New Pool owner water chemistry

[Watermom]

In your pool, each 3 quart jug of 6% bleach is going to raise your chlorine level by 2.5 ppm. It is OK to add bleach while you are filling, but just be sure to have some way to circulate it like stirring it around with a clean broom or something. Or maybe pouring it slowly in front of your hose as you are filling. After you refill and get things circulating, we'll need an updated cya reading to better advise you.

[sammm]

After draining 12" of water (approx. 1/4), my CYA readings are still off the charts. (I bought a good test kit at my LPS) My calcium has dropped to ~220 or so. The rest of my readings look great (as does the water). I have turned-off the in-line chlorinator and using the BBB method.

FC - 3
TC - 3
PH - 7.4
TA - 120
Calcium - 220
CYA - >100
Water Temp - ~80F

I guess the answer is to drain some more and try again. What are the downsides to a high CYA? I realize I would need to maintain a higher level of FC. Will the pool use more chlorine as well? More frequent maintenance?

Thanks to everyone for their help! I am learning, slowly but surely.

[Watermom]

Actually, some people run a high cya pool on purpose. One of my co-moderators, Aylad, does. I'll ask her to take a look at this thread.

[aylad]

What are the downsides to a high CYA? I realize I would need to maintain a higher level of FC. Will the pool use more chlorine as well? More frequent maintenance?

I run a high CYA pool, as mentioned before. I live in Louisiana, and have no shade at all on my pool. I find that by running my CYA at 80-90ppm, I actually have LESS pool maintenance to do. While a CYA level that high requires a higher level of residual chlorine to be effective, I find that I lose a LOT less chlorine to the sun daily. With lower CYA levels, I have to add bleach daily and still have a problem maintaining a good base level. With higher CYA levels, even in the hottest part of the summer I only add chlorine about twice a week.

There are other places on this forum where CYA levels have been debated, and one of the major negative arguments is the possibility that CYA causes cancer. May be true, may not be true. My hamburger meat, plastic wrap, children's sippy cups, the sun, soda, and many other things I use are supposed to cause cancer, too. I figure if I'm destined to have it, it'll happen. Until then, I'm enjoying my pool!!

Janet

[sammm]

I run a high CYA pool, as mentioned before. I live in Louisiana, and have no shade at all on my pool.

Thanks for the info Janet, I appreciate it. Living in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, I know all about sunshine and heat. My pool is on the east side of my house and only sees shade in the late afternoon.
I'll monitor my chlorine usage and see how it goes. With your CYA being between 80-90ppm, do you keep your FC between 5-10ppm (using the Best Guess CYA Chart) ?

[aylad]

Thanks for the info Janet, I appreciate it. Living in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, I know all about sunshine and heat. My pool is on the east side of my house and only sees shade in the late afternoon.
I'll monitor my chlorine usage and see how it goes. With your CYA being between 80-90ppm, do you keep your FC between 5-10ppm (using the Best Guess CYA Chart) ?

Your weather conditions are very similar to mine, as we are about 2-3 hours apart in distance (although I think you get more rain than we do). I chlorinate up to the 8-10 range, but I don't let it fall below 5 before I add more. Usually is every 3 days or so, barring anything out of the ordinary in the pool.

Janet