brand new pool; Auto Chlorinator; CYA

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kahbear

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Feb 26, 2008
4
Seattle Washington
I have searched for the answer to this question, but my apologies if I missed it somewhere on a forum. I have a brand new Fiberglass pool 12,000 gallons. It has an automatic Chlorinator that uses those Trichlor pucks. All my pool builder has done to start up the pool is load the column with pucks and turn the dial to 2. We tested the water and the PH was 7.4, and of course chlorine was 0. I had tested it twice in 12 days and still got 0 for chlorine. I have shocked the pool at night twice now and in the morning chlorine is still 0. Today I have shocked it twice ( I am using a granular fast dissolve shock that says to use one pound) and still 0. My question is.......even though my auto chlorinator has pucks that have CYA, shouldn't I add some CYA to help hang on to the chlorine during this startup phase? My water is very clean and sparkling......just put a new filter cartridge in ( the old one was extremely dirty from the install and all the dirt and concrete that got into the water). I admit I haven't checked any other parameters. My kit he gave me just checks for chlorine and PH. I don't even know what chlorine it is checking for, total or free or combined. How long does it take before the Triclor pucks with their CYA is enough to balance the pool by themselves. I skim and vacuum and keep the pool spotless everyday, so it does nor have a big bio load and no swimmers at all yet. Thank you inadvance, for any help you can give me.

Kurt
 
You don't want to add any CYA if you are going to continue using the tablets in the chlorinator. Tablets add CYA and eventually raise the level too high. Any extra CYA you add will raise the CYA too high that much sooner.

The FC level will be very low until some CYA builds up in the pool. As long as the water is clear that should be alright. With no CYA it only takes a little chlorine and as the CYA level builds up the chlorine level should build up also. Any extra chlorine you add will be lost to sunlight very very quickly until the CYA level builds up.

The tablets are not a viable long term solution. Eventually the CYA level will get as high as you should allow it to go (around 80) and then you either need to replace water or switch to another source for chlorine.
 
now PH is low

Thanks Jason, so I won't add CYA. Should I just leave it alone and let the pucks do there thing? I did turn the chlorinator up all the way trying to get a total chlorine reading. Also, with all the shocking I did, now my PH is below 7.0. I guess tomorow I need to go to a pool store and get that ph back up. I guess I over reacted. So as long as the water is clear and the pool clean it's alright not to have a significant total chlorine reading, since there is basically very little CYA? I will have to come up with a plan for what to do in the future when the CYA starts to get too high because of the pucks. I live in Seattle and will undoubtably have to do a lot of draining in the winter because of all the rain, maybe that will help keep CYA levels from climbing too fast.

Kurt
 
One suggestion: The best investment for long term "clean and sparkilng pool" success would be a good drops based test kit, such as the one in JasonLion's signature (TF Test Kit). This will leave ambiguity out of the question and keep you in control of your water chemistry.

In the mean time, you're right, you need to bring your pH up to 7.2 - 7.6. You can do that with 20 Mule Team Borax or Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (sodium carbonate) both sold at most supermarkets. Or if your total alkalinity is also low, you can use baking soda which will raise pH and alakalinity.
 
Welcome kahbear :)

Getting a great test kit, like TF Test kit sold by duraleigh, is the best investment you will make in your pool!

As ktdave said, try to keep your pH between 7.2 & 7.6

Raise the pH with BORAX...........................Lower pH with Muriatic Acid

Read all the 'stickies' when you have time, but for now I suggest you read these:

ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry by duraleigh
http://www.troublefreepool.com/sticky.php?s=4953

"BBB" or "What are all the pool chemicals?" by waterbear
http://www.troublefreepool.com/sticky.php?s=94

BBB for Beginners by JasonLion
http://www.troublefreepool.com/sticky.php?s=5208

Living in Seattle and having to do lots of draining may very well put you in that very small group that can use the tablets!

Until you get a good test kit, take your water to the pool store and have it tested. Have your FILL water tested so you know what you have been and will be putting in your pool.

Please list all your pool and equipment info in your sig.

Make good use of Jason's Pool Calculator for taking any guesswork out of dosing your pool! (Link in my sig)

Again, welcome and happy swimming... :lol:
 
reading stickies, and will use TF test kit

I started reading all those helpfull stickies last night. I bookmarked the pool calculator from pool calculator .com. I have a mac and have been unable to download the calculator on this forum.......maybe I can figure it out later. I even bought some twenty mule team Borax last night at the store after reading the stickies. I remember that I actually have a TF test kit downstairs in the basement that I ordered when I started the whole pool project last fall. I forgot I had it. I have been using the kit the pool builder gave me. Today I will go get the water tested at a store as well as test it myself, just to see how I do at testing it myself and compare. I will raise the PH today. My pool is a Viking fiberglass 14X30, 12,000 gallons. I have a Jandy CJ250 cartridge filter and an auto-chlorinator that uses Trichlor pucks. Lately I have been running the filter 24/7 to try and get the total chlorine up. But I might scale back now and run it 8 hours during the night. I have an Aquabot Turbo T that is amazing and can clean the pool in 4 hours. I will try and figure out how to put all of this infor into my signature.

Kurt
 
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