Deep in CYA

[Aksu]

Hi all, per my tests with Taylor kit I have CYA above 100 I will be doing more tests to get a more accurate amount. But in the mean time I stopped using the stabilized chlorine tablets to not increase it any further. I am using liquid chlorine for now. The pool looks green and not as cloudy as couple of days ago before I applied shock. I have been looking for ways I can bring CYA down (without replacing some of the water in the pool). I have several questions but for now did anyone use this product? Poolife NST Prime Tablets? There is also one from a brand named Pool Breeze "Optimight No CYA". Anyone used either of these?

 

[Newdude]

Those are both Cal-hypo and will jack your calcium instead. Pucks and shocks are simply unsustainable for most climates, especially those with long seasons and little rain.

Get us a diluted CYA test. Mix up a sample of 50/50 pool and tap water and follow the rest of the test as normal, then double the result.

The only way to remove CYA quickly is by exchanging an even % of your water. Half lowers it by half.... etc.

 

[GaryV512]

I have been where you are, CYA at 100. Personally I didn't understand that CYA never reduces or evaporates, I kept using stabilized Chlorine pucks thinking I was doing the right thing and "adding Chlorine". I was having inexplicable algae blooms as a result. I wound up doing 2 (slow) separate water removal and refill cycles, I did about a quarter to third of the water each time. That got my CYA down to the required 50. The chemical CYA reducers never sounded viable to me.

 

[Aksu]

Thank you all for the replies.

It has been raining here so I have not had a chance to re-test. I want to add that my pool is covered (which is closed most of the time). So not going to evaporate or get rain water to dilute much. I am beginning to accept the fact that I will have to replace some of the water. I will probably dump 2-3 ft of water and re-fill from with tap water. But I will decide exactly how much after getting a more accurate reading. If it is going to take more of the water to replace I am wondering if I should go for bulk water delivery instead. I am looking to see how much such a service costs vs tap water.

In the mean time I need to figure out what kind of chlorine to use as routine. The pucks are going to stay the bucket unless somehow the CYA falls below 50. So what you do you all use on a regular basis?

 

[uraceulose]

The way to do it is to use only liquid chlorine and or convert to salt. Keep reading on here in the Pool School section.

 

[uraceulose]

You will add 3-6 PPM of CYA for each puck you dissolve into your pool water regardless.

 

[Newdude]

Each puck will add 1 ppm CYA in 30k gallons. But every 10 needs more FC to sanitize at the same level and it gets out of hand quickly when it wasn't wanted.

 

[dereksanders]

You’ll want to know the particulars of your fill water for TA, pH, CH if you refill with tap water. This way you’ll know what will likely be affected with a large refill.

 

[Aksu]

Thank you again for all the replies. I tested again, looks like CYA is actually around 90. Still high but I was worried it may be 200 or something. Today the water is clearest it has been since I opened the cover and discovered cloudy pool at the weekend. FC had fallen to 0.5 so I added more liquid chlorine. Pool does not as green but I do not trust the CYA reading. Awaiting more supplies for CYA (out of R-0013) to test again tomorrow for CYA and FC etc.

 

[GaryV512]

Thank you all for the replies.

It has been raining here so I have not had a chance to re-test. I want to add that my pool is covered (which is closed most of the time). So not going to evaporate or get rain water to dilute much. I am beginning to accept the fact that I will have to replace some of the water. I will probably dump 2-3 ft of water and re-fill from with tap water. But I will decide exactly how much after getting a more accurate reading. If it is going to take more of the water to replace I am wondering if I should go for bulk water delivery instead. I am looking to see how much such a service costs vs tap water.

In the mean time I need to figure out what kind of chlorine to use as routine. The pucks are going to stay the bucket unless somehow the CYA falls below 50. So what you do you all use on a regular basis?

I use liquid chlorine now, rarely use the pucks, Walmart sells liquid chlorine pretty cheap by the gallon. I think Home Depot sells it too. At our WM store it's near the entrance to the seasonal/garden section. White jugs with blue print, about $5 each? With my size of pool I wind up using about a gallon per week, so about $20 a month to treat... Good luck!!

 

[Aksu]

I use liquid chlorine now, rarely use the pucks, Walmart sells liquid chlorine pretty cheap by the gallon. I think Home Depot sells it too. At our WM store it's near the entrance to the seasonal/garden section. White jugs with blue print, about $5 each? With my size of pool I wind up using about a gallon per week, so about $20 a month to treat... Good luck!!

Thanks for the info Gary. The liquid chlorine I am using is also from WM. Also 1 gallon, it says "

"Pool Essentials Chlorinating Liquid for Swimming Pools, 1 Gallon"​

Cost for me was $5.67 each. I think I will pick up more. No more pucks!

Edit: more details:
Sodium hypochlorite: 10%
Other Ingredients: 90%

Do these sound right?

 

[dereksanders]

Yes. Many people use Pool Essentials without any problems.

 

[Aksu]

Quick update. I retested , couple of times, diluted amount. I got 90. So I tested the standard amount again , got about 90 as well. I added more Chlorine and tested (diluted) one more time after a few hours got 90 again. So high but not crazy high. Water is looking better. So I will keep an eye on FC and I actually need to add soda ash to bring TA down as well and soda ash has been on order.

 

[mknauss]

add soda ash to bring TA down

Soda ash will spike TA higher. Do not use soda ash.

 

[uraceulose]

Read more on here...you'll need to add muriatic acid to bring your PH down over a period of time to slowly bring your TA down. ONLY use liquid chlorine for likely the next 6 months and as some will say on here...it's best to change out 25% or more of your water but at 90 if you're willing to run the chlorine at 11-12 FC PPM you can.

 

[uraceulose]

Lowering Total Alkalinity (TA) Quickly with the Acid Aeration Method

Thought I'd make a post that might help others. We've had quite a few members this year with high TA, and I've been typing the same information over and over. I'm going to post this so I can link it to help others. High TA can cause rapid pH rise. High TA is typically caused by high TA fill...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Aksu]

Sorry, I confused low pH with high TA. I ordered soda ash for low pH which was at 7.0. I will retest all again after getting ph to somewhere in the acceptable range.

 

[Aksu]

Read more on here...you'll need to add muriatic acid to bring your PH down over a period of time to slowly bring your TA down. ONLY use liquid chlorine for likely the next 6 months and as some will say on here...it's best to change out 25% or more of your water but at 90 if you're willing to run the chlorine at 11-12 FC PPM you can.

Yeah I will see how CYA level goes then decide if I want to replace some of the water. I also measured calcium hardness at 310 which is close to the top of the range and that too requires dumping and refilling some of the water as I understand it.

 

[uraceulose]

I'm pretty sure you're fine at the 310 CH but the 90 CYA with the sun this low will take a long time to degrade/breakdown/wear off

 

[kimkats]

You are on the right path now! Well done!

Learn how to read the date codes on the chlorine bottles. You don't want chlorine older than 3 months. Chlorine will degrade over time. Faster if it is kept in a hot or sunny area.

Chlorine Date Code Decoder - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

The next thing you need to do is a SLAM the pool to get your water back to TFP clear:
SLAM Process When you start the SLAM have at least 10 bottle of chlorine on hand to get is started. Make sure you have plenty of test stuff for FC as you will need to test quite often to get the algae gone.

Kim