CYA in a sock

[waterbear]

I have to get something off my chest. Mods, move or delete this if you feel it's appropriate.

I have to say something about the so called 'sock method'. This really started becoming the norm on a different forum (on which I was one of the mods) and someone decided that it was the preferred method of adding CYA because you could still backwash your filter if needed and they felt it was important to get CYA in the water to clear a green pool. (I am talking about private discussions between the moderators and administrators in a hidden section of the forum. The idea was that all advice given would be consistant.)
I was the lone voice of dissent there, as was often the case (and also the only one with experience in more than just my own pool in this group of moderators and administrators). The consensus was that most people would be adding CYA when clearing a green pool and that to give more than one method would confuse pool owners (which, IMHO, shows about as much respect for pool owners as many pool stores do). What happened is that something as simple as adding CYA became another 'procedure' to complicate pool care.

So the idea that CYA needed to be put into a sock and hung in front of the return became the norm over there instead of only in those few cases where you were trying to add CYA while clearing a green pool.
However, if you read the instructions on most of the containers of CYA it says to pour it slowly into the skimmer. A few say to predissolve it in warm water and add to the pool but CYA does not really dissolve in warm water (or cold water) very quickly so that just does not work.

[polyvue]

However, if you read the instructions on most of the containers of CYA it says to pour it slowly into the skimmer. A few say to predissolve it in warm water and add to the pool but CYA does not really dissolve in warm water (or cold water) very quickly so that just does not work.

Please move this post as necessary -- it's a response to waterbear's, above.

I'm pretty sure I don't have "magic" cyanuric acid yet my experience is that when the cya is added to the skimmer it dissolves very quickly (I define "very quickly" as 10 minutes or less). Typically 2 lbs of cya is weighed out and then poured into a gallon or two of warm (90 degree F.) water, stirred up to make a slurry, then poured into the skimmer all at once with the basket in place, 75-100% suction. It's immediately evident in the pump basket but dissipates at the same rate as that in the skimmer.

I find it a bit disconcerting that my experience would seem to contradict the reports of so many others.

[aylad]

Putting CYA in a sock is a recommendation that we've been making on this forum for years, even before the other forum that you're alluding to ever existed. We do not recommend it as the sole way to add CYA; however, most of the people we have this discussion with are also having filter issues, and that's why the sock is being recommended. We may have gotten lazy about pointing out the other methods, but I remember as many posts instructing people to put it into the skimmer and not backwash for a week as I do about putting it into the sock.

Many of the labels on CYA containers (at least around here) instruct users to broadcast it directly into the pool. Personally, I have a problem with this method. I also hesitate these days to have people put it into the skimmer if I'm not positive that they'll dilute it first--I have firsthand knowledge of a pool where too much CYA was put into the skimmer all at one time and it formed a plug in the pipes, resulting in broken pipes and concrete replacement. So...I'm not sure what about this is bothering you, but CYA in a sock is a perfectly reasonable way to get it into the pool. Not because it's the only way, but because it's really the easiest.

Janet

[waterbear]

Please move this post as necessary -- it's a response to waterbear's, above.

I'm pretty sure I don't have "magic" cyanuric acid yet my experience is that when the cya is added to the skimmer it dissolves very quickly (I define "very quickly" as 10 minutes or less). Typically 2 lbs of cya is weighed out and then poured into a gallon or two of warm (90 degree F.) water, stirred up to make a slurry, then poured into the skimmer all at once with the basket in place, 75-100% suction. It's immediately evident in the pump basket but dissipates at the same rate as that in the skimmer.

I find it a bit disconcerting that my experience would seem to contradict the reports of so many others.

NO contriditions. A 'slurry' is not the same as 'dissolved' . It is still getting caught in your filter and slowly dissolving over the next several days.
YOu would see the same if you poured it slowly into the skimmer and allowed it to 'slurry' there.

[waterbear]

Putting CYA in a sock is a recommendation that we've been making on this forum for years, even before the other forum that you're alluding to ever existed. We do not recommend it as the sole way to add CYA; however, most of the people we have this discussion with are also having filter issues, and that's why the sock is being recommended.

EXACTLY! It's from this forum the use of a sock was taken (we had QUITE a discussion about it over there!) and then made into the ONLY correct way to do it. I am just saying that, unless you ARE having filter problems, it is entirely unnecessary!

[sturev]

I think I read a post about liquid CYA being available now...? To me, that's the easiest I recall something about it being more expensive though...

[waterbear]

I think I read a post about liquid CYA being available now...? To me, that's the easiest I recall something about it being more expensive though...

QUITE a bit more expensive in fact.
1 gallon Liquid Conditioner raises 10000 gallons about 35 ppm and costs close to $30 online.
2.75 lbs CYA raises 10000 gallons about 35 ppm, 4 lbs costs between abut $10 and $20 online.

do the math

[sturev]

Wow, that is pricey... Does it still take a week or so to start working/showing? If it starts right away, it might save some money in bleach...

[waterbear]

Wow, that is pricey... Does it still take a week or so to start working/showing? If it starts right away, it might save some money in bleach...

It is supposed to work my faster BUT if you filter 24/7 for a day or two after adding CYA it starts showing up pretty quick, at least enough to protect the chlorine.

[Poconos]

Polyvue,
A couple months ago I tried dissolving a couple cups of CYA granules in a gallon jug. Nope. Some did, most didn't. Kept pouring off the concentrated liquid into the skimmer and refilling and eventually after a couple weeks the solid was almost dissolved. Certainly didn't dissolve in 10 minutes. The granules are fine enough they will easily, or quickly, get past the skimmer and pump baskets. Once they make it to the filter how do you know how long they take to dissolve? I don't use the stuff personally. I smash up pucks.
Al