When I first installed my first pool, I realized that keeping chemical levels in the ideal range is one of the must-do tasks that every pool owner should do regularly.
It cannot say that swimming in your pool is safe if you do not maintain a balanced level of these chemicals.
For example, if the chlorine level is below the ideal range, you run into an algae problem. And if there are a lot of chemicals in the pool, it can cause problems with skin health.
Cyanuric acid or chlorine stabilizer plays an important role. What is it and how to raise cyanuric acid in pool?
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What is cyanuric acid?
From its name, of course, you can guess that cyanuric acid it’s some chemical. But how does cyanuric acid help to maintain your pool water?
In short, cyanuric acid is chlorine’s best friend who works to stabilize the level of totally free chlorine.
Cyanuric acid —also called CYA, pool stabilizer, or pool conditioner—is a weak acid that protects your chlorine from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, allowing it to work for much more extended periods.
What Are the Right Cyanuric Acid Levels?
The average concentration of the chlorine stabilizer for pool water is considered to be 25-50 ppm. If you find higher values, drain the water (dilute) with fresh water.
Remember that cyanuric acid in high concentrations is toxic to humans.
Free chlorine – a type of chlorine that works to sanitize pool water – can get reduced when exposed to sunlight.
That is the time when you need cyanuric acid to help you before some problems caused by bacteria and even algae happen due to low free chlorine levels.
Why is Cyanuric Acid Low?
Now for the critical point. Cyanuric acid in your pool is a stable compound. Cyanuric acid, unlike other chemicals in your pool, does not decompose during operation and is not removed from the water on its own.
It can only reduce its concentration by diluting or adding new water to the pool.
Here are the main reasons why you might be losing water and need to refill your pool:
The reduced cyanuric acid level in the pool is the dilution of water containing this chemical with a new amount of fresh water.
Is Having Low Cyanuric Acid a Problem?
Below we describe the consequences of low cyanuric acid levels in the pool.
Increased chlorine consumption.
Chlorine is naturally ruined by sunshine, as well as an entire swimming pool’s worth can be annihilated in a matter of hours.
The reduced cyanuric acid level won’t sufficiently protect it, which indicates you’ll constantly be feeding the swimming pool much more chlorine to maintain it sterilized.
Decreased chlorine effectiveness.
Since there is much less chlorine in the pool because it is absorbed by sunlight, hygiene suffers. It allows the contaminating bacteria in the water to multiply more efficiently. The water will quickly become cloudy and dirty due to microorganisms.
Algae problems in the pool.
A green pool is brought on by an absence of clean water, which brings about algae growth. Depending on the bacteria in your pool, you may also develop pink slime or black algae, which will give your pool an unpleasant color!
Water chemistry imbalance.
With a low cyanuric acid level not protecting chlorine, the chlorine level decreases. This decrease makes it insufficient for maintaining the water tidy, causing a domino effect that influences the swimming pool’s pH levels and total alkalinity.
Nasty pool smell.
When complimentary chlorine binds to ammonia pollutants such as sunscreen, sweat, and urine in the water, it becomes combined chlorine (chloramines).
Not only is this kind of chlorine a much less efficient sanitizer, but it also kicks up a poignant “chlorine scent.”
How to Raise Cyanuric Acid in Pool?
Below are simple steps that will allow you to understand how to raise cyanuric acid level in the pool. Raising cyanuric acid in your outdoor pool – also known as pool stabilizer – is not a hard job, but you have to do it carefully to prevent worse problems from happening.
Cyanuric Acid Test
First, to raise cyanuric acid in your pool, you need to find out the CYA level in your pool. To do this, pool owners will need a test strips or a test kit for testing water for chemicals.
Compare the color of the cyanuric acid test on the test strips with the range of colors on the test strips package to get an estimate of the amount of cyanuric acid level in your pool.
Add Cyanuric Acid
When you are convinced that you have a reduced cyanuric acid level, you can start adding cyanuric acid to water.
Tools you’ll need:
There are a few steps you should do then:
Step 1. Calculate the amount of cyanuric acid in your pool you need to use. To determine the amount of cyanuric acid, you can use websites that offer a function for calculating pool chemicals, such as a calculator.
The amount of cyanuric acid is also indicated by the manufacturer on the package. The pool calculator can help you figure out just how much chlorine you need to add given your anuric acid level.
Step 2. Add the cyanuric acid to the container and blend it with water.
Cyanuric acid is a pretty strong acid on its own, so the best way to add cyanuric acid is to dissolve it in a bucket of warm water.
Step 3. Mix the cyanuric acid with warm water. Use timber bar for a much safer method.
Step 4. Pour the cyanuric acid around the border of your outdoor pool evenly.
Use liquid cyanuric acid for quick results. It will quickly mix with water and rise within a couple of hours. If you’re using liquid cyanuric acid, you can pour it directly into the filter box.
The granular form of cyanuric acid can take a few days to a week as it takes time to dissolve completely. So don’t be intimidated and don’t add more cyanuric acid if the levels haven’t gone up right away.
Step 5. Run the Pump. To evenly mix the water with cyanuric acid, you need to run your swimming pool pump. It would help if you kept it running for several hours.
Don’t add any cyanuric acid to the pool if you already have 20 ppm. Remember that chlorine tablets add cyanuric acid, and the level will increase naturally.
How To Lower Cyanuric Acid?
In cases where cyanuric acid levels are mean above 50 ppm, you’ll require to take some steps to lower it, so you do not wind up with a whole new collection of pool troubles.
There are ways to lower cyanuric acid level:
These products that contain cyanuric acid:
These will raise cyanuric acid levels but more slowly than adding pure cyanuric acid.
If you’re using stabilized chlorine (like dichlor or trichlor), you probably won’t need to add any pure cyanuric acid to your pool water
Do all Pools Need Cyanuric Acid?
First of all, pool owners must remind you that the main task of cyanuric acid is to protect chlorine. As mentioned above, chlorine becomes useless to use if it spends several hours in the sun.
Pool stabilizer (cyanuric acid) perfectly protects the outdoor pool with chlorine in the sun. On the other hand, if your pool is not exposed to ultraviolet rays, then your pool does not need cyanuric acid.
However, it is essential to note that this applies only to chlorinated pools. Outdoor pools disinfected by alternative systems using ozone and ultraviolet light do not need cyanuric acid.
Is it Safe to Swim in a Pool With Low Cyanuric Acid?
It is excellent to swim in a pool with a low cyanuric acid level as long as the chlorine levels have been preserved.
Check to see whether you’re using stabilized chlorine, which already contains small amounts of cyanuric acid.
If you see these chemicals listed on the label, your chlorine contains CYA: potassium dichloroisocyanurate sodium dichloroisocyanurate trichloroisocyanurate If you find this is the issue, switch to chlorine without cyanuric acid.
Conclusion
To recap, it’s risk-free to swim in a pool with a low cyanuric acid level as long as you have the right degrees of complimentary chlorine. To raise cyanuric acid levels in your pool, you’ll intend to test your water and figure out how much you need to elevate the stabilizer levels.
The balance of free chlorine and cyanuric acid is very critical. Lack of stabilizer in outdoor pool water leads to the destruction of chlorine by UV radiation. Excessive stabilizer – partially or entirely blocks chlorine.
Both the first and the second situation leads to an overconsumption of chlorine. The cyanuric acid level and chlorine are used separately for the rational use of chlorine, with constant monitoring of the stabilizer by express test kit.
