Pre-dissolve CYA in a bucket?

[JJ_Tex]

I need to add CYA to my pool to get it ready for spring/summer. I've seen many posts about the sock method and sure it works just fine, but my family thinks I'm weird enough without me trying to explain why I've tied a sock to my brush pole and go outside to squeeze it every so often.

Is there an easier way for us lazy and self conscience types? I have a 5 gallon bucket. Can I just fill that up with pool water, dump in the CYA, wait for it to dissolve, then pour it into the pool? I'm really in no rush, so its no big deal if it takes a few days for it to dissolve.

 

[mknauss]

The bucket thing does not work.

Suck it up and get some knee high panty hose! That is the best way to add CYA in larger quantities. In smaller quantities you can use trichlor if your pH can handle it.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Or spend more and buy liquid CYA. Its super viscous so you have to shake up the jug really well, and rinse it out well afterwards to get all the thick CYA gunk out of the bottom. You also have to plan on using an entire jug as it would be hard to measure out x amount to get your desired CYA gain. I use it at times as I'm impatient.
One gallon raises my CYA aprox 30ppm. Your pool is slightly larger so you could surely plan on it giving you 25ppm.

Maddie

 

[Jimrahbe]

JJ,

I suggest that you try the bucket method and then your family can make fun of you, while you are trying to pour the contents of the bucket into a knee-high stocking...

As Marty points out, premixing in a bucket just does not work...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[borjis]

I've dissolved cya with a bucket of very hot water.
It's more time & trouble than it's worth. So I stick with the sock method.

 

[JJ_Tex]

*Sigh* A family trip to Walmart to get dad some pantyhose it is. Maybe as an added bonus me and the kids will have to venture through the bra section to find them.

 

[Jimrahbe]

JJ,

Keep in mind that they are not pantyhose but knee-highs... What I like about them is that they don't have holes like almost all of my old socks.. Plus they are cheap and I just use them once and throw them away.. And.. they stretch, so depending on how you hang them in front of a return, they make their own "rope"..

When I used socks I had to squeeze them a lot and it took a couple of days.. With the knee-highs I hardly squeeze them and it takes less than a day.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Randrx2]

I have used knee-highs but switched to the filter basket sock screen. I had some of the sock screens left over from trying them out to see if it kept my filter cleaner. But with the screen enclosure, I don’t really need. Also, the sock-screen lasts longer. I get multiple uses out of it. I just fill it, tie an easy slip knot, then hang it over the handle of the strainer basket. If I put in in the morning, by lunchtime it is dissolved. Then I just dry out the sock screen and reuse.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

When I added CYA to my hot tub after doing a water change I was literally using a 4 cup measuring cup and boiling the water in the microwave.. and the stuff still didn't dissolve well... So since that was a PITA, I imagine a bucket for a pool would even be exponentially worse. What worked better, honestly was when I needed acid to lower pH (CSI) and wanted to also raise CYA a little bit more, I used a small above ground pool Trichlor tab I got on close out, in a Bromine floater I got on close out... and let it ride for about 4 days... that worked much better... rode the Cl a little high for a couple of days, but that isn't bad to do occasionally anyway...

Dissolving CYA is a Pain, honestly. And hot water only speeds it up a little.... I am convinced if I started up a pool on my own I'd put in 5-10 PPM of CYA and then use Trichlor until I got to 30-40 and then be done with it...

 

[Lilypad]

I let the knee-hi hang for a while, then sit and aim my hose at it. Not high pressure since you don't want the stocking to rip. It's kinda fun in a mindless sort of way (white clouds poofing into the water) it dissolves the CYA very quickly. Takes longer with colder water, but still satisfying.

 

[mguzzy]

Sometimes I like to tie the sock to my pool sweep.. and watch the billowing white clouds trail the mindless motion of the "walkin' around" (my kids term for the sweep)..."DAD!... Look! its Walkin'-Around!"

 

[Cavmedic]

I have been using hair nets. 2 of them (doubled up). Throw in skimmer and next day it is all gone.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Ok, thanks for everyone's help. I chickened out on the pantyhose, and didnt feel like running out to the store yesterday, but here is what I did that worked reasonably well

1. Yesterday I put 3lbs of stabilizer in an old athletic sock, tied it to the pole and dangled it in front of a return
2. Last night I squeezed the sock every few hours and before I went to bed about 50% of the stabilizer was already gone
3. This morning before work I squeezed the sock one last time, leaving about 10% left behind
4. I put the sock in my 5 gallon bucket and turned the sock inside out. What was left can be described as a cream cheese like consistency.
5. I stirred the bucket with my hand (like the kool aid scene in the original Vacation movie) for a few minutes and it was mostly dissolved.
6. I poured the bucket contents into my skimmer, all seemed to go down okay so I left for work.

It was a bit more tedious than I was hoping and if I have to do it again I would try the pantyhose or hairnet suggestions, but ultimately this seemed to work. Hope this helps someone searching for how to add CYA in the future.

 

[ajw22]

That is pretty much what I do for the 2 or 3 times a season stabilizer needs to be added.

Adding CYA Equipment

• ajw22
• Jan 29, 2019

Sock filled with CYA ready to hang

• ajw22
• Jan 29, 2019

CYA dangling in sock in front of return

• ajw22
• Jan 29, 2019

 

[JJ_Tex]

Just another lessons learned, I didnt even think about CYA dropping my PH (duh - it is acid).

Anyways, it dropped my pH from 7.8 to 7.2. That's not horrible, but with the cold water temps it made my CSI pretty negative. If I had thought about it dropping the pH, I would have waited until the water warmed up a bit before I added.

 

[Bvacchiano]

Put it in some pantyhose. Stick it in skimmer. Give it 1-2 hours, put some gloves on, and go out and squeeze it out of the sock. Done....

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I've also tied socks of CYA to an couple of pool noodles that I tied into an "X" and let them float around the pool willy nilly. Since the sock gets tied to the middle, the x prevents the sock from touching the side wall of the pool.

Maddie

 

[wireform]

A note worthy tip. I use a pantyhose cut off as high as possible. Get the powder into it at 2 lbs max due to its weight. I use a 1x2" by say 5 foot, tie it off with a slip knot after I wrap it twice around the wood. I hang in front of the return about 18" out and spin the wood to shorten it so it hangs in the stream pretty well. As it dissolves it get lighter theh I spin the wood whatever it takes to lengthen it getting it back into direct hit from return water. Don't forget something weighted on the far end of the wood like a cinderblock or the like.Works really fast. If I need more for the pool I have one ready in the skimmer basket so the next batch goes faster. And... when you carry it over to the return location from the skimmer make sure it is over the water. Ask me how I know

 

[ManiacalMama]

I use hair nets and hang them in the skimmer by the lid, goes really fast.

 

[Newdude]

I donated the sleeves from a long sleeve shirt this year. I left one full, tied up, in each basket and the next day it took 5 minutes to swim around and disperse the goo that it had become. Next time I'll probably just leave them for 2 days and it will be even easier. More often than not, its not an emergency that needs completing instantly. Why not make it as little work as possible ? And when i did the swimming part, it was 95% swimming and 5% 'work'