Missing Stabilizer Second time stabilizer has gone to zero..

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grandmasterlarry

Active member
Nov 23, 2020
32
Tampa FL
Pool Size
19044
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Jandy Truclear / Ei
Greetings all,

Been a long time follower here and have not needed to post as I usually can find the answers on here with a quick search. This one seems to be a little more tricky and all of the previous posts on this controversial topic point to bad testing or water loss. I have put 35-40lbs of CYA in my pool this year and its keeps disappearing!

I tested my CH yesterday around 4pm and found that my CL was at 2-4ppm with a Taylor quick test (k-1000). This seemed off to me as it was just at 6ppm a couple days prior as I was having issues with my SWG and constantly checking to make sure it was working. I checked it again to confirm my results and also tested the water directly out of the return to confirm the SWG was making chlorine. Results where the same and I confirmed that the SWG was working. Based on the results I decided that the stabilizer had to be off.

I tested and confirmed low CYA. I had a CYA of maybe 10, as I filled the viewing tube I could still clearly see the black dot but it was a little hazy. Last test a month ago (yes I have been lazy not testing) my CYA was at 70. Now ruling out any type of water loss my CH tested at 425, the last test a month ago was 375. This is a new plaster pool 5 months old now.

Now let me rule out the typical answers.

Its not added water or loss of water. We have had quite a bit a rain but if it was because of that my CH would also go down and it went up. I have not had to add water to the pool and do not have an auto fill.

Let me rule out testing. I have registered good CYA levels with my test kit before and when this happened the first time I thought I was going crazy so i took a sample to PP and they returned the same results. I checked this last time twice to confirm results the same.

I have never had algae in the pool and the CH has never dropped below 2. I always keep 10gal of chlorine on had for manual dosing when needed.
I have done the SLAM process multiple times trying to figure this out as well as overnight chlorine loss test.

Last tests with TF-100 (24 Jun 2021 830PM)
CL 2ppm
PH 7.68 (with meter)
CH 425ppm
AK 50ppm
CYA 10ppm

This is driving me NUTS what could possibly be causing my CYA to disappear?
 
Welcome to the forum!
Since you rule out all the normal things, the last one is defective product. Has all the stabilizer been one brand?
Why not try using dichlor to chlorinate with for the next couple weeks and see if the CYA holds using that product?
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
 
mknauss said:
Welcome to the forum!
Since you rule out all the normal things, the last one is defective product. Has all the stabilizer been one brand?
Why not try using dichlor to chlorinate with for the next couple weeks and see if the CYA holds using that product?
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.
Click to expand...

I thought the Stabilizer I was getting from PP was an issue the first time so I switched brands this time using Clorox. I have confirmed readings of good CYA after using this brand. I had a 4lb bag so that got put in yesterday. I am going to pick up another 4lb bag today. It was the Clorox when it disappeared this time the PP brand last time (don't remember brand).

All other chemistry is at ideal levels.

Wouldn't using dichlor add CYA when I put it in? How would this behave differently than liquid or SWG? I am open to anything at this point.

Can rain cause loss of CYA? I assume no because it would only be from overflow (loss of water).
Can my SWG cause loss of CYA?
Can there be bacteria or another substance that feed on the CYA?
 
grandmasterlarry said:
Wouldn't using dichlor add CYA when I put it in? How would this behave differently than liquid or SWG? I am open to anything at this point.
Click to expand...
Yes dichlor would add CYA. Since you cannot get another product to work, I suggested that. You would shut off your SWCG and chlorinate daily with the dichlor for awhile.
grandmasterlarry said:
Can rain cause loss of CYA? I assume no because it would only be from overflow (loss of water).
Click to expand...
Only if you have outflow of water. You say you do not.
grandmasterlarry said:
Can my SWG cause loss of CYA?
Click to expand...
No.
grandmasterlarry said:
Can there be bacteria or another substance that feed on the CYA?
Click to expand...
There can, but your pool would not hold a FC level. Your test results show you have a FC level.
 
mknauss said:
How are you adding the stabilizer?
Click to expand...
I put it in a sock in the skimmer basket. my pump runs 20hrs a day.

I guess I will invest in bucket of dichlor and see how that goes.

If I see no loss of CYA with the dichlor, what would that indicate is the issue and how could I get back to using my SWCG?

Appreciate the help
 
If the CYA from dichlor sticks, the other product(s) you have been using are faulty. That would be very odd since you have used two different brands.
Do be ware dichlor is quite acidic. So monitor pH and TA.
 
mknauss said:
If the CYA from dichlor sticks, the other product(s) you have been using are faulty. That would be very odd since you have used two different brands.
Do be ware dichlor is quite acidic. So monitor pH and TA.
Click to expand...
Yes, I thought it would be odd for both brands to be faulty. To add to it I have sourced the brand I am currently using from multiple sources.

Is the stabilizer in dichlor a byproduct of dichlor? I thought it just had stabilizer added to it. Is it a different form of stabilizer in some way?

Should I try another brand of stabilizer?
What else could it be if its not faulty stabilizer?
 
To make chlorine into a solid product, it must be attached to something. With dichlor and trichlor, that is cyanuric acid. So no different.

Up to you on the stabilizer. I use PuriTech brand off Amazon. Never an issue.

Typically, the most likely reason for quick CYA loss is a leak and large water additions that go unnoticed, but you said that is not possible.
 

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Ok this is starting to get ridiculous, my pool has now consumed the 25lb bag of puritech and I just had to add 10 more lbs as I was at zero this morning. Something is consuming my cya I have gone through over 50lbs since March maybe. That is insane, none of my other specs, salt, TA, or CH are effected so it's not water loss. I am seeing more posts about this issue.
 
mknauss said:
I use the same brand and am not having issues.

Odd ----
Click to expand...
Yes this has been driving me nuts, I went through 25lbs In 4 months. There is something going on. I have slammed multiple times, as with my pool and the disappearing cya I have to also add chlorine as the trueclear just seems to not keep up. Most I can get out of it is close to 6ppm a day.
 
I could see the loss of 10-15 ppm CYA per month just from high water temperatures. You also get some over flow due to rain.
You would need to run the Truclear 12+ hours per day at 100% to generate enough chlorine for your climate.
 

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