CYA Management

[tedbundrick]

I recently drained a good portion of my pool in order to refill with fresh water and reduce my CYA content in the pool.

In future, is this best way to reduce CYA or are there chemicals nowadays that can lower CYA without losing water?

 

[mknauss]

The best way to manage CYA levels is to not use solid chlorine products. Use liquid chlorine.

There are no reliable products to remove CYA from water. Water exchange is the only way.

 

[Yakhack]

I've used pucks for 10 years, had some drier weather i guess and cya got to 90,pool store never said a thing about it. But after some mistakes on my chems I stopped using them, found this site and traded in my pucks for time being.Being in Fla. get a lot of rain in summer and I dump water frequently and that has brought down my cya in last 90 days to 60.Last hurricaine had a pipe out and in order to keep up with the rain and stop flooding in back of house had the pump dumping water for 8 hours and it wasn't even keeping up,lucky we kept electric.Might try this if you get alot of rain.

 

[setsailsoon]

Ted,

TFP recommends liquid chlorine so you don't have the build up and can control CYA independently. My brother uses trichlor almost exclusively and just drain/refill as needed. Both ways work and there are even hybrid solutions like use mostly liquid chlorine and use tabs for vacation and/or as needed to maintain CYA. If you don't like to lug the jugs you can switch to SWG like I did. If you look at cost in the long run SWG is often at least breakeven or better.

Bottom line to me is absolutely do test yourself using recommended tests. Pool stores are notoriously unreliable and are conflicted because they make more money selling "solutions" you usually don't need. Then use TFP recommendations for liquid chlorine or SWG. After you have a lot of experience and develop better understanding of the underlying chemistry hybrid solutions can be used. For me, SWG using TFP recommendations has been a superb solution. I only wish I had changed years ago.

I hope this helps.

Chris

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Pool Stores will try to sell you a 'potion' that most have found is worthless (not to mention expensive!)

Avoid adding hidden CYA by avoiding over-use of any granular or solid chlorine product. A salt water generator or liquid will help a lot.

If your locale gets a lot of rain you can let mother nature help you (if you're not in a rush and can maintain your FC at appropriate levels while the CYA is still high) by draining some water before each rain storm and letting the rain re-fill you. An inch here and there can add up over time and help.

Or just drain some of the pool down and refill. That works too.

Maddie