Chlorine at Zero - please help.

[Dimes]

I'd drain some water at least a foot and then test for CYA after filing back up. Keep adding some chlorine to the pool so the algae does not go crazy. SLAM with a CYA of 80 is not cheap with 26,000 gallons. Try to get your CYA to 40.
OrThe CYA test is not easy-- but you can use the same solution and do the test a few times. Or have your spouse do it and compare your results.

2 hrs hand vacuuming out all the green stuff tonight - adding 6 gallons of liquid chlorine. Leaving the pump running all night so will see how it is in the morning. CYA on regular test still shows 90, but on diluted test is closer to 60 - so maybe somewhere in between.
As I've been vacuuming, I have also backwashed a few times - quick question there - if I'm just backwashing to rid the filter of all the green algae, I don't need to add DE each time do I? I did add it when I was finished.

 

[Dimes]

Thanks to everyone for the help - my pool is now algae free and looking good. That said - my CYA is still on the high side 70 to 80 as of last reading. I heard about this product called "Bio-Active Cyanuric Acid Reducer" - does anyone have any experience with this.

 

[Texas Splash]

Personally never used it. But now that your water is TFP clear, and the end of your swimming season is just down the road, I wouldn't mess with anything. Maintain what you have. Over the winter, your CYA may drop a bit and by next spring you'll find yourself in a perfect starting position. Just my 2 cents.

 

[chem geek]

There are at least a dozen people who have tried it and reported results on this forum. Mostly it doesn't work either producing no reduction at all or only a very small reduction close to the limit of detection in the CYA test. For a small number of people it had more reduction and for some it was a disaster creating a huge chlorine demand that cost more in chlorine to resolve than even the expensive Bio-Active product itself. We cannot recommend this product because it does not work most of the time, is expensive, and can lead to even worse problems.

70-80 ppm CYA is manageable and as was noted it will slowly drop from water dilution and chlorine oxidation of the CYA assuming you aren't adding any more from stabilized chlorine (trichlor, dichlor) products.

 

[Dimes]

Ya - no more Chlorine Tabs for me. Question is now do I just leave my Chlorinator as it is or take it off line and try and patch up the holes into the main lines.

 

[Texas Splash]

Is that an in-line chlorinator? Personal choice I suppose whether to leave or remove. Either way, it won't hurt anything as long as it's empty. Then you have it there if you ever go on vacation or something. My in-line is still there, just empty.