SWG/FC/CYA Question

[Brazillianguy]

First time post and first time caring for my pool. Thank SO much for this website and it's forum. SO much great information. After a bunch of reading here I had a question as it relates to SWG/FC/CYA. I have a SWG which is producing chlorine, but looks like no CYA (based on my Taylor kit). My pool is in constant direct sunlight (Miami, FL) so the CYA is supposed to help with preventing chlorine loss by the sun, but with the CYA I need higher FC in order to keep the water clean. My question is this.
1) If I get my CYA in control (I believe it was 50-60), and boost the Chlorine with some liquid chlorine to get the FC up quick. Will there be a time of steady equilibrium (depending on the tweaking I do with the SWG to produce the appropriate FC) where I won't have to add chlorine all the time?
(Note: my numbers just now are
FC 1.2 (this morning was 3 and we had a pool party afterwards)
CC 0.4
pH 7.8
Hardness 250
Alk 60
CYA (was clear after doing the test was always able to see the black dot at the bottom)
Salinity 3300

Just having it hard to see that I would be constantly throwing in a lot of Chlorine (under normal circumstances ) if the SWG generates Chlorine. Thanks for your patience and all the help!! LOVE THIS SITE!

 

[Oly]

Yes. Do exactly that. Get your CYA up and raise your FC with liquid.
Test your FC to confirm your SWG is meeting your daily demand.
Don't let your FC drop below your target FC/CYA Levels
Keep a jug of liquid as a backup but dial in your SWG and you will not need it.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Guy,

If you increase your CYA, your pool should use less chlorine, so your SWCG should be all you need.

With increased CYA, you do have to keep your FC higher, but the amount of FC used each day should be less.

We suggest using Liquid Chlorine to bring your FC up quickly, as a SWCG is designed to maintain an FC level, and not make large changes in the chlorine level.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[setsailsoon]

BG,

Welcome aboard! Great to see you're getting the hang of this so quickly. Can you please fill out your signature with model numbers for equipment etc. Here's how. This helps you get answers to questions quicker and helps our 100% volunteer experts be more efficient with their time. It's easy to estimate your swg settings using Pool Math but needs your swg brand and model number. I live up the coast a little in the Stuart area. CYA helped tremendously this time of year so I'd keep it at 70 this time of year until November or so. If your swg is sized properly it'll keep up easy. As everybody here has already said make sure to keep it up to target for your CYA or even a few ppm above. Never hurts to be a little high... a little low can go bad in a hurry. How are you testing for salt?

Chris

 

[Brazillianguy]

Yes. Do exactly that. Get your CYA up and raise your FC with liquid.
Test your FC to confirm your SWG is meeting your daily demand.
Don't let your FC drop below your target FC/CYA Levels
Keep a jug of liquid as a backup but dial in your SWG and you will not need it.

Perfect. thanks for replying. Planning on going to go by some liquid Chlorine and adjusting. Hope all this works out!!

 

[Brazillianguy]

BG,

Welcome aboard! Great to see you're getting the hang of this so quickly. Can you please fill out your signature with model numbers for equipment etc. Here's how. This helps you get answers to questions quicker and helps our 100% volunteer experts be more efficient with their time. It's easy to estimate your swg settings using Pool Math but needs your swg brand and model number. I live up the coast a little in the Stuart area. CYA helped tremendously this time of year so I'd keep it at 70 this time of year until November or so. If your swg is sized properly it'll keep up easy. As everybody here has already said make sure to keep it up to target for your CYA or even a few ppm above. Never hurts to be a little high... a little low can go bad in a hurry. How are you testing for salt?

Chris

Thanks will do. The pool has a PureChlor salt System (was put in by the previous owner). It's 25K so it should be good for my 15K pool. The way I'm measuring salt is with my electric tester. (not sure the name... that has the prongs and you place it in the water and it gives a numeric result). The question is, I put some granule stabilizer yesterday (I'm going slow, cause all the posts of CYA's too high and having to refill pool is not my sorta fun), how soon can I reapply more Stabilizer? 2-3 days? and then test in 2-3 days?

 

[nieuport17]

Thanks will do. The pool has a PureChlor salt System (was put in by the previous owner). It's 25K so it should be good for my 15K pool. The way I'm measuring salt is with my electric tester. (not sure the name... that has the prongs and you place it in the water and it gives a numeric result). The question is, I put some granule stabilizer yesterday (I'm going slow, cause all the posts of CYA's too high and having to refill pool is not my sorta fun), how soon can I reapply more Stabilizer? 2-3 days? and then test in 2-3 days?

How much CYA did you put in at a time?
Btw, I use Clorox Stabilizer, one cup at a time into a sock. Takes forever (2 days) to dissolve, even with the help of hand squeeze. So, with Clorox Stabilizer, I wait 48 hours to do the CYA test, then I add more. Not sure I like Clorox brand.
edit: I can't add.

 

[Brazillianguy]

How much CYA did you put in at a time?
Btw, I use Clorox Stabilizer, one cup at a time into a sock. Takes forever (2 days) to dissolve, even with the help of hand squeeze. So, with Clorox Stabilizer, I wait 48 hours to do the CYA test, then I add more. Not sure I like Clorox brand.
edit: I can't add.

I added 13 oz (weight). It had recommended 18 oz for a 10 ppm rise in CYA for a 15k pool. I was afraid so I went smaller cause the nightmares I’ve read here for high CYA

 

[setsailsoon]

BG,

Not sure how you added it but I always use the sock method. Works like a charm. Just run Pool Math under "effects of adding" and fill in the blanks for amount required. Should be pretty accurate but never hurts to do half at a time 'till you get used to it. Just drop the sock in the skimmer and squeeze it a couple time per day. Mine was always gone in a couple days. If you can get the name or post a photo of the salt tester it would be a good idea. Most of our experts recommend using a K-1766 Taylor salt test. It's the most accurate method you can do from home. Salt is never consumed, it only goes out of the pool when you drain water. This happens a LOT here in Florida when we get our gully-washers that overfill the pool and it has to be drained. My rule of thumb was to check salt after 3 or 4 strong storms.

If you have the model I think you have your swg output is rated at 1.15 lb chlorine/day. A data point for you that I got from Pool Math is that running 100% for 8 hrs will produce 3.1 ppm FC in your pool. It doesn't have your brand and model but you can just enter the output. Thing is that's for a brand new cell and after a few years FC production declines. On our hot full summer days with no shade that can be either barely enough or not quite enough so I'd watch your FC closely 'till you get to know the pool. I used to run that high at peak summer but I had a full enclosure that helped a lot.

I hope this helps.

Chris

 

[Brazillianguy]

Thanks will do. The pool has a PureChlor salt System (was put in by the previous owner). It's 25K so it should be good for my 15K pool. The way I'm measuring salt is with my electric tester. (not sure the name... that has the prongs and you place it in the water and it gives a numeric result). The question is, I put some granule stabilizer yesterday (I'm going slow, cause all the posts of CYA's too high and having to refill pool is not my sorta fun), how soon can I reapply more Stabilizer? 2-3 days? and then test in 2-3 days?

I guess it’s called a Salt meter that I used

BG,

Not sure how you added it but I always use the sock method. Works like a charm. Just run Pool Math under "effects of adding" and fill in the blanks for amount required. Should be pretty accurate but never hurts to do half at a time 'till you get used to it. Just drop the sock in the skimmer and squeeze it a couple time per day. Mine was always gone in a couple days. If you can get the name or post a photo of the salt tester it would be a good idea. Most of our experts recommend using a K-1766 Taylor salt test. It's the most accurate method you can do from home. Salt is never consumed, it only goes out of the pool when you drain water. This happens a LOT here in Florida when we get our gully-washers that overfill the pool and it has to be drained. My rule of thumb was to check salt after 3 or 4 strong storms.

If you have the model I think you have your swg output is rated at 1.15 lb chlorine/day. A data point for you that I got from Pool Math is that running 100% for 8 hrs will produce 3.1 ppm FC in your pool. It doesn't have your brand and model but you can just enter the output. Thing is that's for a brand new cell and after a few years FC production declines. On our hot full summer days with no shade that can be either barely enough or not quite enough so I'd watch your FC closely 'till you get to know the pool. I used to run that high at peak summer but I had a full enclosure that helped a lot.

I hope this helps.

Chris

SUPER helpful! Thank you!