CYA recommended levels: why not stay near the maximum?

[mike_]

For a pool with no SWG, the recommended CYA levels are 30-60 PPM. Is there any reason to be on the lower or higher side of that range?

Assuming I'm maintaining the appropriate chlorine levels per the FC/CYA chart, why not shoot to maintain 60 PPM? Any downsides?

It seems to me like I would just see lower daily chlorine demand due to improved UV protection, and more chlorine buffering in the pool.

Pool is running well so the odds of needing to SLAM at higher chlorine levels are low, and improved chlorine buffering with CYA/chlorine on the higher side would reduce likelihood of needing a SLAM are also decreased, right?

Am I missing something?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

It will not hurt a thing...

Many in really sunny places run much higher CYA to protect their chlorine..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

Nope, you are not missing anything.

I am not sure the benefit of using less liquid chlorine is really there once you get over 40-50 ppm of CYA. There are diminishing returns.

 

[V___25]

Nope, it's really just your preference and what is best for your pool. My pool gets full sun pretty much all day so I run my CYA around 50

 

[Newdude]

Each 10 CYA raises the slam target + 4 FC. Seeing how we teach mostly newbs, it's cautious in case they foul up. Or even for the regulars, we are all one family emergency from the pool being tossed on the back burner. We love our pools but they are low on the priority list when life goes south.

So it's up to you to decide how much risk you'd be ok assuming. The northeast has low UV compared with other regions so there probably won't be a great deal of benefit from raising your CYA. Road test it and find out. It'll lower itself with lots rain by us so it won't be higher for more than a month or two if you don't see any gains.

It'll only need to come down 10 or 20, not 100 ppm like some of the newbs we tell to drain.

 

[mike_]

Thanks for the feedback everyone - not intending on adding more granular stabilizer (I'm around 40 CYA currently) but I do have a few remaining chlorine pucks to use up, so I'll plan on running through those during our summer trips until I get closer to 60.

 

[Newdude]

Each 8oz puck will raise your CYA +1. Crazy how when you want it to add CYA, it takes forever. But if you use them exclusively it would be out of control in a couple weeks.

 

[ajw22]

One of the downsides with higher CYA levels is if the FC needs to be over 10 then it can mess up the pH test. Keeping your CYA at a level where FC of 8-9 may be the best.