What is considered high CYA?

Author: Mariam Ratke PhD  |  Last update: Sunday, June 26, 2022

It also goes by the name CYA, pool stabilizer, or pool conditioner. The ideal range for cyanuric acid in your pool is between 30 and 50 ppm (parts per million). Anything significantly higher and you should be keeping a close eye on your water chemistry, as it may be compromised.

What level of CYA is too high?

What happens when CYA in a pool is too high? – CYA Levels exceeding a threshold of 70 parts-per-million of cyanuric acid can reduce the effectiveness of the chlorine in a pool. The amount of time it takes to kill bacteria lengthens as the concentration of CYA increases.

Is CYA 100 too high?

Stabilizer levels are too high when they're above 50 ppm for a chlorinated pool and 60 ppm for a saltwater swimming pool. However, I wouldn't be too concerned if your CYA levels are 55 or 65 ppm. But if they are creeping higher than this, you would be wise to reduce cyanuric acid levels in your pool.

What is the ideal CYA level?

Ideally you should keep CYA between 30-50, assuming you do not have a SWCG. If you do have a Salt Water Chlorine Generator, or your pool is exposed to lots of direct sunlight, you want to maintain a higher level. The recommended CYA level for SWCG pools is 70-80.

Is it safe to swim in a pool with high cyanuric acid?

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.

How to test your CYA?

What reduces cyanuric acid?

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.

Does sunlight reduce cyanuric acid?

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.

What to do if cyanuric acid is high in hot tub?

Partially drain your spa and refill with new water. For diluting, you don't have to use an exact science, but basically, if your cyanuric acid level is 5% too high, then you need to remove about 5% of the spa water and replace with fresh water.

How much cyanuric acid should be in a pool?

You should keep your outdoor pool or spa's Cyanuric Acid level at 0-30 parts per million (PPM).

How do you reduce CYA in a hot tub?

The only practical way to lower cyanuric acid is by replacing some of your existing water with fresh water. To calculate how much water should be replaced, subtract the desired concentration of cyanuric acid from the current concentration and divide the difference by the current concentration.

Do salt water pools need cyanuric acid?

Saltwater pool manufacturers recommend maintaining cyanuric acid levels around 60-80 ppm. This is a bit higher than the 30-50 ppm range recommended for non-saltwater pools. And if you live in an area where your pool gets a lot of direct sunlight, you may even consider bumping your cyanuric acid up to 80-100 ppm.

Does Trichlor raise CYA?

Trichlor: Because trichlor is a stabilized organic form of chlorine, the by-product of regular use is increased levels of cyanuric acid (CYA). Increased levels of CYA can reduce the effectiveness of disinfection from chlorine in pool water.

How do I lower the cyanuric acid in my pool without draining it?

CYA Removal Kit efficiently removes cyanuric acid from pool water. This revolutionary two-part system works without the need to drain or dilute water from a pool. CYA Removal Kit takes cyanuric acid (also known as CYA, stabilizer or conditioner) out of pool water.

How do you reduce CYA in a pool?

The easiest way to lower the levels of cyanuric acid in your pool is to simply dilute the water. Partially drain your swimming pool by the same percentage by which you want to reduce your cyanuric levels.

Can high cyanuric acid cause cloudy 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.

How long does it take for cyanuric acid to work?

As mentioned earlier, it will take at least 48 hours and up to a week to fully dissolve. Powdered cyanuric acid is not so common and it may not be available to buy in your area. It's reported to not dissolve any faster than granular stabilizer.

How long before you can swim after adding cyanuric acid?

When Is It Safe To Swim After Adding Cyanuric Acid? As a general rule though, you can swim in your pool within 20 minutes of adding cyanuric acid. Make sure you have the pump on when you add it so that it mixes in the water. It's always best to check the manufacturer's instructions though.

How much cyanuric acid is in drinking water?

– Cyanuric acid chemical structures. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides guidelines for the addition of dichlor and cyanuric acid to drinking water where the WHO specifies maximum concentrations of 50 and 40 mg L1, respectively.

Does baking soda lower cyanuric acid?

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.

What causes CYA to increase?

The main reason for high CYA levels in your pool is from using too much stabilized chlorine. When the pool water evaporates, CYA remains in the water, much like other chemicals such as salt and calcium. As an example, 1 lb. of trichlor in a 10,000 gallon pool will raise the CYA level by 6 ppm.

Does cyanuric acid float or sink?

We also found that cyanuric acid is denser than water so it sinks to the bottom of a body of water.

Does cyanuric acid affect pH?

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.

Does Clorox pool shock have cyanuric acid in it?

Clorox has absolutely NO Cyanuric Acid (CYA) in it nor does it increase CYA at all when you use it. You should show them. It's mostly water, then sodium hypochlorite (i.e. chlorine), and sodium chloride salt, and then a small amount of sodium hydroxide and a very small amount of sodium polyacrylate.

Does chlorine tablets contain cyanuric acid?

Stabilized chlorine tablets contain cyanuric acid, which will protect the chlorine from being broken down by the sun's UV rays. This is especially important in an outdoor pool. With no CYA you'll constantly be adding lots of chlorine. The most common stabilized chlorine tablet you'll come across is trichlor.

Does shock raise CYA?

weak bond with the free chlorine in the pool water. Shock does not contain any cyanuric acid, so after 24 hours, the elevated amounts of chlorine are no longer in the pool.

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