I have a TF-100 test kit that is going on its second season. I'm nearly out of CYA reagent and when I used it today it never registered any CYA at all. Seems strange given that I ended the season around 90 doesn't it? Is the reagent bad perhaps? While we're at it, do I need to replace all of the chemicals in the test kit? I still have quite a bit left to get me through this year. . .
Pool Opening in Illinois-New Test Kit Needed?
- Thread starter birkesl
- Start date
How was it stored? Should be fine. The CYA is the most stable reagent, so sounds like your CYA is now zero, could have been converted to ammonia.
Disappearing CYA (most always over the winter) is something that we seem to document more and more often on this forum. Not that the incidence has increased, we just weren't as aware of it as we are now. It also seemed to be related to pools that had gotten really dirty over the winter but I am less sure of that than I was a couple of years ago. What condition was your pool water in when you opened?
I am pretty sure the reagent is good. It is really stable (as JB says) and not subject to degradation like some of the others are.
Why was your CYA @ 90 last year?
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Disappearing CYA (most always over the winter) is something that we seem to document more and more often on this forum. Not that the incidence has increased, we just weren't as aware of it as we are now. It also seemed to be related to pools that had gotten really dirty over the winter but I am less sure of that than I was a couple of years ago. What condition was your pool water in when you opened?
I am pretty sure the reagent is good. It is really stable (as JB says) and not subject to degradation like some of the others are.
Why was your CYA @ 90 last year?
On 5/14/2014, you wrote....
I am pretty sure the reagent is good. It is really stable (as JB says) and not subject to degradation like some of the others are.
Why was your CYA @ 90 last year?
- - - Updated - - -
Disappearing CYA (most always over the winter) is something that we seem to document more and more often on this forum. Not that the incidence has increased, we just weren't as aware of it as we are now. It also seemed to be related to pools that had gotten really dirty over the winter but I am less sure of that than I was a couple of years ago. What condition was your pool water in when you opened?
I am pretty sure the reagent is good. It is really stable (as JB says) and not subject to degradation like some of the others are.
Why was your CYA @ 90 last year?
On 5/14/2014, you wrote....
- Feb 1, 2015
- 78
- Pool Size
- 30000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Maybe this Ohio Ammonia monster isn't as bad as it seems because it is cheaper to cure than replacing your water to lower CYA. Get an Ammonia test kit at the pet store.
good catch. my last CYA was 50, not 90. . . . My pool had a good amount of algae when I opened but I could see the bottom of a 9 foot deep end. I vacuumed to waste, added 1 quart of 50 algaecide and I'm going to vaccuum to filter and backwash tonight. My plan is then to shock with liquid chlorine. Should I first add stabilizer based on the fact that I'm at 0 based on the test? Can someone show me how I can calculate how much initial chlorine I will need in order to shock? Additional test data to come. . .
The algaecide is hardly ever recommended. It is more for prevention than for eradication. You need chlorine. It is cheaper and more effective.
You need to start to learn to use PoolMath to calculate your dosages.
You need to start to learn to use PoolMath to calculate your dosages.
Chlorine levels are at 0
TA-130
PH-7.7
CYA-0
I vacuumed to waste, added 15 gallons of 10% bleach and algaecide. Krawler is doing its thing. What is ideal CYA and cheapest route to increase it? Everything else is good. I assume I need to do an overnight chlorine test asap?
TA-130
PH-7.7
CYA-0
I vacuumed to waste, added 15 gallons of 10% bleach and algaecide. Krawler is doing its thing. What is ideal CYA and cheapest route to increase it? Everything else is good. I assume I need to do an overnight chlorine test asap?
Start with a CYA of 30. Any product that is 100% (or as close as you can get to it) cyanuric acid is fine. I bought mine online from backyard pool superstore. Do a Google shopping search for it and plenty of options will show up.
Since FC went to 0, I'd probably do an overnight test to be sure.
Since FC went to 0, I'd probably do an overnight test to be sure.
Please update your signature per this, What we need to know to answer your questions
Here is some basic info on water chemistry, ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry
Here are the Recommended Levels
And here is PoolMath to calculate what to add and how much to achieve the recommended levels.
I prefer to buy Kemtech Stabilizer from Lowes to increase my CYA. Put it in a sock and put it in your skimmer basket to dissolve. Give it a squeeze a few times a day to speed it along. Don't add too much at once, aim for the low end of the recommended range. It takes a week for CYA to fully dissolve and register on the test.
Here is some basic info on water chemistry, ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry
Here are the Recommended Levels
And here is PoolMath to calculate what to add and how much to achieve the recommended levels.
I prefer to buy Kemtech Stabilizer from Lowes to increase my CYA. Put it in a sock and put it in your skimmer basket to dissolve. Give it a squeeze a few times a day to speed it along. Don't add too much at once, aim for the low end of the recommended range. It takes a week for CYA to fully dissolve and register on the test.
You might want to put in 10ppm of FC, and then test the FC and CC in 30 minutes ... with the complete loss of CYA, could be ammonia and I think you want to deal with that before adding CYA.
Why have I never heard of needing to deal with ammonia before? I will look for a test kit at the pet store and test first but what if it turns out I have an issue?
Add the 10 ppm of chlorine and test in 30 minutes. If the FC measures 0 in 30 minutes then there is a good chance that the CYA was converted into ammonia. Let us know what the results of this test is and we will go from there.
You can do a search for ammonia and find some threads that have already been solved in the past.
You can do a search for ammonia and find some threads that have already been solved in the past.
FC dropped to around 3ppm after 1 hour (I forgot to check it) and I still had some left from the night before (from about 10ppm to 0.5). So, this means ammonia is not an issue? But I do need to add CYA since it's at 0. Is it advisable to do that while I'm SLAMing? I've already started the SLAM process of keeping the pool at 10ppm until I can pass the overnight (won't be for a bit I'm guessing based on what condition my pool was in to start this year).
What was the CC? That is a pretty big FC drop for an hour. Was the sun on the water during that time?
I would say this is a case of the CYA being converted into ammonia and you have to get rid of it with chlorine. Since you have a vinyl liner you can do a partial water changes if there is a lot of ammonia that needs to be broken down. Replacing the water might be the cheapest option for you. First, get an ammonia test kit from a fish store and post the results of that test.
Read this thread to get more information, http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/10519-It-Can-Happen-to-Anyone-Zero-Chlorine-CYA-gt-Ammonia.
Some of the chem guys might be able to better offer how much chlorine it will take to clear up the pool when we see the ammonia test results.
Read this thread to get more information, http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/10519-It-Can-Happen-to-Anyone-Zero-Chlorine-CYA-gt-Ammonia.
Some of the chem guys might be able to better offer how much chlorine it will take to clear up the pool when we see the ammonia test results.