Borating the pool - lower CYA prior? Best PPM?

[Prav]

After all the testimonials/comments about borates, figured it was worth it to try it out. I'm assuming I'm currently at zero (though will test when I get the Lamotte strips), so I probably need about 35 lbs. of boric acid to get to 50ppm or 25lbs to get to 30ppm (assuming my volume calculation of 15K gallons is right).

Two questions:

(1) Should I lower the CYA (currently about 60) prior to borating? As long as I stay away from pucks, CYA will eventually come down (rain dilution, splash, backwash), but I don't have much leeway in case I need to use the pucks (week-long absence and no one to pool-sit).

(2) Figured I can get the borates from 30-50 once it's more likely that the pool will get heavier usage. For the next few months, the only use for it may be spa (heated on demand) and quick dips on hot days (not this weekend - lows in the 50s here in Miami.... BRRRR! ). Since we've successfully made it through another hurricane season, it's not as rainy over the next few months, so the 30 will probably stay in that range. Anything wrong with that approach?

Thoughts are appreciated.

 

[chem geek]

The CYA level and the borates have nothing to do with each other so I'm not sure why you are asking whether to lower the CYA level first. It isn't necessary to lower the CYA level in order to add borates.

If you were to have rain overflow diluting your pool water from winter rains, then I'd suggest waiting on the borates since you'd just have to add more to make up for dilution, but it sounds like you don't expect much rain/dilution so adding some of the borates now should be OK if that's what you want to do and then add some more later. There's no rush and you could add all the borates later. You get the most benefit with 50 ppm and the 30-50 ppm recommendation is just to allow for some leeway due to dilution before adding more borates.

 

[susa]

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