I have to add some calcium and CYA to my pool before closing because the CYA is only 20 and the calcium is only 200. What is the best way to add these two chemicals so they will dissolve quickly in cold 65 degree water? I read online that calcium can damage the surfacre of your pool if it falls to bottom so I’m wondering if I should dissolve it in a bucket of water before adding it, instead of broadcasting it like is recommended on here. I also need to know if there is a way to make stabilizer dissolve faster in cold water. The last time I used it, I put it in a sock like is recommended on here and it took almost a week to dissolve. I need to get around 3 pounds to dissolve in 4 days so the CYA is back up to 40 before closing. I don’t want to close with a CYA of only 20 because I have a mesh cover that doesn’t block out all of the sun and I will have to drain water out which will dilute the CYA. If there is no way to get stabilizer to fully dissolve in 4 days, I’m wondering if I should use liquid CYA or Dichlor shock to increase the CYA instead.
Getting calcium and CYA to dissolve better in cold water
- Thread starter swimmy22
- Start date
Not following you on why that matters. Your FC is going to disappear over the winter with a mesh cover, 20 ppm more CYA isn't going to change that.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,079
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Do you have waterline tile with grout around your fiberglass pool? If not then there is no need to add calcium.
There is no need to add CYA before closing.
There is no need to add CYA before closing.
Yes. I have waterline tile with grout. That is why I want to add calcium. What is the best way to add it so it will dissolve and won’t damage the surface of the pool if it falls to the bottom? Water temperature is currently 65 degrees and will likely fall because lows are going to be in the upper 30s this week.
If I close with CYA at 20, I will open up to 0 CYA since I drain water out of the pool over the winter. The last time I opened up to 0 cya, my pool was a swamp and it took 2 weeks to clear it up.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,079
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I think you will be fine with a CH of 200.
If you want to raise your CH by 50 ppm then dissolve the calcium in the largest bucket of water you have. Be careful as calcium is exothermic and can get hot and burn you.
Do you cover your pool over the winter? What type of cover?
For insurance add Polyquat 60 - Algaecide - Further Reading
- May 3, 2014
- 62,672
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
The grout is cement based? I would think that would be problematic in your weather conditions. Ours is cement based and failing. And we never freeze.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,079
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
OK, with a mesh cover some sun UV gets through and why CYA helps you.
That is why I want to increase the CYA to 40. I have an older mesh cover that doesn’t block out all of the sun so I don’t feel comfortable closing with a CYA of 20. Is there any way to make stabilizer dissolve quickly in cold water or should I use liquid CYA or Dichlor instead.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,693
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
If you want the CYA in fast then you need to use liquid. Granular CYA is not going to dissolve at those temperatures. I honestly don’t think you need to add the CYA as your mesh cover blocks probably half of what already is very low UV index sunlight. Once your water temps drop below 60F, algae growth rates are negligible. What causes a green swamp is not opening a pool up early enough when you can easily fight off algae.
The only way to get calcium increaser to mix quickly is to dissolve it in water. As others have said, that can be dangerous if you add too much to too small a volume. It’s going to take several buckets of water and several rounds of adding those buckets to make an appreciable dent in your CH levels.
Again, I don’t believe any of this necessary but if it makes you sleep better at night, go for it.
The only way to get calcium increaser to mix quickly is to dissolve it in water. As others have said, that can be dangerous if you add too much to too small a volume. It’s going to take several buckets of water and several rounds of adding those buckets to make an appreciable dent in your CH levels.
Again, I don’t believe any of this necessary but if it makes you sleep better at night, go for it.
Just for grins: I had need to add calcium chloride to my pool last week. I was curious about the metrics of the "exothermic reaction" and decided to measure the temperature rise when mixing with water. I combined 4 lbs 1 oz of 94% Calcium Chloride into 5 gal of 83º pool water in a large plastic bucket. I quickly stirred the two while measuring the temperature with a digital thermometer. Within 45 seconds, the calcium chloride dissolved and the water temp stabilized at 122ºF. I was impressed!
- May 23, 2015
- 25,693
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
If the water volume were smaller, you could get the water to start boiling. Concentrated sulfuric acid is similar - when you add it to water, the resulting mixture can get very hot. You can easily get thermal burns if you hold the glass container while mixing the two.