Lowered Cyanuric Acid - Now What?

[Chris'nJenn]

Chlorine pucks and crystal clear pucks drove our CA over 300ppm. I've been slowly filling with fresh water and dumping for 2 weeks. Rain water has helped a little. Fortunately I was able to spread this excessive waste of water over 2 months of water bills by timing this operation to coincide with the local utility's billing cycle.

I have CA down to between 50--70ppm. It's a freshwater pool. Still working on lowering the CA.

Everything else is still within normal parameters except chlorine. Chlorine is down to 1 or 2 ppm. Alkalinity is hovering low, but still within normal specs.

I don't have the big fancy test kit yet, but it is ordered and on the way via the big brown truck. Should be here in a few more days.

How do I go about the task of getting everything back up to snuff and trouble free?

I think our pool specs are in the signature line, but if it fails to read, here they are.

Location: East coast of Florida. 15 miles from Cape Canaveral.

In-ground

2hp Pentair single-speed pump that was new in 2016.

Caretaker 99 cleaning system with 5 zones. Of the zones, 4 have rotating heads. The 5th zone is a fountain that sprays up about 8 feet.

7,500 gallons

We have a screened cage, so debris is almost nothing. My baskets never have anything in them. I clean the pleated cartridge monthly. I just bought a brand new one, but have not installed it, until I get the go ahead from this forum. There is no algea or mess right now. It never looked terrible or had any algae to begin with.

If I left any critical details out, please let me know.

Any help is sincerely appreciated.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

If the water is crystal clear with no sign of algae, you may be not is too bad of shape.

Not much we can suggest until you get a set of test results when you kit arrives ...
besides raising the FC up and keeping it above the minimum for your CYA as listed in the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]

- - - Updated - - -

We recommend cleaning the filter when the pressure rises 20-25% over the clean pressure.

 

[Chris'nJenn]

Thanks for the response.

Should I use any liquid chlorine bleach to try and raise the levels right now? The dip strip tests are showing around 1--2ppm, maybe less. Tough to read on the dip strip... Its low.
Would adding liquid chlorine bleach bind with any of the remaining Cyanuric Acid and help to reduce those levels?

 

[Texas Splash]

Liquid chlorine from a pool store or pool section is fine, or simply regular household bleach - same thing. Just make sure the bleach you use is NOT splashless, has NO scents or any fabric/polymer products. Just the regular plain stuff.

 

[Chris'nJenn]

Thanks for the response.
Just realized I double posted. Sorry.

Should I use any liquid chlorine bleach to try and raise the levels right now? The dip strip tests are showing around 1--2ppm, maybe less. Tough to read on the dip strip... Its low.
Would adding liquid chlorine bleach bind with any of the remaining Cyanuric Acid and help to reduce those levels?

I'm thinking there's been a lot of water removed and replaced with the garden hose.... there can't be much of anything left in the water column. There's probably very little combined chlorine left, even though Cyanuric Acid is still on the high side. The pool never gets dirty.. .. not really. It's just me and my wife and we don't use oils or lotions in the pool. To be honest, we don't get to use it as much as we'd like. We simply work too much. No kids. No dogs. It rarely gets used, but I still want to maintain it.

Pressure on the gauge never goes up much. It usually runs around 17psi. It's dirty when I clean it. I don't know the life expectancy of these pleated filters, but this one looks to be several years old. It's very stained and the rubber is beginning to deteriorate. I don't want it breaking off and getting into the caretaker heads so will replace ASAP. I was just outside and the one we ordered is too tall. I need an R173215 (PAP 100 or C-9410) and we ordered an R173216, which is about a foot too tall. A new, new filter is on the way.
Are we having fun yet?

 

[Texas Splash]

Should I use any liquid chlorine bleach to try and raise the levels right now?

Yes. As Jason noted above, you must always refer to the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA] to avoid algae. We know you have quite a bit of CYA, so look at that chart and you'll see you need to increase the FC right away. Adding bleach will not impact or lower the CYA either. Only water replacement or a minor amount of CYA reduction takes place each month.

 

[Chris'nJenn]

Okay
Thanks very much.

I need to get up to around 4ppm---5ppm per the chart. I'll use straight liquid chlorine bleach... household stuff. Its what we have on hand.
I can't use any scented laundry products or shampoos, due to sensitive skin. (thanks Mom) Never felt like I needed the splashless type.
Straight, regular old bleach.

Any idea how much to use?

 

[Texas Splash]

For a non-salt pool, and a CYA of 40, your ideal FC range is 5-7 and never below 3. With CYA it's always best to just round-up or down if needed. If the CYA looks like 34 or below, I call it 30. If it looks like it's 35 or above, I call it 40. That's the easiest way to use the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA].

 

[Chris'nJenn]

Did some reading and used a few calculators. I measured out 4oz of bleach.
Will wait a few hours and run another dip strip. Can't wait for the new test kit. This feels kinda silly.

 

[mknauss]

Did some reading and used a few calculators. I measured out 4oz of bleach.
Will wait a few hours and run another dip strip. Can't wait for the new test kit. This feels kinda silly.

You added 0.4 ppm FC with the 4 oz of bleach --- what were you attempting to do?

 

[Chris'nJenn]

You added 0.4 ppm FC with the 4 oz of bleach --- what were you attempting to do?

Raise chlorine levels by 4ppm

My math must be off.

 

[Jwmote]

Use PoolMath page. It makes it much much easier

maybe you left out a decimal point or two ?

 

[Chris'nJenn]

Yep, 1 decimal point.
Chlorine has come up to 5ppm--6ppm. After adding, the pump was still circulatig for 2hrs before it shut down for the night. I'll let it circulate for an hour or two in the morning and test it again.

 

[Chris'nJenn]

CYA is 50ppm today.
Chlorine is 5ppm.

Fingers crossed. TF-100 test kit should be here today or Monday.

 

[Jwmote]

If your CYA gets much higher you could always convert to saltwater. I personally think maintenance is much much lower on them and they actually like the CYA up around 60 to 80. BTW pool looks awesome.

I know this is contrary to the stated goal of the thread but wanted to throw it out there.

 

[an1vrsy]

@Chris'nJenn, todays Monday. Have you gotten your test kit? Post a full set of numbers in this format

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA

With that information it will be helpful for the experienced posters to give you answers to your questions.