Pool Tech Maintenance: Community Pool Chemistry

[panamax53]

My obsession with testing has leads me to the conclusion that even though pools are sanitized and kept to a healthy pH by most pool techs. The TA, CYA levels and CH levels are often way off. Our community pool had ZERO CYA, CH of 90, TA of 30, pH of 7.2, FC 15..5, CC <0.5 . The tech had just added chlorine 4 hours earlier.
I have checked several friends pools and keep finding this problem of CH being super low and TA usually very low also and to some extent the CYA higher than it should be most of the time. Is this common in the industry? Our health department only requires FC, pH, CYA and flow rate readings.
Is it cheaper to just throw more chlorine in than to add CYA? Baking Soda is cheap; seems they don't want to use that either. Calcium Carbonate is not inexpensive; are they afraid to use it due to the risk of staining/cost?

Your thoughts on the matter are appreciated

 

[domct203]

My obsession with testing has leads me to the conclusion that even though pools are sanitized and kept to a healthy pH by most pool techs. The TA, CYA levels and CH levels are often way off. Our community pool had ZERO CYA, CH of 90, TA of 30, pH of 7.2, FC 15..5, CC <0.5 . The tech had just added chlorine 4 hours earlier.
I have checked several friends pools and keep finding this problem of CH being super low and TA usually very low also and to some extent the CYA higher than it should be most of the time. Is this common in the industry? Our health department only requires FC, pH, CYA and flow rate readings.
Is it cheaper to just throw more chlorine in than to add CYA? Baking Soda is cheap; seems they don't want to use that either. Calcium Carbonate is not inexpensive; are they afraid to use it due to the risk of staining/cost?

Your thoughts on the matter are appreciated

Our methods here apply to residential pool only. Different communities/counties/states have different rules and regulations for public pools, and often require a CPO.

I'll comment on this though.... that 15.5ppm FC to 0ppm CYA ratio is ridiculously high, and would destroy swimsuits in no time, as well as dry out skin, hair, etc.

Dom

 

[panamax53]

I read somewhere that a few pool companies don't even use CYA, they simply use more chlorine. Understandable, but why would they keep TA so low at 30? Could that low a level keep the pH at the bottom range of 7.2?

 

[Schadenfreude]

I would be less concerned about the TA at this point. That is a ridiculous (potentially unsafe?) level of chlorine with a true zero CYA. Is it possible the CYA is in the 20-30 range, but you just can't read it? Because that would make a lot more sense.

 

[pooldv]

The pucks and trichlor are acidic and drive down PH and TA.

 

[jblizzle]

Also low CH does not matter unless the pool is plaster.