As a quick refresher, total alkalinity is the measure of the ability of water to resist changes in pH, or its "buffering capacity." Cyanuric acid, also called stabilizer, is commonly used in outdoor pools to reduce photodecomposition of available chlorine.
Test strips can be used to test total alkalinity. Total alkalinity is raised by adding stabilizer, soda ash, or baking soda. Total alkalinity is lowered by reducing pH and aerating your pool.
Does pool stabilizer reduce the total alkalinity in my pool? It doesn't reduce it, but cyanuric acid in the pool contributes to a part of your total alkalinity reading and can cause you to believe that your alkalinity levels are higher than they really are.
Because of the importance of stabilizer, there are unfortunately no alternatives. If you stopped using it, you would continually struggle with chlorine levels, bacteria, and algae. We understand that all the chemicals needed to keep a pool looking healthy can add up and become costly.
If you need the pH level in the pool to rise, you need to add pool conditioner or stabilizer directly to the pool.
Outdoor chlorinated pools require stabilizer (cyanuric acid) to protect the chlorine from being burnt off by UV rays from the sun. The ideal level of stabilizer is between 30 and 70 ppm. Salt water pools should be kept between 50 - 70 ppm.
Just make sure that you wait at least 20 minutes after adding chlorine stabilizer (and that it's completely dissolved into the water) before you go swimming. The same rule applies to all other swimming pool water chemicals including adding alkalinity increaser, chlorine, algaecide, and more.
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate is naturally alkaline, with a pH of 8. When you add baking soda to your pool water, you will raise both the pH and the alkalinity, improving stability and clarity. Many commercial pool products for raising alkalinity utilize baking soda as their main active ingredient.
Calcium Hypochlorite is the most common, strongest and cheapest pool shock, available in two strengths, Shock and Super Shock. Dichlor is a stabilized granular pool shock, made with stabilizer to protect it from the sun and keep it active longer during the day.
Baking Soda is used for raising the total alkalinity of the pool, which is the key to keeping the ph in balance. It's not a stabilizer.
If the stabilizer level is too high in a pool, it will lock the chlorine molecules, rendering them ineffective as a sanitizer. This usually happens as a result of using chlorine tablets that contain cyanuric acid.
The product is typically added to the pool when it is first opened for the summer season. Open your pool under normal procedures, and let the filter run with its normal amount of chemicals. When all the other chemicals, such as chlorine. pH and alkalinity, are balanced, add the chlorine stabilizer.
Pool stabilizer is also sometimes called pool conditioner, chlorine stabilizer, or cyanuric acid (CYA). Its purpose is to stabilize the chlorine in your pool water, so the sanitizer lasts longer. This will ultimately help keep your water clean for a longer period of time.
Alkalinity is the total alkaline material in your pool water. You should test alkalinity first because it will buffer pH. Your reading should be in the range of 80 to 120 parts per million (ppm).
If total alkalinity is too low, your pH will bounce all over and will be very hard to control or maintain. Low total Alkalinity can result in the following problems: Corrosion of metal parts (hearters, steps, other equipment) Etching of the plaster, marcite, marbelite, or grouting.
If your alkalinity level becomes too high, it will become difficult to change the pH. You'll know your pH is too high when your pool water is cloudy, there is scale build up on your pool walls and your chlorine is no longer successfully sanitizing your pool.
Stabilizer, or cyanuric acid, is a _very_ weak acid, it can takes a few days to completely dissolve in pool water, it will not however ruin or damage your liner. Sprinkle the stuff on the water surface, let it drop to the floor and in a few days it'll be all gone.
Adding Stabilizer
In general, about 13 ounces of granular stabilizer will raise the CYA level of 10,000 gallons of water by 10 parts per million. Add the stabilizer to the skimmer basket while the pump is running, and keep the pump running for 24 hours after you add the stabilizer.
Using liquid chlorine raises the pH of the water.
When added to water, liquid chlorine (which has a pH of 13) makes HOCl (hypochlorous acid – the killing form of chlorine) and NaOH (sodium hydroxide), which raises pH.
In theory, if you have a cloudy swimming pool, you can add chlorine to “shock it” and clear things up. Chlorine will get the job done. But, the amounts may vary and you may have to really pound the pool with chlorine to get the water totally clear.
In the pool industry, Cyanuric Acid is known as chlorine stabilizer or pool conditioner. Cyanuric Acid (CYA) is a pool balancing product used to help chlorine last longer. Chlorine, in its natural form, is unstabilized—which means it degrades when exposed to sunlight.
There are two ways to increase your swimming pools alkalinity level: sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or any type of alkalinity increaser product. If you choose to purchase an alkalinity increaser product be sure the product is made from sodium bicarbonate, which is the main substance used to raise pH.
Cyanuric acid, also called stabilizer, is commonly used in outdoor pools to reduce photodecomposition of available chlorine. When added to pool water, a fraction of the cyanuric acid (H3Cy) ionizes to form cyanurate (H2Cy-). The fraction that ionizes is pH-dependent.
For pools with plastic piping, Stabilizer 100 can be added VERY SLOWLY through the skimmer with the pump running. Circulate continuously for at least 24 hours.