CYA Issues

[hlemon]

Hi guys!

Hope everyone is having a nice almost-Summer so far!

I think I might have done something foolish. In my quest to get our pool opened as quickly as possible (think swamp), I tested my ph and then began adding hypochlor (48% from Walmart left over from last summer) as suggested by the pool calculator to hit '10' for shock. That was last evening.

So, today, I realized that I didn't really take my own CYA reading, and when I did it today, I used the entire bottle of solution and could see the black dot (TF100 kit). My question is, I know that the FC level in the pool is atleast a 7.5 (that's what it dipped to before I added more to bring it back up to around 10), and I know that the CYA test can be thrown off by high levels of TC, right? How do I know whether or not I truly have no CYA left in the pool? I know that the calculator actually views "0" as a "1 or 2" right? (Thankfully, it's cloudy here today)

Most current numbers:
FC= 7.5
CC= 4.5 (stinkin algae!)
TA= 70
pH= As of last night, low normal I think 7.0
CYA= ran out of solution and it was still VERY visable


Thanks heaps for any help!

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Hi guys!

Hope everyone is having a nice almost-Summer so far!

I think I might have done something foolish. In my quest to get our pool opened as quickly as possible (think swamp), I tested my ph and then began adding hypochlor (48% from Walmart left over from last summer) as suggested by the pool calculator to hit '10' for shock. That was last evening.

So, today, I realized that I didn't really take my own CYA reading, and when I did it today, I used the entire bottle of solution and could see the black dot (TK100 kit). My question is, I know that the FC level in the pool is atleast a 7.5 (that's what it dipped to before I added more to bring it back up to around 10), and I know that the CYA test can be thrown off by high levels of TC, right? How do I know whether or not I truly have no CYA left in the pool? I know that the calculator actually views "0" as a "1 or 2" right? (Thankfully, it's cloudy here today)

Most current numbers:
FC= 7.5
CC= 4.5 (stinkin algae!)
TA= 70
pH= As of last night, low normal I think 7.0
CYA= ran out of solution and it was still VERY visable

Thanks heaps for any help!

Welcome back!

Was the water circulating before you tested?

hypochlor = Cal-hypo?

If you have 0 CYA, 10 FC won't hurt. Don't go higher than that. If your CYA is really 0 that 7.5 will be 0 in hours...so to kill the algae and CC, keep the FC up. Get some CYA!

CYA tests are not affected by high FC. PH is.

PH of 7.0 is too low, btw.

So get your PH up with some Borax or Soda ash, get the pool store to test the CYA, until you can get some more CYA reagent. Buy some CYA and start defeating the Algae. Remember there are step by step instructions in Pool School.

 

[JasonLion]

There are two products named Hypochlor, one is a liquid and is essentially bleach. The other is a powder and is cal-hypo.

 

[hlemon]

Howdy poolmom! Hope you've been well!

I am going to go buy CYA after work. It has been a nightmare trying to maintain my FC. I have to check it every hour and I still haven't hit white....just murky brown.

I was going to wait and add some soda after I got my water to where I could atleast see the bottom of the pool...but I have some left from last year and can just add it tonight. I don't know why, but I could have sworn that I read chlorine worked better at lower pH levels.

You guys were right, I'm always calling the chemicals the wrong thing. It is powdered cal-hypo! DUH

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Howdy poolmom! Hope you've been well!

I am going to go buy CYA after work. It has been a nightmare trying to maintain my FC. I have to check it every hour and I still haven't hit white....just murky brown.

I was going to wait and add some soda after I got my water to where I could atleast see the bottom of the pool...but I have some left from last year and can just add it tonight. I don't know why, but I could have sworn that I read chlorine worked better at lower pH levels.

You guys were right, I'm always calling the chemicals the wrong thing. It is powdered cal-hypo! DUH

It does, you are correct about that - I was just afraid that the PH being a 7.0 is a little TOO low....7.2 I'm not opposed to, for shocking...LOL Plus if you add CYA it's likely to drop below that....so go ahead and just add a little bit of a bump.

I have been well, thanks for asking!