Drain pool

[Denis K]

This is the second time in five years I have been told to drain my pool cause I can't get the chlorine stable so Lesley pools told me to drain it and start over. My question what cases the problem with my water and why doesn't my two neighbors that have pool have the same problem. HELP PLEASE.........

Also is there anything I can do to stop this problem with the water.?

[Denniswiseman]

Don't drain your pool
Get a test kit
How are you chlorinating you pool with stabilised chlorine?
This could be raising your Cyanuric Acid level to high which would cause your chlorine to be ineffective
Post your results back here
You could also try reading this http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/

[Guythunder]

I use an automatic chlorinator in my pool and I use the 3 inch tablets. I know how to check my pool water I have been doing it for many years. When I said that I needed to drain my pool this is what Lesley's pools told me after I took a water sample to them.

[odbob]

It does sound like cyanuric acid build up, and so draining the pool is the only way to get rid of it, are your neighbours chlorinating the same way?, big question, is your pool indoor or external, external pools need cyanuric acid but indoor pools definitely do not in my opinion.

[Denniswiseman]

Right test your own water with a test kit to get accurate results
I assume your 3" tabs are stabilised chlorine which adds Cyanuric acid continously, high levels of CA make the chlorine ineffective
Lesley's pools told you to drain because your CA must be sky high
Bleach (liquid chlorine) doesn't have CA

[Denniswiseman]

Hi odbob
It's recommended that indoor pools should have 20ppm CYA
The primary reason for using a small amount, say 20 ppm of CYA, in indoor pools is to be able to keep a lower active chlorine concentration with an ample chlorine reserve. A FC of 4 ppm with a CYA of 20 ppm would have the same active chlorine level as 0.2 ppm FC with no CYA

[odbob]

Dennis, I am sure you are correct according to those that supply these chemicals, but I suffered long and hard due to so called advise from the 'specialists' I have now virtually ditched all that advise and for the last 2 years or more, have been able to just relax and enjoy my Chrystal clear pool without any of the previous stresses, 2 litres of 'off the shelf' cheap bleach, and my eyes tell me if there is a problem, at that point, I would obviously act accordingly. So it's bye bye to officialdom and hello to pure enjoyment.

[Denniswiseman]

It's not the suppliers or retailers that suggest keeping an indoor pool at 20PPM CYA but knowledgeable lay people with their own pools
Read this post, Chem Geek is an extremely knowledgeable person http://www.poolhelpforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11150&p=33536&hilit=cyanuric+level+indoor+pool#p33536
Obviously if you are happy with what you are doing OK but others need to be aware of the pitfalls

[odbob]

Thanks Dennis, I have seen the post and, yes, looks like a little cyanuric acid may be of benefit, but I am so pleased with the simple approach, that I think I will stick with it. U V can be beneficial when topping up the pool, but like reverse osmosis, has no residual protection, and if there are impurities within the water passing through a UV tube, there is every chance that pathogens can hide behind these impurities. Though I don't have any need to back wash, there is always a slight loss of water due to evaporation and so I always top up through an RO unit, having the pool water near perfect, I never allow mains water into the pool .