CYA testing...

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

There have been more than a couple of posts in the last few years regarding similar results with the standard solution which suggests that the standard may not be bad. Compare your results. Here's a couple threads with photos of results with the standard solution:

How long do Standard Solutions remain effective? (regarding R-7065 CYA 50ppm Solution Shelf Life)

I ordered a set of standard solutions from tftestkits on Aug 17th, and just today got around to trying out the 50ppm CYA solution, to make sure I'm testing my new pool accurately. I dissolved enough CYA granules in my pool to achieve 20ppm (38oz for my 14,060 gal pool), and when I test the...

www.troublefreepool.com

CYA test

The 50 is 60. Great to know. Maybe I’ll email them and let them know. I just pretend I have 30. I can also read the bottom line of an eye exam chart. That’s my down fall. Actually the 50 is 40. I changed my post on that.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[EricJ320]

You could validate your CYA testing by mixing stabilizer into a bucket of water at 200ppm concentration. If that tests low then you have a dud reagent.

I’m in the process of a test bucket of pool water with a small amount of dry CYA. We’ll see how it goes, who knew it would be so difficult to dissolve 1/2 tsp of CYA in a 5 gallon bucket? Ok, maybe you guys did, but I know the sock in the skimmer process, I guess I didn’t realize it would take this long. I keep stirring it up to help, but that doesn’t seem to help much. I’ve never had to add CYA before, the previous owner only ever used stabilized chlorine pucks, so I’m sure it was rather high when I bought the house a year and a half ago, I assume it’s slowly been coming down with draining and filling after installing my SWG. I’ll report back with my findings, but I certainly appreciate all the help you all have offered here.

 

[EricJ320]

Looks like I was very low CYA in the pool and the standard is a dud. With my test bucket, the majority of the 1/2 tsp I added had dissolved, but I was growing impatient and tested, more so just to see if I could confirm the reagent was working. Again, this test drives me a bit nuts, but I’m trying to convince myself it’s just a guide and accuracy to the specific number isn’t as important as just confirming I’m in the target window. Below, the picture on the left my test bucket sample at the 50ppm line. The one on the right is from the other day with the standard at 30ppm. Problem solved, now I just need to dose the pool with a sock full of CYA.

 

[AUSpool]

Looks like I was very low CYA in the pool and the standard is a dud.

Well done, the test bucket was a good idea.

Again, this test drives me a bit nuts, but I’m trying to convince myself it’s just a guide and accuracy to the specific number isn’t as important as just confirming I’m in the target window.

Your not alone, it drives everyone nuts. I’ve asked the folks at Hanna if they would consider making a CYA tracker. I would buy one. I’ve always used the fill to the line method It also makes it a bit easier knowing roughly where you should be from previous tests.

When you add your cya to your pool monitor your FC. I just topped up my CYA; my FC was ticking along at 6ppm and then the day after the CYA addition it was at 10ppm.

 

[EricJ320]

Ok, so one last question and we’ll call this dead horse fully beaten. So I’m adding dry stabilizer to the pool, 2 socks full, 1 in each skimmer, wasn’t really dissolving well, the bag said dissolve in warm water. That worked much better for one of them, the other one I tried a suggestion I saw here in another thread to hang the sock in front of a return jet, that worked better as well. Both socks would seep white cloudy water, especially when I would squeeze them regularly. All going well now except that both socks have reach a somewhat small amount of the stabilizer, maybe a baseball sized amount, that has stopped seeping cloudy water and don’t seem to be dissolving. Is this normal? Perhaps the other “inert ingredients” the bag lists? Do I drop in the the skimmer and hope it will eventually just dissolve or discard it as junk? It’s my first time having to add CYA, I’ve just never had another dry chemical behave like this, but then again none of the other dry chemicals I’ve added were this difficult to dissolve.
Thanks again!

 

[mguzzy]

Sure I'll take a wack at your horse...

The point is to get the CYA into your water.. so I squeeze that sock for all its worth. I prefer to do it in front of a return jet so the cloud is dispersed in the pool, instead of back into the filter. Since its so slow to dissolve on its own I figure anything I can do to get moving along will help. Even after your socks are empty it will take a day or two for the testing to stabilize. So don't be surprised if it takes awhile.

 

[EricJ320]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I was squeezing it, finally in a 5 gallon bucket in warm water and it would make the water pretty cloudy, I’d go slowly pour it in the skimmer and then do it again. After several times the water is now pretty clear and not dissolving anymore, or this last bit is just doing it very very slowly compared to the vast majority of the amount I had to add. From the sounds of it I just need to drop them in the skimmer for now and just be patient with this last bit. Thanks again.

 

[mguzzy]

I would pour it in your pool... it will just clog up your filter until it dissolves. The sock method was supposed to be an easier way to get it to dissolve in your water. I know the instructions say to put it in the skimmer, but you want it in the pool water really.

 

[AUSpool]

Keep you pump running for as long as it’s in your skimmer and then 24 hours after with a cartridge filter. Get your brush out and brush you pool floor where the sock was hanging. With your pump running for extra time you will need to check on your SWG output.

 

[EricJ320]

When you add your cya to your pool monitor your FC. I just topped up my CYA; my FC was ticking along at 6ppm and then the day after the CYA addition it was at 10ppm.

Boy you were right about this. Since firing up the SWCG for the season and topping up the salt my FC had been fairly steady between 6-8 ppm. I had to leave town for four days and had added the CYA before I left. When I tested the water tonight after getting home my FC had jumped to 14ppm. The light isn’t great at night in the house to test the CYA, I’ll check it tomorrow with the sunlight at my back, but I think I still have more to add. I added roughly 6 lbs of CYA, PM said to add just under 8lbs, but with the previous CYA level at or below 30 it’s hard to say exactly what that number was, if it was closer to zero I really will need about 13lbs total, but I’d rather sneak up on the 70ppm than risk overshooting it.

 

[mguzzy]

Ain't it amazing to discover something that really really works!