First test with tf 100

[Thesil]

Ok my first test results are in
FC. 6
Cya 100
Ph7.2
Alk 110
Cc 1.0

The cya seems out of whack. I guess stabilizer and a slamming are in order. Yes?
Help please

 

[linen]

What does your water look like?

Since your CC is greater than 0.5 ppm you likely need to do the SLAM process. See:http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool

...but first, your cya is too high. A 50% drain/refill is in order. What type of pool is this?

 

[JasonLion]

Your CYA level is too high. The only practical way to lower it to where it should be is to replace water. Ideally you want to get CYA down to around 50, though you certainly want it under 100 no matter what.

Before you get started on that, lets confirm that you really read 100. That means the liquid level in the sample tube was at (or below) the 100 mark and you couldn't see any sign of the black dot, even if you stared at it for a few seconds.

You might want to do the CYA test again, but this time mix equal parts of pool water and tap water, test that, and then multiply the results by two. That will tell you if your CYA level really is around 100, or is actually much higher. The CYA test will report any level over 100 as 100.

 

[GreatCanadian]

Is that FC of 6? It looks like you might have typed .6? Stabilizer is CYA. You don't need more. You need CYA level lowered. As a matter of fact, it's probably actually MORE than 100. FC of 6 is low for a CYA level of 100. Minimum is 7, unless you have a SWG. But again, I'm betting it's well over 100. You need to drain some water, and get a more accurate CYA reading. How many gallons is your pool?

 

[Thesil]

Pool is crystal clear. FC is six Pool is 39,200 gallons

 

[Thesil]

Oh my pool is vinyl

 

[GreatCanadian]

Ok. Then the first thing to do is establish more accuracy for the CYA level. When you perform the CYA test, instead of using half pool water, make that portion up of half pool water and half tap water, then perform the test as normal. Double the result. Post the result please.

 

[Thesil]

Ok. Will do in a minute or two

 

[Thesil]

Now doubling it shows 180! Could thus be right!

 

[Thesil]

Did it again. 140

 

[karmabiker]

Been there ... If the pool has been on a constant puck and granulated chlorine "shock" (the product not the process know as SLAM here) it could certainly be that high.

 

[Donldson]

Well either way you are looking at a pretty significant water change, along the lines of 70-75%. Since you have been using trichlor pucks I would not be the least bit surprised if really is 180.

The good news is that you know there is a problem and what it is so you can fix it and get everything straightened out.

 

[Thesil]

Have been using the new water cycler packs. That's trichlor. So what do I do? I can't drain 50% of my pool. That's 20,000 gaks

 

[Donldson]

If you live in the southwest you could maybe hire a reverse osmosis company to literally filter everything out of your pool water, but it will run a few hundred dollars.

If you don't then water replacement is your only viable option. As it stands you need to raise your FC above 14 and keep it over that at all times. Your pH test will not be accurate at those levels so you can't really take proper care of your pool at this high of CYA.

Now you understand why we dislike pool stores that would sell you overpriced cycler packs that caused this problem...

 

[Thesil]

I understand now! Just whish I would have know about you 6 years ago

 

[Thesil]

So, do I wait till next year and start fresh with the BBB method I guess I have no other options. Will the cya dissipate over the winter ?

 

[Beens]

It pretty much never goes away on it's own.
That's why there's so darned much of it...

I'm under-qualified for this thread but I've learned that much so far...

 

[Donldson]

The water needs replaced, if you don't do it this year then you need to do it next year. The CYA is most likely not going anywhere during the winter. I really wish there was an easier way, especially since this is the most common problem people have, but nobody has found one yet.

 

[PridgNYC]

Well, he could let it turn into a swamp during the winter and let the bacteria convert the cya to ammonia. Not sure if I'd want to be cleaning that mess in the spring though.

 

[Donldson]

I wouldn't suggest that for 2 reasons:
1. There is no guarantee that this will work.
2. If it does work (big IF) then he will have to not only clean a swamp but also eliminate the ammonia that is created from the breakdown of the CYA. With a 40k pool we are talking potentially over a hundred gallons of bleach to get the pool cleared and the CC levels back down. It could end up costing more than replacing the water.