Questions: CYA keeps dropping, water tastes salty, high TA/CH

[werd98]

Hello everyone! Anyone have suggestions as to why my CYA keeps dropping, as well as why my water "tastes" salty?

CYA: 0
FC: 0 (just poured a gallon of chlorine in)
pH: 7.5
TA: 210
CH: 550

Thanks!

 

[Donldson]

If you just recently put a gallon of chlorine in, can you get an FC and CC reading ASAP?

 

[mas985]

If the CYA is dropping quickly, the pool might be losing water somewhere. Do you have an autofill? It could be masking a serious leak. You might do a bucket test to confirm.

 

[willygee]

How are you testing for CYA?

 

[werd98]

Thank you for the responses!
I put 1 gal Home Depot (10%) chlorine in on Friday, and today the numbers are:
FC: 1.0
CC: 0.5
I'm using the TF-100 cloudy tube test, and there's 0 cloudiness (maybe my chemicals are old?)
I should try disabling the auto-filler.

Thanks!

 

[Nikilyn]

One gallon for a 36,000 gallon pool and no CYA doesn’t sound like even close to enough chlorine.

 

[Newdude]

I put 1 gal Home Depot (10%) chlorine in on Friday, and today the numbers are

1 gal in 36k should be about 3 ppm. And most will lose 2-4 ppm a day. 3 days later it’s surprising you had any left. So there is that issue.

The CYA of course needs to be raised as it may have slowly dropped and you’re just seeing it now. 30 looks good……. 20 looks like something at least and under 20 is almost impossible to notice anything at all. Could be simple, might be ammonia.

Ammonia - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I believe that was what @Donldson was referring to because if you have a CYA of zero and the FC gets eaten almost immediately, then it’s an ammonia problem. So add 8 or so FC (2.5 gals ? Whatevs poolmath says) and check it 30 mins later to see if it held. If it does you just need CYA and daily doses of FC.

 

[werd98]

Thanks for the input - we do have a cover, which I bet holds the FC in longer.

 

[TexEdmond]

If it does you just need CYA and daily doses of FC.

But not in that order. Only add CYA after you've determined the pool will hold FC.

It's probably not safe to swim in or taste pool water with 0ppm FC. Be safe!

 

[werd98]

To close the loop here: After cleaning out the incredibly dirty cartridge filters, bringing the CYA up to ~35 (and +2 gal Cl & 1 gal muriatic), and buying a new Kreepy Krauley, the water tastes great again & sparkles! Just in time for cold weather to roll in here in San Jose

Thanks everyone!

 

[Newdude]

the water tastes great again

Taste and spit like wine sampling…….. right??……. RIGHT ???

 

[werd98]