Stabilizer

[mackeeg]

Do you need stabilizer in your pool every year? Do you need it at all?

[JohnT]

It keeps the sun from depleting your chlorine during the day. Maintain it between 30 and 50ppm and you will be fine. What you need every year depends on how much is left in the spring.

[mackeeg]

We have had your pool 3 years and I don't think we have ever put it in. Our neighbor just got a pool and at pool school they told him to put in 2 pounds. I don't know if I should start using it when I never have.

[aylad]

We have had your pool 3 years and I don't think we have ever put it in. Our neighbor just got a pool and at pool school they told him to put in 2 pounds. I don't know if I should start using it when I never have.

What do you use to chlorinate? If you're using trichlor pucks, then the stabilizer is being added via the pucks. Same goes for powdered shock made of dichlor--the stabilizer is part of the chemical. It would be almost impossible for someone to run an outdoor pool with no stabilizer and keep it algae and bacteria free unless you had a constant addition of chlorine throughout the day.

In addition, once you add stabilizer, the only way that it is lowered is through splashout, drain/refill, or by letting your pool go green during the winter time, so it's possible that your pool builder added the stabilizer during startup and you still have the residual in the water from that original dose. Have you ever tested your water for CYA?


Janet

[mackeeg]

Yes use the pucks so Trichloro-s-triazinetrione in the ingredient in there and my shock is sodium dichloro-triazinetrione dihydrate. My CYA is high the pool store said 100

[aylad]

Yes use the pucks so Trichloro-s-triazinetrione in the ingredient in there and my shock is sodium dichloro-triazinetrione dihydrate. My CYA is high the pool store said 200

Both of those contain stabilizer, so you have been adding it, even though you didn't realize it. Your stabilizer reading is way, way too high. I'm surprised that you haven't started having problems keeping your water clear--and if you haven't had problems yet you will very shortly. I highly recommend that you drain part of your water and refill it to lower that CYA level.

Janet

[mackeeg]

Sorry CYA is 100. The pool has always been clear even when we open it.

[aylad]

Sorry CYA is 100. The pool has always been clear even when we open it.

CYA of 100 is still pretty high....I suggest that you immediately stop using the dichlor shock and trichlor pucks, and switch to cal-hypo or bleach to chlorinate and shock with. Otherwise your CYA is going to continue to rise to the point where it's impossible to keep your water clear.

janet

[mackeeg]

cal-hypo is just another brand of shock?

Thanks

[aylad]

cal-hypo is just another brand of shock?

Thanks

Cal-hypo is another form of chlorine. "Shock" is actually a verb, something you do to your pool, instead of a noun, a thing. To "shock" only means to raise your chlorine level to a high level, no matter which form of chlorine you use to accomplish this. Some pre-packaged "shocks" contain cal-hypo or calcium hypochlorite, and are a much better chlorine alternative in your situation because it does not add CYA to the water like dichlor does.

Janet