[NEED ADVICE] - Draining Pool 50% Cause CYA Is 110

[sunlovinazpoolguy]

Hello... so I am going to attempt to drain my pool 50% using my sand filter as my source. Here is my concern and curious if I should even be doing it this way. The only returns on my pool are through my skimmer and leaf vac. My thoughts are to turn the valve by my equipment to only pull from the leaf vac, but that will only drain down 12" so only 20% of my pool.

So my thoughts are that I won't be able to drain with my sand filter unless there is an attachment I can use to attached to the leaf vac.

My questions are:

1) is there something to attach to the leaf vac
2) would turning the valve to pull from the skimmer alone and using my vacuum hose and letting that go to the bottom of the pool work as well.
3) do I just rent a pump from HomeDepot

Thanks in advance for your help/advice!

 

[zea3]

Option #2 will work, you just have to insert the vacuum hose directly into the skimmer and get an airtight seal. Otherwise go with option #3.

 

[jblizzle]

Do you have a waste option on the filter? If so that could work to put a hose into either the skimmer of the leaf vac and holding the other end in the deep water. You will need to make sure the pump does not pull in air once the water gets below the suction line.

It is certainly easier to just rent a pump from HD with 100 foot of hose (that is what I did) or even buy a cheap submersible from Harbor Freight (that is what a friend did ... and now I can borrow it if needed )

 

[sunlovinazpoolguy]

hey.. just wanted to double check my CYA levels as it had been about a week when it was at 110... it is now showing at 140... am I still okay at draining 50% or would you recommend more just to be safe?

 

[jblizzle]

How are you getting the high CYA test results?

You want the CYA around 50ppm ... so you have to drain what it takes, but I want to be sure your test is correct. Hard to raise the CYA by 30ppm in a week. Note that the CYA test should be done outside with your back to the sun ... lighting is very important.

 

[sunlovinazpoolguy]

if that the case with your back to the sun (both other times I didn't test that way) I am showing it at 150. I have tested it both by filling it up to 7 with pool water and 3.5 with pool water and 3.5 with tap water. I feel pretty confident that it is at 150 with my back to the sun.

Thanks!

 

[sunlovinazpoolguy]

I'm getting my CYA with the results with the (FAS-DPD) kit

 

[jblizzle]

Just wanted to make sure it was not test strips and that you had tried the diluted method

Sounds like you should replace 66% of the water then.

 

[sunlovinazpoolguy]

Perfect... thx @jblizzle. I see you are in Tucson and so i think you can answer this the best with me being in PHX... should I drain my pool at night when it is cooler (considering it is 110 today)... I have a plaster pool is my concern.

Thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

Ideally, I do not think you want the sun beating down on the plaster, so I would say night is better ... of course it is still really hot. You could spray the plaster down with a hose occasionally ... it might help.