CYA test - Home/Store tests

[jrbevis]

Hi there,
This is my first year with a pool...
I've been religiously having my water test done at my local pool store while also testing my water using my TF-PRO kit. I was doing this initially to compare the results. Now that I'm comfortable doing the home test, it's time to decide what to do about the LARGE gap between my CYA results and the store results. My readings using the black dot method are consistently at 40 the store results are consistently at 65-70.

I believe I'm following the test kit instructions as closely as possible and adding one drop at a time until I can't see the black dot in a bright room or outside.

If you were me, would you add more CYA to your pool?
Thanks

 

[mknauss]

We all believe your testing. So use it.

If my CYA was 40, my FC loss per day would be well above 5 ppm. But at 70 ppm CYA, it is about 3.5 ppm per day.

What is your FC loss per day?

 

[Texas Splash]

You also don't have to add the CYA solution that slowly (ne drop at a time) as if it was an FC test. You can squirt a bit more ta a time. See the notes below in case it helps.

CYA Testing:
Proper lighting is critical for the CYA test, so you want to test for CYA outside on a bright sunny day. Use the mixing bottle to gently mix the required amounts of pool water and R-0013 reagent, let sit for 30 seconds, then gently mix again. Recommend standing outside with your back to the sun and the view tube in the shade of your body at waist level. Then, begin squirting the mixed solution into the skinny tube. Watch the black dot until it completely disappears. Once it disappears, record the CYA reading. To help the eyes and prevent staring at the dot, some people find it better to pour & view in stages. Pour some solution into the viewing tube, look away, then look back again for the dot. Repeat as necessary until you feel the dot is gone. After the first CYA test, you can pour the mixed solution from the skinny view tube back to the mixing bottle, gently shake, and do the same test a second, third, or fourth time to instill consistency in your technique, become more comfortable with the testing, and validate your own CYA reading. Finally, if you still doubt your own reading, have a friend do the test with you and compare results.

 

[jrbevis]

We all believe your testing. So use it.

If my CYA was 40, my FC loss per day would be well above 5 ppm. But at 70 ppm CYA, it is about 3.5 ppm per day.

What is your FC loss per day?

I'm unsure what my daily loss is as I just had my SWG installed, and I'm fine-tuning it. It also doesn't help that we've had multiple cloudy days as well. Without the SWG I had to float 2-3 tabs and also use liquid chlorine maybe 10oz every other day or so.

 

[jrbevis]

You also don't have to add the CYA solution that slowly (ne drop at a time) as if it was an FC test. You can squirt a bit more ta a time. See the notes below in case it helps.

CYA Testing:
Proper lighting is critical for the CYA test, so you want to test for CYA outside on a bright sunny day. Use the mixing bottle to gently mix the required amounts of pool water and R-0013 reagent, let sit for 30 seconds, then gently mix again. Recommend standing outside with your back to the sun and the view tube in the shade of your body at waist level. Then, begin squirting the mixed solution into the skinny tube. Watch the black dot until it completely disappears. Once it disappears, record the CYA reading. To help the eyes and prevent staring at the dot, some people find it better to pour & view in stages. Pour some solution into the viewing tube, look away, then look back again for the dot. Repeat as necessary until you feel the dot is gone. After the first CYA test, you can pour the mixed solution from the skinny view tube back to the mixing bottle, gently shake, and do the same test a second, third, or fourth time to instill consistency in your technique, become more comfortable with the testing, and validate your own CYA reading. Finally, if you still doubt your own reading, have a friend do the test with you and compare results.

Thank you.

 

[sacredcow]

Order one of the CYA standards available at the TFTestkits and run it through the test. This gives you something to which you can mentally compare. I ultimately discovered that I was reading my CYA way high, presumably letting my brain tell me "Yeah, that's the dot. Keep going."

One of these days, I'm going to run across a used turbidimeter being retired and taken off of our asset list at work....

 

[bertschb]

Order one of the CYA standards available at the TFTestkits and run it through the test.

Great suggestion. I did this a couple weeks ago just so I could verify my CYA testing technique.

 

[jrbevis]

Order one of the CYA standards available at the TFTestkits and run it through the test. This gives you something to which you can mentally compare. I ultimately discovered that I was reading my CYA way high, presumably letting my brain tell me "Yeah, that's the dot. Keep going."

One of these days, I'm going to run across a used turbidimeter being retired and taken off of our asset list at work..

 

[bertschb]

This is the CYA 50ppm "Standard" we are referring to... CYA Standard
You use it in place of your pool water when testing CYA. It lets you know what a "true" 50ppm of CYA looks like when you test it.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

I would trust your own testing as it is not a difficult test to perform. The hardest part is "do I or don't I see the dot"! You may be off a little but not by much. I always did the test 2x, once for each eye and see if it was about the same reading and it always was.

 

[jrbevis]

This is the CYA 50ppm "Standard" we are referring to... CYA Standard
You use it in place of your pool water when testing CYA. It lets you know what a "true" 50ppm of CYA looks like when you test it.

Roger that. I've got the standards tests coming in the mail.
Thanks