Need to add CYA?

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doglover78

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May 24, 2013
55
South Florida
I've mentioned it before but I'm not fond of the CYA test. I *think* my CYA level is 60-65. 60 is probably my best guess. I have a SWG that gets a lot of direct sunlight. The pool is screened.

I assume I need to raise the CYA and should shoot for 80. What happens if I accidentally go over, to say, 90? Is that bad?

I bought some Instant Conditioner: http://www.lesliespool.com/Home/Pool-Chemicals/Pool-Adjusters/12306.html. I know regular cyanuric acid is more expensive but I decided to pay more for the liquid because I want to see the changes quickly, as I'm just getting the pool chemistry worked out with the SWG.

Anyway, the gallon jug says it'll raise the CYA 32 ppm for a 10K gallon pool. My pool is 15K gallons so I guess the entire jug would raise it 24 ppm.

My question: Should I add the entire jug or should I start with 1/2-3/4?

Also, to confirm: I'm looking for when the black dot first completely disappears from view and I can't make it out at all, not even faintly, correct?
 
Okay. So I want to get right about 80 with a SWG correct?

I watched the video you shared but my problem is that it's so hard to tell when to take the reading. It's so subjective. The video shows that you can't see the black dot at all so I'll slowly add until I can't see it at all...I feel like my brain plays tricks on me and I can faintly make it out. :)
 
I'm not fond of that test either!!! Like you, I've watched that video many times. I agree that it's subjective. I do it three or 4 times and then average between them. (Generally, three tests are all within 5 points of each other.)

Sometimes, both hubby and I do it and stand there arguing "I think I can see!" "No, you can't." "Yes, I can!" "Put on your glasses, you fool!"

The bad thing is that it uses so much reagent. So if you're constantly testing (like I am and like it sounds you are), you burn through that stuff pretty fast. I find myself wishing there was a drop test. A drop test is something that I can do and feel confident when I'm doing it.

It kills me to wait a week to see if it's raised far enough. I want to know NOW ;-/
 
Haha, I hear you Jenischmeni!

I didn't want to wait a week at all so I bought the liquid. The stuff I bought says it works instantly so I'll mix some in with the pump running, wait a few hours, and retest. Worth it to me to get everything stabilized. I just took over maintenance of the pool and had it switched to a SWG so I really want to get the baseline right.
 
It is the most subjective test, no doubt, but you are making it harder than it needs to be.

1. There is no need to test CYA over and over. It is stable in your pool and should not vary

2. If you think you got 65 the first time, pour it back in the dispenser and dispense it back into the view tube again....take a second reading. You can pour back and forth "reading" the test 8-10 times oif you want....only using one dose of reagent.

3. Dose carefully. If you know the gallonage of your pool and dose correctly, the CYA will be right and there is almost no need to test.

4. The test is only viable + or - 10 ppm anyway so don't try to get more accurate than that.....there is no need.
 
Thanks for the clarification, but I think you may have misunderstood me. (I can't speak for doglover78.) As I said, I do repeat the test over and over. (Pouring it back into the bottle and taking the reading again.) I'm sorry if you misunderstood what I meant. That's how I average it.

I *have* been dosing very carefully except that I'm adding a little less than recommended. I don't want to overshoot the target. (Since the fix for that is draining and refilling.) If you read the 2nd post, Richard recommends doing exactly that when he said "Shoot low. It's easy to add more later, impossible to remove without draining."

See? I'm listening ;-/

My particular problem is that I added about a pound and a half of stabilizer a week ago and the reading didn't change. Not an iota. Nada. Zip. In fact, I think I may have lost a point or two. Hung a new sock with only about a pound in it yesterday (hanging in a sock tied to the skimmer pole, in front of the return jet.) So, see? The only way to find out if I'm hitting my target is to test. And...it seems to me that I should be testing that throughout the summer. Just to make sure that I didn't lose any due to splash out, back washing, refilling, etc.

And THAT's why I'm testing so much.
 

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Yup, live and learn. I swear I wasn't adding to much while I was doing it but I was wrong. I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong again. That's life. Worst case is I'll have to drain a bit and add some fresh water. Looking at the Chlorine/CYA chart on here, I think I'd like to shoot for 70. That'll allow me to shoot for an FC level of 5.
 
I am not fond of this test either. I know I am about to get flamed, but for CYA, I like to go to the hardware store and test it on their digital machine. If I test it three times, it will give me virtually the same reading three times in a row. I am not getting "pool stored" but my philosophy is I buy my chlorine from them so I will make use of their very expensive piece of testing equipment a few times a season.
 
reynolds357 said:
I am not fond of this test either. I know I am about to get flamed, but for CYA, I like to go to the hardware store and test it on their digital machine. If I test it three times, it will give me virtually the same reading three times in a row. I am not getting "pool stored" but my philosophy is I buy my chlorine from them so I will make use of their very expensive piece of testing equipment a few times a season.
Click to expand...

Which hardware store offers this? Home Depot? Sounds awesome.
 
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