Finally reached my breaking point with CYA problems

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The place I have testing done has a new computer program that tests the water. I had a reading of CYA 168 this spring which I felt was accurate because of using trichlor and dichlor for 4 yrs. previous. I added a LOT of dichlor this spring because of a green swamp (two buckets over a few weeks), before I became aware of what too much stabilizer does. And yes I am aware that they have sold me LOTS of stuff I didn't need, calcium hardness up, algaecide, shock, more shock, etc. but right now I need them for my water numbers only:)
I did some small drains/water replacement a few times in July and the pool store testing gave a reading of 155. I plan to get the good Taylor test kit in the spring, test my own water when we open the pool and try to do BBB right from the start. This is kind of a transition time while I try to undo the damage I did the past four years and get switched over to liquid chlorine. We haven't used our on line chlorinator since I got on this forum and started reading. Actually this has been a good summer to use for transitioning and fixing since the weather has been awful for swimming and we aren't using pool much anyway. Hoping for a hot, sunny, crystal clear pool summer in 2014!
 
Then my theory turns out to be correct. You trusted a pool store computer for your numbers, and pool store numbers are wrong. Your CYA was more likely 30 and you were fighting a problem that didn't exist. You did 3 tests and got 20 each time, your CYA is 20, doesn't matter what the pool store computer says it is.

There is no transition period, as soon as you get a decent test kit you are in control of your pool. You can't undo the damage by using pool store testing. If you had a mechanic that kept finding and charging you for fake problems with your car would you still go to him for the "Free OBD-II testing"? You at least got a kit that proves the pool store is wrong, you have no reason to set foot back in their door.
 
The place I have testing done has a new computer program that tests the water
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I'll pile on a bit. The super duper computer adds no validity whatsoever to pool store testing...period.

My super duper in-dash GPS in my car often suggests I take a path that my common sense tells me is ludicrous.
 
My local ACE got a computer a year ago. I knew it was bad when the told me my ph was low and to increase it. ph is one of tHe simplest tests IMO and they even got that wrong. I have to add acid weekly and keep my ph at 7.5-7.6 all the time.


I may bring a sample next time I go there just for laughs. They know about nuts and bolts there, but not pools
 
I added two 5 lb buckets of dichlor in June. I am not good at the chemistry/math but I believe that puts me at about 72 or more ppm of cya added in one month, correct? so, 20 was not a possible correct number when I tested last night given that we also used trichlor and dichlor for 4 years.

Will the reagents be good if I purchase now and keep all winter? Sorry but at $65.00 a kit I would like to purchase one per yr. if possible. I actually found the tests difficult to perform with the cheap kit so will likely end up wasting a lot of reagent anyway. Maybe my teenager would have better luck with all the drops and dots, etc. Right now the pool store numbers are better than my ability to do the tests and they all make more sense than the numbers I was getting. (their cya number would also explain the constant algae problem).

pool store numbers today: FC 11.8
TC 11.8
CC 0.0
PH 7.6
CH 273 (pool store had us add 5 or 10 lbs in May, BEFORE I found tfp)
TA 125 (adj for cya)
CYA 114 (down from 155 after drain/refill of 18 inches on Wed and Thur)
and no, I don't purchase anything, just get my water tested and leave.

I will drain again Monday. Had to give the lawn a break, corner of yard where pvc pipe comes up from drain was getting saturated with the thousands of gallons of water plus rain we are getting.

What I meant by switching to bbb method next yr is that I would be able to do it from opening instead of starting in middle of summer when the pool is already screwed up from other stuff. Right now I am trying to clean up the mess of cya I made earlier. I am using only bleach but not able to maintain high enough chlorine to keep it crystal clear. I meant it is transition because I am transitioning from a messed up pool store pool to a hopefully easier, happier, clearer bbb method pool. Part of the transition is this draining/refilling which is quite a pain since cya is so high and so darn hard to get rid of. It would be great if the cya mysteriously disappeared as it did for someone on another post, that would solve all my problems.:)

thanks for all the advice. I am trying to do the best I can with new info about chemicals, many more tests to do than the PH and Chlorine kit our pool builder gave us and a difficult cya problem that I had no idea I was creating til about 2 months ago. :oops:
 
just for the record

Merged by moderator. There did not seem to be a reason for a new thread. jblizzle

I would like to state that I didn't want this pool in the first place, my husband and daughter did. I don't even like to get my face wet! HOWEVER, guess who gets to do all the testing, chemical adding, vacuuming and worrying when things go bad? Me.

Darn good thing I don't work in the summer cause pool maintenance is a part time job. I am also the one who screwed up the cya level with ignorance so I have to take "credit" for that as well. LOL.
 
your situation and feelings regarding going from pool store to BBB are almost exactly as mine. (Good, I dont feel so crazy now) Im in Indiana so kinda same weather. Its a hard transition and my big thing is the drain and fill too as well as liner. ( also the cost )I guess at some point I just have to go for it !!! Good luck to you as well, hope we can both post good news in 2014!!!
 

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