Stabilizer dropped from 60 to somewhere below 30 in a little more than a month!

[Skenn81]

I am in panic mode, as I am apt to have happen to me about such things.

I did my monthly reading today, which was a couple weeks delayed because I was having work done at the house and really have been on a bad schedule the past 3 weeks, and when it came time for the CYA check I was flabbergasted. I filled up the tube and I could still see the black dot. At the start of July, during my previous test, it was at 60.

I checked it again, this time using the big refill botttle of R-13 from TFTestkits. Still could see the dot when it was all filled up.

Took the panic option and just went to the pool store to have them test it, they also use the Taylor kit. I never trust their numbers as they rush through all their tests but again it came up down below 30.

I took all my other readings today and they came up fine or close enough to fine for now:

pH: 7.6
TA: 80
CH: 250~260 (went from red to blue somewhere around 25 to 26 drops)
CL: I have been maintaining it at 10 under the assumption my CYA was high
Pool is crystal clear

I have been adding about a half a gallon of liquid CL every day to keep my levels up not knowing about this CYA issue.

It's the Florida rainy season and also has been 90+ every single day, but with all that I have only drained the pool once and it was just a couple of inches. Is this normal?

I am about to go fill up a sock and start getting things back to normal, but should this have happened?

 

[TomGallopavo]

No need to panic. If you have the kit from here, trust it and pool math and bring it back up.

Grab margarita, put feet up by pool, relax.

 

[RMcGirr83]

CH: 250~260 (went from red to blue somewhere around 25 to 26 drops)

I thought it was number of drops times 25 not 10?

 

[Skenn81]

Yeah, at least I found out something was wrong before my pool went green again.

But still, a 30+ CYA drop in that short of a time? Most people on here have to drain the pools to ever have that kind of effect!

 

[mknauss]

A bit of overflow, degradation due to elevated water temperatures, and the resolution of the CYA test an result in what you found.

I would not add more than 20 ppm. Retest in a few days and see where you are at.

 

[Skenn81]

So this kind of loss could be normal for the summer?

The sock is in there now floating by a return. I just to out and squeeze it every once in a while, right?

 

[mknauss]

So this kind of loss could be normal for the summer?

At pool water temperatures above 85F it is not unusual to lose 10-15% CYA each month.

 

[Skenn81]

10 to 15 sure, but over 50% like I did? From 60 down to who knows since the test kit doesn't go past 30.

 

[Divin Dave]

Theres no need to Panic. My experience the few times Ive been to FL, is that it rains in many places there, almost daily. Overflow and Splashout. If your test showed it dropped, then it did.

And your FC of 10 is not unsafe for a CYA of 30. Put in some CYA, and enjoy the pool.

 

[Skenn81]

Update as I always hate reading threads that have no resolution and everyone is left hanging.

Checked the pool this morning after taking the socks out last night. CYA is back to 50 and everyone can continue on with the pool season. This means it dropped down to 20 as I added 4lbs (I know mknauss, I added a bit too much to start) which was enough for a 30 point raise and it put me right at 50. I will check it again in a week or three and see where we are at come September.

RMcGirr83: There are two different methods to the test which is x10 or x25 depending on where you fill the water up to in the vial.

 

[Newdude]

No need to panic......
Grab margarita, put feet up by pool, relax.

**Repeat as needed**

 

[Danforth]

I’m in Central Florida and bought a house with a high CYA pool. As of May, my CYA was 180. As of my last test this past weekend, it was at 80.

I’ve had to drain approximately 12” due to rain during that time, but it doesn’t fully account for the CYA loss.

I believe, as stated above, that warm water has a degradation effect. I also take a lot of trips out of town for work. When I do so, I bring the FC to shock level and let it drift down while I’m gone. Usually takes 10 days or so to drop back down into my target FC range.

I’ve noticed a pattern where I’ll lose 10 ppm of CYA each time I do that. So I believe there’s a correlation with very high FC levels as well, but can’t prove that nor want to state it as fact here on the forum. Just wanted to throw that out there in case it resonates with your experience.

 

[RMcGirr83]

There are two different methods to the test which is x10 or x25 depending on where you fill the water up to in the vial.

Is there documentation for that cuz all I can find, or what came with the 100, was the 25 ml test. I may be testing it incorrectly or something as it always takes me ~35 drops to get the colors to change which means my CH is way high.

 

[ajw22]

I believe, as stated above, that warm water has a degradation effect. .

CYA degrades more rapidly at high water temperatures.

Degradation of Cyanuric Acid (CYA)

 

[jtpipkin]

Is there documentation for that cuz all I can find, or what came with the 100, was the 25 ml test. I may be testing it incorrectly or something as it always takes me ~35 drops to get the colors to change which means my CH is way high.

Read the very bottom of each test - saves reagents when you know you're numbers are high or at least normal