I tested CYA when I opened the pool early spring (I think February) and I was up around 40 where I want to be in Phoenix. I used only liquid chlorine so I felt ok about never testing CYA until late July when I was burning through chlorine so fast I had to go into troubleshooting mode. I tested 0 CYA--- crystal clear water filled right to the top of the test tube. I did not believe it and ran down to the pool store and bought new CYA reagent--same thing!
The problem is fixed but I had to add 2 gallons of CYA back into it and started using some chlorine solids.
Bad on me for not testing CYA once a month or so--but where did my CYA go? My water bills have been normal all season so I can't see how I got all the way to 0 without me noticing a higher water bill? My water hardness has increased normally from opening, so that is more evidence that I have not been dumping/refilling fresh water into the system. If I had, I'd expect my hardness to also be around my tap water levels.
I thought the only way to drop CYA was to dump water though I seem to remember reading about some uncommon algae that eats CYA?
The problem is fixed but I had to add 2 gallons of CYA back into it and started using some chlorine solids.
Bad on me for not testing CYA once a month or so--but where did my CYA go? My water bills have been normal all season so I can't see how I got all the way to 0 without me noticing a higher water bill? My water hardness has increased normally from opening, so that is more evidence that I have not been dumping/refilling fresh water into the system. If I had, I'd expect my hardness to also be around my tap water levels.
I thought the only way to drop CYA was to dump water though I seem to remember reading about some uncommon algae that eats CYA?