High CYA, Normal Chlorine

[DDG61EW]

All,
I am a new pool owner that has been maintaining my water chemistry for the past 90 days. Testing is completed with a Taylor K-2006 Kit. Located in the Dallas area, water has looked amazing since day one. No Algae, Calcium, etc.. In line chlorinator using "pucks", test results below (gap was vacation). Nothing has been added for last 90 days other than chlorine pucks.

I over adjusted the inline chlorinator, have turned it up a bit to get back in the "good zone". Do i really need to drain 90 day pool water to reduce my CYA when everything looks great? I've studied the CYA/Chlorine chart and articles, thanks.

Today
FC-5.4
CYA-90

10/2
FC-9.5
CYA-80

9/18
FC-7.0
CYA-80

9/12
FC-8.0
CYA-60

 

[willygee]

I had cya at 90 for well over a year... Kept the free chlorine between 5 and 11. Water has always stayed nice and clear.

 

[aussieta]

welcome to tfp
using pucks is not sustainable in most locations, depending on rainfall and draining
they add equal parts cya and fc
so every day you add another 2-3ppm of stabilizer to your water
after 1 month you have added another 60ppm of stabiliazer
eventually there is not enough chlorine to balance your cya level

The Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid Relationship

Managing your cyanuric acid and Free Chlorine levels is key to stabilizing your pool. Learn how these two items affect each other.

www.troublefreepool.com

to answer your question
if you stop using pucks immediately
and switch to a different source of chlorine
you might be able to maintain water until splashout and other water removal naturally lowers your cya level
good luck, i think you may need it

 

[DDG61EW]

welcome to tfp
using pucks is not sustainable in most locations, depending on rainfall and draining
they add equal parts cya and fc
so every day you add another 2-3ppm of stabilizer to your water
after 1 month you have added another 60ppm of stabiliazer
eventually there is not enough chlorine to balance your cya level

The Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid Relationship

Managing your cyanuric acid and Free Chlorine levels is key to stabilizing your pool. Learn how these two items affect each other.

www.troublefreepool.com

to answer your question
if you stop using pucks immediately
and switch to a different source of chlorine
you might be able to maintain water until splashout and other water removal naturally lowers your cya level
good luck, i think you may need it

Thanks. Your comment surprises me about the use of pucks. Can’t speak for other parts of the country but 99 percent of new pools have inline chlorinators in Texas.

Hard for me to believe anyone that uses pucks needs luck.?

 

[Halzg]

You should read the Pool School article here on the site for more information on what is happening and why. ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

 

[jtpipkin]

once you understand the relationship between pucks and CYA, and CYA and chlorine, you'll understand why he wishes you luck. Read up on it, links above, and you'll thank him later.

 

[Sunnydaze]

Thanks. Your comment surprises me about the use of pucks. Can’t speak for other parts of the country but 99 percent of new pools have inline chlorinators in Texas.

Hard for me to believe anyone that uses pucks needs luck.?

Most people who use pucks don't understand cya. When their pool turns green, they say "I don't understand...my chlorine is always in the 1-3ppm recommended range." Then they go to the pool store who sells them tons of algaecide and phosphate removers to try and mask the cya problem. When all that fails, they are told to drain and start over. Then they begin using tabs again and the cycle repeats.

People in areas with lots of rain and/or those who backwash a lot may never see their cya get high because they're constantly diluting with fresh water. But take a pool with a cartridge filter in somewhere like AZ and that cya is never being diluted. It builds up very rapidly.

 

[Newdude]

Then they go to the pool store who sells them tons of algaecide and phosphate removers to try and mask the cya problem. When all that fails, they are told to drain and start over. Then they begin using tabs again and the cycle repeats

+1. And everybody has a threshold that they cross and end up seeking answers elsewhere, like here. Unfortunately all too many times said folks try to hack some in between method and it just doesn’t work that way. Half bad advice is still overall bad advice, and possibly even worse than it was to start.

What I can promise you DDG, is that there is no learning like doing and if you take control of the situation yourself, pool school will click SO much faster. In a matter of weeks you’ll be your own pro. There is a learning curve like anything else, and also like anything else you have to screw up all the details once for them to sink in. With us as your training wheels, guiding you every step of the way, none of those screw ups will be critical fails, just blips.

Ask away anything at any time. If you react when you aren’t sure we could end up with multiple problems to fix and we would so much rather only have one.