Cloudy water and CYA

[scootchu]

Hi folks, been a while and I suppose that's good since my pool has been easier and easier to handle each year thanks to this forum.

My CYA test indicates virtually none present, as my Taylor kit won't register. My water is clear, but has a little cloudiness that I don't want to be come a problem.

I have started using trichlor pucks to get the CYA level up and was wondering if the lack of CYA is contributing to the lack of crystal clear water I had. Read in one thread about "spot depletion". Is that a term?

Rough numbers if I recall
Alk-50
Ph-7.0
FC-4.5
CC-0
Cal- 130

27' round pool, filter runs 8 hours a day.

I plan to get my Ph up with Borax and Baking Soda, just have to stop by the store. I am sad since my local Home Depot doesn't carry Mule Team anymore.

[CarlD]

OK:

If your local stores have Arm&Hammer WASHING Soda (not baking soda) in the yellow box, you can use that instead of the Borax and Baking soda.

Washing Soda is Soda Ash, same stuff pool stores sell to raise pH, and raises both pH AND T/A at the same time.

I would strongly advise against Tri-chlor pucks as they are extremely acidic and will offset the Washing Soda (or Borax). If your pH was 7.8, I'd say go ahead, but not if it's 7.0.

Instead, just get CYA powder or, if they have it and you want to spend the money, the new liquid CYA (raises CYA much faster than powder). Then use bleach for chlorine.

[scootchu]

I wish I didn't have the pucks already. LOL
I used borax and got my pH up to 8.0 and that's okay. I'll let it go like that till tomorrow and see where it lands. I wanted to get the Borate level up so a little acid or time will get it where I want it.
The water was better this morning and I am just being picky I suppose about it's clarity.
I did add some CYA, about 2 pounds, but it needs to circulate before I test again. I don't want to go overboard with stabilizer, just want to maintain chlorine levels.

[Watermom]

If your pH is 8.0 and you have low cya, go ahead and use some of the pucks. As long as you monitor your cya and pH, you can use trichlor. In a 15,000 gallon pool, 2 lbs. stabilizer will only add about 20ppm cya. You have a little room to use pucks for a short time. How did you add the stabilizer? If you didn't add it to the filter, but instead have it in sock hanging in front of the jet --- remove the sock if you want to use pucks for awhile.