High CYA...did pool company mess up?

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pennywise13

Member
May 1, 2019
8
Flower Mound, TX
30,000 gallon inground pool with DE filter. Outside of Dallas, TX. New pebble Tec was installed in May 2020. Pool company went out of business in Aug '21 and we had to switch maintenance companies. I haven't been thrilled with the new company, but haven't had a major reason to switch. This week (out of nowhere), they said we had high CYA and need to drain pool soon. They said CYA is 140, but didn't provide any other numbers.

I took sample to Leslies today and got the following results:
FC 6.54
Total Chlorine 6.67
pH 7.5,
TA 28 *adjusted due to the effect of CYA on tested Total Alkalinity
CH 402
CYA 179
Iron 0
Copper 0.4
Phosphates 41
TDS 1300

From what I've read on this forum, it seems like draining is the only option now. My question is, did the pool company mess up? Or is high CYA something that just happens? I know it can be a product of chlorine tabs (they just added a 2nd floater earlier this month), but they're saying it's the "industry accepted practice to drain and refill pools with fresh water every 2 to 5 years", which seems excessive to me.
 
You can do it the TFP way and switch to SWG or jug lug yourself

Second option is the pool store way which raises CYA from pucks and you drain water ever so often.
How else would a pool boy maintain your pool coming only once a week ?
 
The way the pool maintenance people make money is they visit once a week, put the pucks in and leave. As you know, the byproduct of using pucks is it adds CYA, which accumulates. At some point you cannot maintain a sanitized pool with high CYA and you need to replace water.

TFP recommends using liquid chlorine or a salt water chlorine generator to sanitize your pool.

Either method can work, but pucks are not trouble free.
 
In addition to above, I wouldn't take either test result as solid advice. You definitely need a good test kit to manage your own pool & levels. Personally, I recommend and use tf-pro kit from tftestkits.net

Can check out kits here:
Test Kits Compared
 
pennywise13 said:
but they're saying it's the "industry accepted practice to drain and refill pools with fresh water every 2 to 5 years", which seems excessive to me.
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PW,

What a load of Bull Feathers!!!

Pool water does not go bad, so there is no reason to change it unless you let other people take care of your pool... :mrgreen:

That said, it is not that expensive to do in most of the DFW area. I drained and acid washed a rent house 15K pool and it cost me less than $75 bucks to fill it back up.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Keep in mind that pool "professionals" main goal is to make a profit. That typically means servicing your pool as quickly as possible and moving on to the next one, with no regard to the long term health of your pool. This goes for pool services, pool stores, etc.

Then they use some bogus term (water going stale, chlorine lock, etc.) and make you drain and refill and start the process all over. If you are really unlucky, they will let your pool turn green and charge you $ to get it better, then drain.

You are the best person to take care of your pool, which is what this site is all about.

Leslie's testing is about as reliable as an email from a Nigerian Prince, but if it is remotely accurate your pool services used Trichlor to add chlorine and CYA, along with some sort of algeacide containing copper. CYA doesn't go away from your pool, and copper can cause staining (green hair, swimsuits, and even staining on the walls in extreme cases).
 
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pennywise13 said:
but they're saying it's the "industry accepted practice to drain and refill pools with fresh water every 2 to 5 years", which seems excessive to me
Click to expand...
You get 39 inches of precipitation a year. Your water is likely never older than 2 years. :)

They can foul up ALOT in that time tho.
 

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pennywise13 said:
30,000 gallon inground pool with DE filter. Outside of Dallas, TX. New pebble Tec was installed in May 2020. Pool company went out of business in Aug '21 and we had to switch maintenance companies. I haven't been thrilled with the new company, but haven't had a major reason to switch. This week (out of nowhere), they said we had high CYA and need to drain pool soon. They said CYA is 140, but didn't provide any other numbers.

I took sample to Leslies today and got the following results:
FC 6.54
Total Chlorine 6.67
pH 7.5,
TA 28 *adjusted due to the effect of CYA on tested Total Alkalinity
CH 402
CYA 179
Iron 0
Copper 0.4
Phosphates 41
TDS 1300

From what I've read on this forum, it seems like draining is the only option now. My question is, did the pool company mess up? Or is high CYA something that just happens? I know it can be a product of chlorine tabs (they just added a 2nd floater earlier this month), but they're saying it's the "industry accepted practice to drain and refill pools with fresh water every 2 to 5 years", which seems excessive to me.
Click to expand...
Welcome - your pool service has gotten you in a rough spot. But it's just the way they all work - which is obviously unsustainable when using chlorine pucks.

If you're interested in keeping a pool company, the only way to avoid high CYA from pucks is to install a SWCG (salt water chlorine generator.)

Pool care is actually very easy if you're interested in learning. Pool stores and services make it complicated and just get it wrong. The TFP method, especially with a SWCG installed, makes it unbelievably easy to keep a crystal-clear pool in N Texas. We're happy to explain more and help with any questions.
 
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JJ_Tex said:
Keep in mind that pool "professionals" main goal is to make a profit. That typically means servicing your pool as quickly as possible and moving on to the next one, with no regard to the long term health of your pool. This goes for pool services, pool stores, etc.

Then they use some bogus term (water going stale, chlorine lock, etc.) and make you drain and refill and start the process all over. If you are really unlucky, they will let your pool turn green and charge you $ to get it better, then drain.

You are the best person to take care of your pool, which is what this site is all about.

Leslie's testing is about as reliable as an email from a Nigerian Prince, but if it is remotely accurate your pool services used Trichlor to add chlorine and CYA, along with some sort of algeacide containing copper. CYA doesn't go away from your pool, and copper can cause staining (green hair, swimsuits, and even staining on the walls in extreme cases).
Click to expand...
Hi, my CYA severely drops when I do ascorbic acid treatments for staining in my fiberglass pool. I always have to add CYA after. I do not understand the chemistry of it but, it has happened every time after the treatment. Perhaps someone has some reasoning to add.
Wondering if anyone else has had this as I have not come across it discussed on the forum. Also, this may be a way to get CYA down for some of these over stabilized pools?
 
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