First of all I am all new to the BBB and just starting to change over. Did my test, posted the reading in another post but I have a question. How can you get your CYA reading down other then water drain and refill. If I start to use bleach will the cya go down in time? I have been using Optimum chlorinating granules with is trichloro-s-triazinetrion 71.8 and boron sodium oxide pentahydate 8.0
cya question
- Thread starter bdodds
- Start date
A reverse osmosis treatment will lower your CYA. I noticed that you're in South Carolina. I'm not sure of it's availability in your area or the cost. It's often found in the arid regions like Arizona and Southern California. If it's available, you may want to weigh the cost of the treatment against the cost of a partial drain and refill. If water is relatively inexpensive in your area, a drain and refill may well be the best way to go.
Draining some of your water is often the hardest news to take for anyone starting the BBB process. By this time you're usually at your wits end with chemicals, treatments and costly advice from the pool store and the first thing you hear from us is to drain part of your pool and spend $65 on a good test kit. The difference is that once you do this, if you follow the recommendations here, it's unlikely you'll ever have to do it again. You just can't get rid of CYA any other way. It does slowly break down over time, but with a level of 90, you're not going to see a meaningful decrease over the swim season.
It's also better to keep your posts in one thread to make it easier to follow what's going on (I had to go look up your CYA level....).
Draining some of your water is often the hardest news to take for anyone starting the BBB process. By this time you're usually at your wits end with chemicals, treatments and costly advice from the pool store and the first thing you hear from us is to drain part of your pool and spend $65 on a good test kit. The difference is that once you do this, if you follow the recommendations here, it's unlikely you'll ever have to do it again. You just can't get rid of CYA any other way. It does slowly break down over time, but with a level of 90, you're not going to see a meaningful decrease over the swim season.
It's also better to keep your posts in one thread to make it easier to follow what's going on (I had to go look up your CYA level....).
Yeah, I was thinking of R/O (and messing with duraleigh a little bit ). I just hate to see water wasted,but it may be a So. California issue and not so prevalent (or critical) in other areas.
You do need to get the CYA level down to be able to manage your pool better (and easier). The Pool Calculator will tell you how much you'll need to drain, and a good test kit is critical.
). I just hate to see water wasted,but it may be a So. California issue and not so prevalent (or critical) in other areas.You do need to get the CYA level down to be able to manage your pool better (and easier). The Pool Calculator will tell you how much you'll need to drain, and a good test kit is critical.
Drain it! I just had to do the same thing...It's cheaper and easier. Not good on my well pump but I believe I made the right decision. It's almost full again now! Then had the guy at the pool store call me this morning and said he talked with a technician about my situation and there was a chemical you could buy for $40 a bottle that would work. Don't think so...glad I didn't wait for him to call me back on Saturday. This is Monday and my pool would have been full of algae (which I just got rid of) . Just drain it!
Re: cya and fc question
Ok drain/refill it is. I do have a question on the FC checked it last night and it was 7.5 checked first thing this morning and it was 7.0 checked again tonight after sundown and it was 4.5 Is that normal to drop that much during the day? It was very hot here again (98) Now back to my drain/refill once I have this done do I start to use bleach and not the silk sticks I have been using?
Thanks everyone!!
Betsy
Ok drain/refill it is. I do have a question on the FC checked it last night and it was 7.5 checked first thing this morning and it was 7.0 checked again tonight after sundown and it was 4.5 Is that normal to drop that much during the day? It was very hot here again (98) Now back to my drain/refill once I have this done do I start to use bleach and not the silk sticks I have been using?
Thanks everyone!!
Betsy
2.5 ppm loss during the day is pretty good in my opinion. You'll get the hang of what your pool uses as you go along, but right now, make sure you test every evening and add what you need to get your FC back up.
Silk Sticks add CYA to you pool every time you use them. That's why you're draining. I'd save any you have an use them when you go on vacation after you learn what everything is doing to your water.
Silk Sticks add CYA to you pool every time you use them. That's why you're draining. I'd save any you have an use them when you go on vacation after you learn what everything is doing to your water.
I drained some water and refilled this morning and checked the water and the CYA is at 70 now so I am guess it was not enough water but I did not want to go too low and damage the liner. Should a wait a few days to drain more or do it now? I took the silk sticks out and I used bleach (thought hubby was going to go into shock) The pool already looks clearer!! I can see the main drain and this morning I could not. You guys really know your stuff around here!
Thanks~
Betsy
Thanks~
Betsy
You can maintain your pool at 70 ppm CYA if you want to. It's going to take a good bit of bleach to reach shock level if you decide to do that. Other than that you can do another partial drain when you feel ready for it. If it were me, I'd do it now and be done with it. That way, you've got a good level to shock and if you go on vacation for a week, you can use the Silk Sticks if you want and not run your CYA up too high again and end up with another cloud. If you KNOW you're going to leave for a week or so and won't be able to get someone else to add bleach for you, I'd shoot for the lower end of the scale (like 40 ppm). A little higher at 50 ppm or so will offer more protection against the sun burning off the chlorine.
It may seem odd, but you could get a bottle of liquid chlorine from a pool store and a bottle of bleach and show your hubby that they're the same thing (only the bleach is about half as strong.) Hopefully he'll just enjoy the sparkly pool soon and will be impressed how you do it.
Keep up the good work!!
It may seem odd, but you could get a bottle of liquid chlorine from a pool store and a bottle of bleach and show your hubby that they're the same thing (only the bleach is about half as strong.) Hopefully he'll just enjoy the sparkly pool soon and will be impressed how you do it.
Keep up the good work!!