cya application? Rain water?

[newguyjosh]

2 questions like the title says.

I have a small intex AGP with cartridge filter and want to know the proper application technique.

The second question is about rain water? Is rain water good or bad for the pool? My pool is still a little low so I am wondernig if it is ok to let rain help fill the pool instead of toppign off from my well water?

[polyvue]

2 questions like the title says.

I have a small intex AGP with cartridge filter and want to know the proper application technique.

The second question is about rain water? Is rain water good or bad for the pool? My pool is still a little low so I am wondernig if it is ok to let rain help fill the pool instead of toppign off from my well water?
Welcome to the forum.

You could treat a very small pool like a spa, starting off with DiChlor (which contains both cya and chlorine) until the CYA builds up to 30-40 PPM or so and then switch to liquid chlorine or 6% bleach to sanitize - OR - add the CYA (aka stabilizer, pool conditioner, cyanuric acid) separately all at once and bleach, as needed. If the CYA consists of flakes or granules, pour it into a sock and hang it in front of the return in your pool. The pump/filter need to be operating for it to distribute throughout the pool and it may take several days to show up on tests.

Rain water is rarely a problem unless it dramatically affects pH (e.g., acid rain in parts of the Mid-West/North East US) but even in this case you can adjust the pH. If your well water tends to be hard (high minerals) supplementing it with rain water is probably a very good thing.

No matter a small intex above-ground or olympic-sized pool, buy and use a good test kit (e.g., Taylor K-2006 or equivalent).

[newguyjosh]

Thanks for the reply..I am in the midwest so hopefully rain doesnt affect my ph too much.

Also I am using a swg for the chlorine so the trichlor stuff wont work..Ill go with the sock approach..

Thanks

[Watermom]

Just check the pH after you get a bit of rain. Sometimes if we get a lot of rain, my pH will drop some and I'll just add some Borax and bump it back up where I want it.