What to do first? CYA > 200 ppm

[PoolLizard]

I'm going to go ahead and answer as many of your questions as I can right now, and complete the rest later. See my responses inside [] brackets.

1. Assuming your pool is algae free, raise your chlorine level to above 10, and keep it there, till you have more information and another plan. When CYA > 100 ppm, swimming with chlorine > 20 ppm is no problem. Use the 10ml sample to test chlorine, so you don't use up your R0871 drops.

[Upon your approval, I'm going to replace about a foot of water, then do a complete water test to see where the numbers are. Then raise the chlorine level.]

2. Read the Best Guess page, linked in my blue signature block.

[Done, but I may have to reread it a few times to completely understand.]

3. Tell me if you have any sort of heater or salt water chlorination system. Tell me if you are currently having any scale appear.

[I do have a gas heater, but it is not used, it is bypassed. No salt system.]

4. Tell me what kind of pool you have (vinyl, FG or concrete) and whether the ground is dry in your location. (S Calif, so I assume it is, but please confirm).

[I believe it is a concrete pool. Yes, the ground around the pool is dry. This is in the Mojave Desert.]

5. Do NOT use any algaecides or other such products.

[Just before I registered in the forum, I had put 3 ounces of HTH Super Algae Control into the pool. Okay, I won't use any more. ]

6. Mix 1 cup of pool water with 1 cup of tap water. Test CYA levels in the mix. Multiply result x2 for actual pool CYA level.

[Okay, will do.]

7. Tell me what you've been using to chlorinate.

[I *had* been using Trichlor tabs in two floaters, and Calcium Hypochlorite granuals, until I started reading this forum. I have pulled the floaters out, and switched to 10% bleach liquid chlorine. I basically have ignored this pool for the last 9 years. I had a job that required me to travel 200 miles round trip each workday. All I had time to do was eat, sleep and work. Now, I am retired and so I have more time to attend to the pool. So, just this summer I have gotten serious about getting the pool in ship shape.]

8. If you have NOT been using cal hypo, but have some idea where the calcium came from, please explain.

[See #7 answer.]

9. Do NOT worry about CC levels, even if they go up a bit.

[Okay]

10. Tell me what sort of filter you have.

[I have a PAC-FAB FNS 60 DE filter with just a simple push-pull up and down backwash valve.]