Tired of adding chlorine, more cya?

[steveo]

I have a 28000 gallon fiberglass inground. Since using the BBB method everything is so easy, balanced, and cheap with pool maintenance, but I feel like I have to add bleach too frequently. Because of the size of my pool, losing half to 2/3 of my FC per day due to sunlight really takes its toll. I have to add sometimes up to 4-5 gallons a week depending on rain/sun/etc. I have been keeping my CYA at around 45. Will bumping the CYA and taking my FC levels up higher help out with how often I am having to test and add chlorine in the pool? I never have CC.

Also, what is the best method to get rid of the fine siltlike material that gets stirred up after large swim sessions? It's stuff that is so fine, my filter isn't catching it and it just clouds the water after we have alot of swimmers stirring it up. I run the filter and it eventually settles back down. I have a good hunch the previous owners did not add pool sand in the filter and used regular old playground or quickset sand, so that will get swapped this fall.

I added 2 cups of DE to aid and that works awesome, but the filter pressure goes up to 25 (from 20, its 18 before DE) within 2 days so I end up having to backwash after about a week. I think some of the DE might be causing some of the cloudiness, but I really don't know. I have a silt bag on my cleaner running about 4-6 hours a day (same as pump unless it gets cloudy).

 

[dmanb2b]

post test results pls...cya at 45 is OK, if you are using bleach....to low if SWG...but if I had to guess, you probably have CC's eating up your FC

 

[steveo]

Chlorine pool. Just tested yesterday after a week off, so I'll post usuals and yesterdays.
Yesterday
FC .5
CC 0
PH 7.8
TA 80
CYA 45 ish


Usuals
FC 3-7
CC 0
PH 7.4 - 7.6
TA 75-80
CYA 45ish


Never falls outside of that, or I never allow it to. Minimal acid use required, minimal TA adjustments required. Never added CYA since I got them lower last fall. I never have CC and I test at least 2 times per week. I have had CC after a hard rain or lots of trash in the pool. Usually just enough to get the DPD reagent to slightly color. I'm pretty sure the culprit is sunlight. I live in La and I am getting direct sunlight on the pool from 8AM to 7-8PM. It's sunlight out from 6:30 to 9:00.

 

[PaulR]

In the South many people want to run with higher CYA because of the more intense sun. It does help reduce the FC loss.
--paulr

 

[mas985]

I've measured my FC loss/day at about 45-50% with a CYA of 50 and less than half that for a CYA of 80 ppm. The problem with running a BBB pool at higher CYA is that you have to keep the FC levels above the minimum otherwise your asking for trouble. Also, if you do get an algae bloom, it takes a lot more chlorine to kill it.

With a SWG or liquidator, it is pretty easy to keep constant FC levels so you might want to consider one of those options. With a fairly constant FC, you can minimize the level to what your pool needs and thus reduce the amount that is lost as well.

 

[steveo]

I'm thinking about bumping it to 60 and then go from there. I doubt I'll go to 80.