried to sell me an $80 CYA remover that goes in the basket which she said alone would take about 2 months to lower the levels. She was real pushy on that so i opted out to do some research first. She said this is likely caused by the pool guy putting in too many pucks and that he should have only used about 2 total and not used the float.

So I guess my question is

1) does draining 1/2 the pool and refilling seem like the way to go based on these numbers? should i drain/ refill a little at a time?

2) is draining into the grass an issue with numbers like this? Dont want to do any damage to the grass/ plants. Is pumping into the street sewer a better option? dont have the pump for that but could pick something up to make it work if thats a better option

3) is using about 2 pucks in the chlorinator and no float sound about right?

4) im assuming i should probably be testing at home with an actual kit and not just strips, any recommendations on testing kits?

5) should i get CYA remover filter they were pushing at Leslies or just drain some water?

I wasnt in love with the idea of having a pool but wanted to give it a shot since it came with the house. This has been a bit discouraging so far, hopefully things go a little smoother going forward and I get the hang of things!

Thanks in advance!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
You need a proper test kit. I suggest the TF-100/Pro or Taylor K2006C. 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.
I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

 

[Bperry]

I wasnt in love with the idea of having a pool but wanted to give it a shot since it came with the house. This has been a bit discouraging so far, hopefully things go a little smoother going forward and I get the hang of things!

We can save you a bunch of heartache in that area by advising to never go into the pool store again, especially for water testing. They all seem to just be bad at it. Get your own test kit referenced above.

The CYA remover is snakoil.

But the pool stores happen to be extra bad at measuring CYA so maybe its not really high but if youve been using those tablets for a while, it probably is. Dont do anything except follow the advice above until the test kit arrives.

 

[wireform]

Them guys before aint lying please follow. Get that kit and trust your own results as it may be the difference draining or not draining. Stay out of any pool store because they love the "just swipe your card"......without real resolve.

 

[Newdude]

Also tried to sell me an $80 CYA remover that goes in the basket which she said alone would take about 2 months to lower the levels

It's basically a Britta filter that won't remove any CYA. Ironically it will probably filter chlorine if it's similar to an actual Britta filter.

Besides the bogus claims that it works at all, they claim it removes 10 ppm a month, regardless of pool volume. Twice the volume = twice the CYA to remove at any level. But it knows somehow.

Anywho, if it was to work, It'd take 18 months to get you where you want to be. You'll be out several $45 bags before you realize it does nothing and the line of folks waiting to be swindled at the pool store wraps around the corner, so they'll keep pushing it.

 

[cvent82]

We can save you a bunch of heartache in that area by advising to never go into the pool store again, especially for water testing. They all seem to just be bad at it. Get your own test kit referenced above.

The CYA remover is snakoil.

But the pool stores happen to be extra bad at measuring CYA so maybe its not really high but if youve been using those tablets for a while, it probably is. Dont do anything except follow the advice above until the test kit arrives.

Thanks for the info! Just ordered the at home Taylor testing kit. Tablets have been in for 2 weeks since opening the pool. The test strips show the CYA is low. If CYA was indeed high would it likely show that on the test strip as well?

Also wouldnt the chlorine feeder regulate levels regardless of how many tablets are in there?

 

[Bperry]

Thanks for the info! Just ordered the at home Taylor testing kit. Tablets have been in for 2 weeks since opening the pool. The test strips show the CYA is low. If CYA was indeed high would it likely show that on the test strip as well?

Also wouldnt the chlorine feeder regulate levels regardless of how many tablets are in there?

The feeder does not regulate levels of anything exept water going through it.

The test strips are junk and tend to be very unreliable. A pool store that uses them should be ashamed.

Did you get the K2006C or the TF-100?

 

[cvent82]

The feeder does not regulate levels of anything exept water going through it.

The test strips are junk and tend to be very unreliable. A pool store that uses them should be ashamed.

Did you get the K2006C or the TF-100?

Yeah i was surprised the first place used the strips. Leslies used a machine to do it.

I went with the K2006C

 

[Bperry]

Yeah i was surprised the first place used the strips. Leslies used a machine to do it.

I went with the K2006C

The leslies machine works just as bad as the paper strips most of the time.

 

[cvent82]

The leslies machine works just as bad as the paper strips most of the time.

test kit arrived. confirmed CYA levels are high. Doesnt give me an exact number but well above 100. I know i have to drain and refill but how much can/should i drain? Not sure if draining too much would cause any structural issues.

It is an above ground round 24 ft 14,000 gallon pool.

Thanks!

 

[Newdude]

I know i have to drain and refill but how much can/should i drain?

You need an accurate # first, then filling with 0 CYA water is an even proportion. Draining 3/4 removes 3/4 of the CYA, half is half, etc.

Here's how you test 90+. Mix up a batch of 50/50 with pool and tap. Use that as the sample and proceed with the rest as normal. Double the result. If still 100+, use 2 parts tap 1 part pool and triple the result.

 

[V___25]

If you haven't already done so, take the tablets out of the feeder and the floater thing and never use them again! No more tablets - liquid chlorine only.

 

[cvent82]

You need an accurate # first, then filling with 0 CYA water is an even proportion. Draining 3/4 removes 3/4 of the CYA, half is half, etc.

Here's how you test 90+. Mix up a batch of 50/50 with pool and tap. Use that as the sample and proceed with the rest as normal. Double the result. If still 100+, use 2 parts tap 1 part pool and triple the result.

CYA number comes out to about 225. Guessing I need to drain roughly 80% of the pool?

Will going that low cause any issues structurally or should it be good to go?

 

[Newdude]

You need 12 to 18 inches of water to keep the liner in place. Pay attention if going below 18 inches for any signs of the liner shifting, pulling, popping out, etc and stop immediately if so. Obviously above 18 inches too, but you don't need to watch that part like a hawk. Just keep it in mind it's always a concern.

You need more than one drain as far as it's safe and if the second one is a partial and doesn't do enough, you'll be draining alot of the new water with the old on the 3rd drain. So I'd go with 2 full drains to a safe depth.

 

[cvent82]

You need 12 to 18 inches of water to keep the liner in place. Pay attention if going below 18 inches for any signs of the liner shifting, pulling, popping out, etc and stop immediately if so. Obviously above 18 inches too, but you don't need to watch that part like a hawk. Just keep it in mind it's always a concern.

You need more than one drain as far as it's safe and if the second one is a partial and doesn't do enough, you'll be draining alot of the new water with the old on the 3rd drain. So I'd go with 2 full drains to a safe depth.

I drained and refilled the pool and here is where i am at with numbers.

CYA: ~35
PH: 7.4
TA: 100
Free Chlorine and combined chlorine both:0.2

Im guessing the free chlorine is off a bit. I only put two chlorine tabs in the chlorinator and dialed it down to setting 1. It was on 5 and the guy loaded it with tabs and put the float in. Im guessing I should just dial it up on the chlorinator a little?

 

[Newdude]

CYA: ~35

SWEET. Always round up. 31 to 39 = 40. (etc). As such, only fill to the 10s. It's much easier to be sure it's not a 30, and also not a 50. If it's off a little in the middle at 40, it's way close enough.

Add enough FC per day to land free and clear above min after the daily loss. If you have to dose over target in the peak season to achieve the mission, then so be it. In the early/late season you don't need to go as high when the loss is only 2ppm a day (etc).




Also switch to 10ml FC tests. Each drop is 0.5 FC and you'll save 2.5X the supplies.