I recommend having a full parameter chemical test done professionally, including a metals test (Iron and copper). If it is too high, the effectiveness of the chlorine is greatly reduced. I service some commercial pools, and the county health inspectors like it below 100ppm, which makes sense because the chlorine is usually very controllable and effective below this level. If the water's free chlorine level is too low and its combined chlorine level is too high, your pool isn't as clean as it should be. This usually happens as a result of using chlorine tablets that contain cyanauric acid. Chlorine stabilizers like cyanuric acid (CYA) are meant to protect free chlorine (the chlorine available to sanitize your pool) from burning off due to UV rays. By Staff Writer Last Updated Apr 12, 2020 4:02:36 PM ET. You also have to be quite precise since you can’t have a CYA level that’s both too low or too high. Visit BioActiveNow.com for more information about our new test strips. Specifically, it is ineffective against dangerous microorganisms like cryptosporidium parvum. They work by decomposing the cyanuric acid. If calcium levels are too high, the water loses some of its ability to hold it in solution and hard whitish deposits called scale begin to accumulate on surfaces. High stabilizer also leaves the pool water vulnerable to organic contaminates and bacteria only this time the sanitizer is present just unable to oxidize the contaminants. Generally, this occurs when CYA levels climb close to 100 ppm. In general, about 13 ounces of granular stabilizer will raise the … And, anyway, what's wrong with having a swimming pool stabilizer that's too high? CYA should NOT increase after adding fresh water. Since the sign of high cyanuric acid is less visible, you may find that the level is too … Even if the chemicals aren't perfectly balanced, I can't stress good filtration enough. Treatment. Many problems can be caused by a bad filter. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. ... A “Chlorine Lock” occurs when a pool's free chlorine (FC) is overpowered by its cyanuric acid (also known as CYA or Stabilizer). You also have to be quite precise since you can’t have a CYA level that’s both too low or too high. Don’t backwash or clean the filter for a week after adding the stabilizer. Cyanuric Acid Reduces Kill Rates Why does the stabilizer level get too high? If it's too high, the water needs to be diluted. If you consider that over the course of a year, the average … It can even lead to chlorine lock, making chlorine tests read negative even when you know there is some in there. Too much stabilizer can also damage the plaster surfaces of the pool and can lead to cloudy water. Perhaps you went on vacation, leaving way too many chlorine tablets in the dispenser. You'll need it anyway.). When CYA is too high... well, really no one knows what happens! There are a lot of reasons your chlorine levels in your pool are too high. If you had your swimming pool water tested and were told the stabilizer level was too high, you might have been instructed to drain your pool. The result is that your stabilizer level in tablet pools rises uncontrollably and this eventually creates a strong bond with the chlorine and this reduces its effectiveness. It’s regular for your pool to have a TDS level of a few hundred or so, even 1,000. The first step is to lower pH by adding muriatic acid. You cannot add chemicals to lower the stabilizer level. Some customers I have don't like this because of the cost of replacing the water. Another option for draining water from the pool would be a submersible pump in which a garden hose can be used as a drain line. They are a naturally occurring form of the element phosphorous, and are widespread in almost every organism and biological system on earth. Chlorine stabilizer, also known by its chemical name as cyanuric acid has an indirect relationship to your pool’s cleanliness and sanitation. Question: Why would pool water turn clothes and skin green/blue? High Stabilizer Levels in Your Pool Can Cause Similar Problems High chlorine stabilizer levels can also cause cloudiness in your water and increase the chances of an algae bloom. Adjust the total alkalinity to 80 - 120 ppm, the pH to 7.2 - … … First thing's first. This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. When Draining a Swimming Pool Is a Bad Idea, Why Draining Your Inground Swimming Pool Could Be Dangerous, Fascinating Facts About Pools, Spas, Swimming and Safety, How To Find And Repair A Leak In Your Swimming Pool, Swimming Pool Main Drains Don't Move Pool Water, How to Reduce the Temperature of Your Swimming Pool, Swimming Stroke Length, Stroke Rate and a Swimmer's Training, Types of Muscle Soreness Caused by Bodybuilding Training, 10 Tips for Swimmers Looking to Improve Their Swimming Performance, Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises for Improved Swimming Performance, Aerobic Swimming Speeds for Optimal Training. Should you drain halfway or completely? I suspect the pool company put way too much stabilized chlorine into the pool to fight the algae bloom instead of using liquid Chlorine. If you just need help with cleaning a green pool, learn how to properly shock your pool. They play a role in the growth rate of organisms, and phosphate ore is mined for all kinds of agricultural and industrial purposes. Cyanauric acid (a stabilizer) can be added, but in order to lower it, the pool needs to be diluted with fresh water. Dilution will lower the cya level. Once it has bonded with the free chlorine, it protects the chlorine from being destroyed by the sun’s UV rays. What Causes a High Stabilizer in Swimming Pool Water? First things first, let’s talk about what cyanuric acid actually is. If the chlorine level gets too high though, such as over 5.0 ppm, it can irritate your skin, eyes, and nose. H. Armstrong Roberts / ClassicStock / Getty Images. If you have a cartridge filter, you may want to learn how to clean a cartridge filter. It's not just a water conservation issue—pool water can pollute the environment, affecting plant life, fish, and other wildlife.Â. Swimming pools using dichlor or trichlor products may suffer from high conditioner levels due to the frequent addition of chlorine. A saltwater pool requires chlorine to keep the water clean and swimmers safe. If you use CYA or any kind of stabilized chlorinating agent, you’ll need to test CYA levels throughout the lifetime of your pool. If your pool’s TDS level is below 2,000 ppm, then no adjustments are needed. Keep the pH a bit on the low end for now (7.2 - 7.4), chlorine around 5.0 and alkalinity 80 - 100. It protects chlorine atoms by forming a weak molecular bond with the chlorine, which keeps the chlorine from forming other bonds. The question is though can you use a pool stabilizer alternative instead of using cyanuric acid. If so its a easy fix just do a partial drain and fill of your pool water and wait until the next day to retest. The pool stabilizer binds to chlorine, then slowly releases it, helping the chlorine last longer and reducing consumption. Ray Cronise is the co-founder of Trilogy Pools. That's why Minimal CYA is Orenda's Fourth Pillar of Proactive Pool Care. A saltwater pool requires chlorine to keep the water clean and swimmers safe. Tips About Pool Stabilizer In any case, you need to close the skimmer line and open the drain valve on the return side. Although you will get a chlorine reading—sometimes a high chlorine reading—your pool may still have algae or other problems. Why does the stabilizer level get too high? At higher concentrations, it slows down the reaction so greatly that it significantly reduces its effectiveness. But when your cyanuric levels get too high, it can cause trouble, basically rendering your chlorine useless. The typical cyanuric acid range is 20 to 40 parts per million in northern areas, whereas southern areas are typically higher, 40 to 50 parts per million. You might wonder whether there's an easier way to get your pool stabilizer level right—like maybe adding another chemical. 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