Added CYA not showing up 48 hours later

[EndlessSummerAZ]

I’ve been working on getting the new SWG up and dialed in this week. Needed to add CYA to raise to 70. 2 days ago I added 27 oz of the Clorox Chlorine Stabilizer. Undershot a few ounces of what pool math said just to account for any testing user error. Easier to fix under than over.

Pump has been running 24/7 at 1000 rpm with two 15 minute intervals of 1900 rpm 12 hour’s apart. Just kicked it up to 1100 rpm last night. I’ve tested this morning and CYA is still reading at 50ppm. Chlorine loss was only 1ppm over 24 hours (SWG 24/7 at 20% so not super impressed with RJ45+ so far and I’m hoping it’s just because CYA is so low and it can’t keep up even though pool math says it should).

I don’t think low 50mm CYA would be an ammonia issue? But I’m stumped. Do I really just need to wait longer and retest? I thought 48 hours would be enough time to see some increase on a test.

 

[SJPoe]

K, couple things.

RJ45+ at 20% for 24hours in 11.5k gal = 4ppm, so if your pool lost 5ppm, that wouldn't be unreasonable with a CYA < 50. How much LC were you dosing before ?

How did you add the CYA ? I've noticed it taking as much as a week to show up on the test - I used the Clorox stuff this year and it seems to take forever to show up.

My FC reading fluctuates between about 7 and 11ppm depending on usage, sun, rain, debris etc etc. I've learnt to ignore the actual setting, and just add or subtract a little power depending on the trend over a few days. If I see it consistently dropping, I go notch it up a couple points. If its climbing, notch it down.

 

[EndlessSummerAZ]

K, couple things.

RJ45+ at 20% for 24hours in 11.5k gal = 4ppm, so if your pool lost 5ppm, that wouldn't be unreasonable with a CYA < 50. How much LC were you dosing before ?

How did you add the CYA ? I've noticed it taking as much as a week to show up on the test - I used the Clorox stuff this year and it seems to take forever to show up.

My FC reading fluctuates between about 7 and 11ppm depending on usage, sun, rain, debris etc etc. I've learnt to ignore the actual setting, and just add or subtract a little power depending on the trend over a few days. If I see it consistently dropping, I go notch it up a couple points. If its climbing, notch it down.

I was adding about 3-4ppm per day of liquid chlorine. But the temps have ramped up fast this week. Pool is mostly in the sun with some partial afternoon shade so I guess that isn’t unreasonable. I’ll bump up the RJ to 30 and see if we get back on track.

Added the CYA using a sock. Let the sock sit in the skimmer for about an hour then took it out of the skimmer and placed it in front of a return while I squeezed the sock to get it out.

 

[SJPoe]

Yeah, as a certain person told me - don't chase the needle too much - The SWG range is pretty big, aim for the top end, and don't sweat it unless the trend seems to be heading excessively one way or the other.

CYA in the skimmer sometimes seems to get sort of stuck in the filter - no idea why, but multiple people have reported it. The sock in-front of the return does seem to be the best way, but even then, it isn't unusual for it to take a few days for it to show up on the test. General advice is to treat it as it is there - if you added enough to raise it to 70, assume it is 70 and maintain your FC accordingly (even if that means bumping up your SWG for a few days until things even out).

I used to add pretty much a gallon of LC every day, so my pool using 4-6ppm a day is expected - It sits in direct sunlight all day, so that loss isn't unreasonable for my pool. My RJ60+ is set at 45%, and is enough that it creeps up slowly until I go out turn it down a notch and watch it creep back down again 45% should be a little more than required, but I figure the chlorine generation numbers are 'perfect lab measurements' and not 'in Steve's backyard' values

 

[Newdude]

+1. You have 3 chlorine levels

1) not enough for today
2) enough for today
3) Whoa..... Down boy !!!! Down. I know I know. I love you too.

 

[EndlessSummerAZ]

+1. You have 3 chlorine levels

1) not enough for today
2) enough for today
3) Whoa..... Down boy !!!! Down. I know I know. I love you too.

Been spending a lot of time with number 1 this week. If CYA could show up to the test party that’d be great. Haven’t had algae since the pool was filled thanks to you all and want to keep it that way.

 

[EndlessSummerAZ]

6 days later and CYA still reads around 50. I must not have been reading my prior CYA test correctly because I would think I’d see a higher number by now. Again, I had soaked the CYA in a sock in the skimmer then took it out and dangled it in front of a return while I squeezed it out. Pump runs 24/7 at 1000-1100 rpm. By now I should be safe to add additional CYA, right? Wanting to add 30 ounces to bring me to 70-80 ppm but don’t want to risk ending up higher than that.

 

[PoolStored]

6 days, you are safe. Do it in increments of 10...then confirm, then add more. Creep up to your target...