CYA Too highj?

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R

rjg202

LifeTime Supporter
Jun 1, 2011
205
Northern Maryland (near Delaware)
Pool Size
10000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
My pool is clear, 84 degrees, I can't seem to get my chlorine down, please no flames, but I have a chlorinator and my pump ran for a few days straight, One of the kids turned it to 'on' vs on timer. Anyway I cut my chlorinator back to less than 1/8.
I am about 10000 gallons and shocked Sunday with dichlor 35% Going into troublefree pool I see a big variation between traditional goals and troublefree pool goals. Why such a variation, if I use TFP goals CYA is way over. As for the chlorinator, I work a lot and may be gone for several days per week and wife has no interest in mixing chemicals and does not want me storing bleach bottles all around with little ones. Tonight after taking the numbers I backwashed since on Sunday I put some phosphate remover in and my pressure climbed about 6 - 7 lbs since last backwash 2 weeks ago. I also added about 2-3 inches of water on a 15X30 ag plus about 2 lbs baking soda. Pool calculator told me to drain 61% of pool water with TFP goals and 22% with traditional pool numbers.

Mon Night Numbers

FCL 6.63
TCL 7.09
PH 7.2
Alkalinity 98
Hardness 177
CYA 101

Today it was hot and sunny

Numbers

FCL 5.99
TCL 5.94
PH 7.2
Alk 95
Hardness 179
CYA 103
 
Most of the "traditional" recommendations fail to take into account how CYA works, something that has been known for over 30 years, but widely ignored in the pool industry.

With CYA around 100 you need to keep FC levels between 7 and 12 to consistently avoid having problems. Higher CYA levels mean less of your FC is actually active and available to sanitize the pool at any given moment. The rest is buffered by the CYA, held in reserve.

As you continue to use trichlor tablets, the CYA level will continue to go up, and the odds of running into problems increase. Worse, should you have a problem it becomes extremely difficult to fix at high CYA levels.
 
Thanks, so I have a few questions. For shocking, what should I use, the non-chlorine stuff to keep CYA out. I will consider shutting down chlorinator and trying bleach or liquid chlorine once I figure out if I can safely store in my shed and how much and how frequently to add until I get the CYA down. I have to reread bbb but I think someone said Clorox was bad. But over time as I add water I assume CYA will drop and I should manage the chlorine level to the chart in pool school?
 
Ok, need to be set on a straight course here. I dropped about 8 inches of water in pool and refilled between rain and city water.

Numbers are below. I want to wean myself off of the chlorinator but I am afraid of turning the pool green since my wife would have no parts of it. Chlorinator still has about 5 or 6 pucks in it, what is weird is that even though I have it set low it is filled about 1/2 way. I am pretty sure dial is working because if I turn the dial I do here it fill. I realize air pressure keeps the water down but when I open that darn thing I need to keep my head away and hold my breath. For that reason alone I don't like it. I don't want to drain that water in there or pull the pucks out but they are taking forever to dissolve. Water varies from 82-92 with pool in full sun.
So For BBB (I have been using Baking Soda for PH and Alk). I also added HTH Calcium plus to get cacium up when it was down to 170 at one point, not sure of the opinion on that brand. Can I just use pool calculator to figure out amount of bleach to use if my chlorinator is still finishing up tabs?

Also last time Pool store tested I had Copper .1 and Iron .12 should I be concerned.


FCL 2.56
TCL 2.71
PH 7.3
Al 111
CH 212
CYA 108
 
You really need to stop using pucks or your fighting a losing battle with draining to reduce CYA. Get some good old basic chlorine, or liquid chlorine from the pool store and use that. The liquid chlorine won't be as bulky to store if you're concerned about having room to store it away from the kids. Also, get yourself a good test kit like is recommended here and read through the pool school. You will learn a lot from that. Then... ask away.

Don't fret too much about your CH until you've got your CYA under control. With a vinyl liner it's not a major concern unless it's too high, which yours isn't. No need to through it in the pool only to drain it back out again when you try to reduce your CYA some more.
 
Re: CYA Too high?

Could the Omega Algaecide 60 be adding to my CYA, it mentions Poly(oxy....) ethylene dichloride. is this dichlor aka CYA? Or am I off base. I was told to add about 2 oz per week since I am under trees and had algae issues last year. I have not added for about 3 weeks but wondered about if it had CYA? I am looking to go to BBB once I feel comfortable maintaining high chlorine levels when I have been told to maintain 2-4 ppm. Just a lot to take in, but will try to convert after vacation.
 

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No, that's just another version of Polyquat 60 algaecide.

Above Ground and vinyl pools don't need calcium. Some warranties require 200 ppm, is that why you are worried about calcium levels?

You won't look back, you'll wonder why you hesitated switching to BBB. Trust me. Been there, done that.
 
Looking at Tf-100 and Taylor k2006 , I have a ColorQ 7 which has a discrepancy with PH, I read .3 to .4 lower than pool store, Lamotte sent me sample and Ph was .3 low but Hardness and Alk were on. But I may return it (Leslies/not satisfied unless Lamotte makes good) and pick up one of the others mentioned. I think I need one of these kits that turn from pink to clear or yellow and I believe one of these does that, I can't easily distinguish shades of pink/purple.
 
The kits we recommend, with a FAS-DPD chlorine test, involve adding drops until a pink sample turns clear. There are other kits that use the DPD chlorine test, which require distinguishing between different shades of red, and the OTO chlorine test involves distinguishing between different shades of yellow.
 
I know I am going off topic, sorry

I just got a Return auth to return the ColorQ Pro7, I am going to order a TF-100 which has that test (FAS-DPD), thanks, sold!

If I am going to go to BBB after vacation (explained to wife last night). Should I order a Borate Test strip pack? Also Speed Stir, is that really required or a nice to have?
Lastly I am in MD, pool open May-Late Sept, I assume the base kit is Ok, and just replenish next year?


Lastly I will donate to TFP to get the discount from Taylor and help support the cause.
 
In my opinion, you can do BBB without the borate test strips. The reason being unless you are going to do the full-on borate addition to get around 50ppm of borates, you really won't be concerned about the borate level in the pool. You may use Borax to adjust pH, but you won't be concerned with the borate level.
 
The speedstir is just a very nice to have option. It's not required. The base kit is fine. You only need any of the options when there's something special with your pool (borates, you have a swcg, you're clearing a swamp. etc.).
 
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