Managing water balance & high CYA

So for a first post, I don't really have a specific question per se. I'm interested in reading more about managing a pool with extra-high CYA levels (Off the chart on the WalM HTH test kit). It's my parents' pool (IG, concrete/plaster) so I'm looking to help them out.

The pool was re-plastered two years ago. Almost immediately they had a problem with staining on the plaster (which was the reason for the re-plaster anyway). Not sure if it's metal stain (tried spotting with some ascorbic acid to see if that indicated anything - results inconclusive). They also had an immediate problem with sharp calcium deposits through the new plaster. By now it's something more like sandpaper, but sure did slice up your toes that first year.

Anyway, like I said I'm looking around and registered to access the Search feature.

-Brad

The vBulletin search is only available, at present to moderators, some subscribers, and pre-2006 users. HOWEVER, this is NOT a problem, since the search function here:

http://www.poolsolutions.com/search.html

is far, FAR superior for pool information searches. (The vB search is better for finding all of the posts in the last week, or all the posts by Chem_geek, but that's more of a moderator tool.)

It also sounds like you have a water balance issue (pH / carbonate alkalinity / calcium hardness) that needs to be addressed. I feel like a broken record on this, but here goes: The Taylor K2006 or 2006C FAS-DPD kits are probably your best option on this AND for accurately measuring high levels of chlorine. There's a link to Amazon in my signature -- but only purchase from Amazon if the seller is "Amato Ind". Some of the other sellers have confused the K2005 with the K2006. The 2006C has 4x the number of tests that per parameter as the 2006 (ie, you can test for free chlorine 4x as often, before you run out of reagent.)

You will HAVE to have a FAS-D kit to handle high CYA levels -- see the Best Guess page in my sig.

Hope this helps.

Ben