Advice on CYA

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kwhyde

0
Jul 9, 2012
48
South Carolina
Started using BBB method mid-season last year. LOVE IT! We had HUGE CYA numbers and had to drain and refill several times. Well, believe it or not, we have had sooo much rain that my CYA is now 20 or maybe a bit less. I know I need to add some stabilizer. I have some pucks left from my ignorant days prior to BBB. Can I drop one in the skimmer and that will add CYA? Or granular shock? Here is my full set of numbers
FC 16
CC .5
TC 16.5
PH 7.2
TA 90
CH 270
CYA 20ish
Temp 80

thanks for advice.....I can't believe I'm adding CYA :hammer:
 
kwhyde said:
Started using BBB method mid-season last year. LOVE IT! We had HUGE CYA numbers and had to drain and refill several times. Well, believe it or not, we have had sooo much rain that my CYA is now 20 or maybe a bit less. I know I need to add some stabilizer. I have some pucks left from my ignorant days prior to BBB. Can I drop one in the skimmer and that will add CYA? Or granular shock? Here is my full set of numbers
FC 16
CC .5
TC 16.5
PH 7.2
TA 90
CH 270
CYA 20ish
Temp 80

thanks for advice.....I can't believe I'm adding CYA :hammer:
Click to expand...
Yes and no. Don't put pucks in the skimmer unless the pump is on 24/7. They are very acidic and will really lower the pH right around them if they're confined to the skimmer. It could damage something. A floater is better.

You may use granular CYA, dichlor, or trichlor to raise CYA levels, but pay close attention to the effects of adding chemicals down on the bottom of the pool calculator. Your pH is already low, so pucks or dichlor will really push it down dangerously low. The philosophy here is not so much the source of the chemicals, but understanding what you need and what will deliver it cheaply and easily.

Question for you: is your pool green? Why is FC so high?
 
I have the same question as Richard: are you in the process of shocking right now? If you are I would hold off adding more cya until you are finished.

You can use pucks to raise cya (I too wouldn't put them in the skimmer), but you will need to be vigilant. Each puck (assuming 8oz) will add 2.2 ppm cya to your pool. However, low cya will mean more chlorine needed due to being consumed by the sun so you will need to be vigilant and keep the FC dosed, possibly multiple times in the day until your cya is high enough to protect your FC for the day.
 
I had a bit of black algae growth, so brushing with soft brush, and following with the wire brush on the various small areas of black algae. So trying to shock for a couple of days to kill it. Having a party Saturday...first of season. Should I just go buy stabilizer? I assume it is quicker than pucks dissolving?
 
Before doing anything you need to finish the shocking process, this includes having the black algae gone. If you are not having trouble keeping the FC up at shock level during the day, then I would leave the cya at 20 ppm until you are done with the shocking process.

Adding cya alone simplifies pool chemistry since pucks not only add FC and cya, but they also lower ph and TA. With that said, when it is time to add cya you can choose which course you want to take, but keep an extra close eye on FC, cya, ph and TA if you do.
 
Could I be wrong?
Click to expand...
Probably not. Black Algae is often misdiagnosed but I think you are right.

BA is hard to completely remove during the shock process. Also, because it is normally present in such small quantities, you can pass the OCLT with acceptable FC loss and still have it.

I think you would be OK to let your FC drift down from shock value even if the BA has not completely disappeared. I would then holds the FC at twice it's target value and brush the BA with a stainless brush every day until you saw no further sign of it.

It may take a long while for that to occur but you can swim everyday if you like and do not have to hold your FC at shock.

BA does not appear quickly in pools. It is almost always a sign of a LONG period of inadequate chlorination and it may take a LONG time to get rid of it.
 

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I am glad duraleigh chimed in here on the black algae...I just wanted to add, not to stop the shocking process until you pass all three criteria simultaneously (also in my sig) minus the black algae removal.
 
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