CYA Removal Kit takes cyanuric acid (also known as CYA, stabilizer or conditioner) out of pool water. Prolonged use of stabilized chlorine can cause CYA levels to build up over time. CYA Removal Kit reduces high levels of cyanuric acid to help you achieve the ideal range for a swimming pool of 30-50ppm.
Yes, the most economical way to lower CYA is to partially drain and dilute the pool with fresh water. Consult a pool professional if you want to drain more than 1/3 of your water, because there are risks with hydrostatic pressure and other concerns.
– Unlike chlorine, CYA is never used up and accumulates in the pool water as a waste product. Once you have added it to the pool water, it will remain in the water. The best way to reduce CYA is to partially drain the pool and add fresh water.
How to Raise Cyanuric Acid. Cyanuric acid levels are raised by adding pool stabilizer. It's called stabilizer because cyanuric acid stabilizes free chlorine from being evaporated by the sun.
No, cyanuric acid and baking soda work in very different ways in your pool. Baking soda raises the total alkalinity in your pool. But baking soda does not protect or stabilize your chlorine, like CYA.
Yes both cyanuric acid and muriatic acid are both acids but they serve different purposes for the pool owner. Cyanuric acid has the chemical formula CNOH, whereas muriatic acid is a diluted form of hydrochloric acid, HCI.
Although there are no known adverse health effects associated with high CYA concentrations, most health officials usually limit CYA levels to 100 ppm. Some states recommend a lower level for spas, and some jurisdictions ban the use of CYA altogether.
The problem is that cyanuric acid does not dissipate or evaporate but instead lingers and gathers in the pool water. Over time, the pool technician would be required to constantly re-apply Tri-Chlor or Di-Chlor products to re-sanitize the pool.
Liquid chlorine is an unstabilized chlorine and does not have any stabilizer (cyanuric acid or CYA) in it. This means that if used in a pool that is located outside and the water has no stabilizer or conditioner already in the water, the UV rays in the sun will degrade the chlorine in about 9 hours.
Dichlor and trichlor contain both chlorine and cyanuric acid so it is not necessary to add cyanuric acid to the pool water. Stabilizer (aka cyanuric acid) is also sold at most pool supply stores. Cal-hypo and liquid chlorine do not contain stabilizer.
All alkaline materials are buffers. Cyanuric acid happens to be the most common buffer found in pool water. In effect, cyanuric acid helps stabilize both chlorine and pH. It binds with chlorine to prevent photolysis and it keeps pH elevated.
The most common way hot tubs increase cyanuric acid is by adding stable chlorine to their hot tub (e.g. dichlor or trichlor). These chlorine solutions include stabilizer in them, which means cyanuric acid is added every time chlorine is added.
Along with balancing the pH levels of your pool water, muriatic acid is strong enough to kill mold, remove rust stains, get rid of calcium deposits, and clean the surfaces of your pool.
Cyanuric Acid Facts
It serves as a protection shield for chlorine against sunlight. The Sun's ultraviolet rays degrade chlorine very quickly, creating a problem for outdoor pools. Studies show that sunlight can be wipe out chlorine by 75-90% in a matter of two hours.
Sodium hypochlorite is classified as an inorganic sanitizer; it does not contain cyanuric acid. Sodium hypochlorite is a primary sanitizer because of its ability to kill microorganisms, oxidize nonliving contaminants like ammonia and swimmers' waste and provide a protective residual in the water.
Remember that cyanuric acid is very strong, and if it exceeds the recommended levels, free chlorine will disappear, and the water will turn cloudy and be at high risk of algae growth. In summary, if your combined chlorine reads above 0.5 ppm, your water may turn cloudy and become unsafe for swimming.
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.
Uses Advised Against: None identified. OSHA REGULATORY STATUS: This material is not considered hazardous by the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200).
Note: Since cyanuric acid stabilizer doesn't work with bromine, there is no need for a CYA test in kits that only contain a bromine sanitizer test, such as Taylor's Complete™ FAS-DPD kit (K-2106).
Nevertheless, too much cyanuric acid is bad for your pool water; it'll reduce the chlorine's sanitizing effects. Therefore, you can rest easy using non-chlorine shock because it won't disturb cyanuric acid concentration.
You should keep your outdoor pool or spa's Cyanuric Acid level at 0-30 parts per million (PPM).
Baking soda is the best way to raise total alkalinity with minimal effect to pH and cyanuric acid.
When cyanuric acid is added to the pool, it increases the total alkalinity, but not the carbonate alkalinity, which is the alkalinity that matters in water balance.