Help! Crazy CYA

[aceman]

Been following this site for a week and it's a lot too late for me. I have beeen using pucks for years. While awaiting for the arrival of my kit, I had my water tested at a local pool store. Here are the results:

IG Vinyle 20,500
Temp 83
PH 6.98
FC 21.31
TC 22.9
CYA 212

They didn't test for ALK saying CL was too high to get an accurate reading.
Looking forward to your advice. Great site.

[aylad]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

My first piece of advice would be to get your own drop-based kit so you can test your own water instead of relying on the pool store.....that way we at least know the tests are accurate.

The second thing you'll need to do is to at least partially drain and refill to get your CYA lowered, and stop using the pucks. The pucks are keeping your CYA way too high and keeping your pH low.

HIgh chlorine levels can tend to give false high pH readings, too, so I'm not sure that your pH reading is accurate--even so, it's too low, and needs to be raised to at least 7.2. You can do that with Borax, but first you need to see what your total alk is--depending on your alk level, you may want to use soda ash instead.

Janet

[aceman]

I hope to get my kit in next week. I've stop using pucks and starting on BBB. Sounds like my only option is to drain 1/2 the pool. The pool store try to sell me CYA removal. Anyone heard of such? Expensive though, $45/gal. to remove 50ppm/10,000 gal. Anyway with my CYA over 200 is it safe to keep the FC that high. The water is clear with a hint of green tint.

[Watermom]

CYA remover has been discussed previously on the forum several times. Apparently it turns your pool milky white just as the solution in the cya test does and then your filter attempts to filter it out. The consensus around here is not to use it.

[aylad]

You're going to have to keep the Cl that high to finish clearing up the green, but I wouldn't really be comfortable swimming in it on an ongoing basis. I really thing partial drain/refill is your answer. But then, it's not my water bill..........

Janet

[aceman]

Great day. Got my kit in today and here are my first results. Way different from the pool store readings.

FC 18
CC 0
TC 18
pH 6.9
Alk 150
Cal 140
Cya 130
Temp 82, 20,500 IG Vinyl

[Simmons99]

I would start aerating the pool (turn the return jets to the surface - turn on a fountain - have kids jump in). This will lower your ALK and raise the PH. Otherwise, you need to add Borax to get your PH up.

You may also want to still consider a partial drain and refill as your CYA is still really high.