CYA Levels Too Low? Here’s How To Raise Cyanuric Acid in Your Pool with AQUASTRONG

Cyanuric acid, often referred to as pool conditioner or stabilizer, is a key chemical for maintaining a healthy pool. Its primary role is to protect chlorine from being degraded by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays, which helps your pool stay cleaner for longer. Without proper levels of cyanuric acid (CYA), your chlorine will quickly dissipate, leaving your pool vulnerable to bacteria, algae, and poor water quality.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the importance of cyanuric acid, what causes low levels, and how to raise CYA in your pool using AQUASTRONG products.

What Are Normal Cyanuric Acid Levels?

Your pool’s cyanuric acid levels should ideally fall between 30 and 50 parts per million (PPM). For saltwater pools, slightly higher levels are recommended (60-80 PPM), as these pools rely on a salt chlorine generator to produce chlorine, which also gets broken down by the sun. Indoor pool owners don't need to worry about CYA, as their chlorine is not exposed to UV rays.

What Causes Low Cyanuric Acid Levels?

There are several reasons why your pool’s cyanuric acid levels might be low:

1. Use of Unstabilized Chlorine: If you’ve been using unstabilized chlorine (like liquid chlorine or calcium hypochlorite), your pool won’t have built-in CYA to protect your chlorine. Unstabilized chlorine does not contain cyanuric acid.

2. Rain and Splash-out: Heavy rain, splash-out, or dilution from frequent pool water changes can also decrease CYA levels over time.

3. Partial Drainage: If you've drained and refilled your pool recently, it’s likely that your cyanuric acid levels have dropped.

Why Should You Care About Cyanuric Acid?

Without adequate levels of cyanuric acid, your chlorine will be used up faster by UV rays from the sun. This can lead to several issues:

• Excess Chlorine Use: You’ll need to add more chlorine frequently, which increases your maintenance costs.

• Ineffective Sanitization: Without sufficient CYA, your chlorine won’t sanitize as effectively, leading to possible bacterial growth and poor water quality.

• Algae and Bacteria Growth: Chlorine depletion creates the perfect environment for algae, including green, black, or even pink slime, to thrive. This can make your pool unsafe and unsightly.

• Unbalanced Water Chemistry: Low CYA affects your pool’s pH and alkalinity balance, creating further issues for water clarity and safety.

• Chlorine Smell: When chlorine combines with contaminants like sweat, urine, and sunscreen, it forms chloramines, which produce that strong chlorine smell. This is a sign that your pool’s chlorine isn’t being used effectively.

How To Raise Cyanuric Acid Levels in Your Pool

There are two effective ways to raise your cyanuric acid levels:

1. Add Stabilized Chlorine

One of the easiest ways to increase CYA in your pool is by using stabilized chlorine. Stabilized chlorine products such as dichlor or trichlor contain both chlorine and cyanuric acid. These products will add both sanitizer and stabilizer to your pool in one step.

AQUASTRONG offers a range of stabilized chlorine options that can help maintain balanced chlorine levels while also adding the necessary amount of cyanuric acid. Using stabilized chlorine regularly can help you avoid the hassle of manually adding stabilizer and keep your pool in top condition.

2. Add Pure Cyanuric Acid (Pool Stabilizer)

If you prefer to control the exact amount of cyanuric acid added to your pool, you can use pure cyanuric acid or pool stabilizer. AQUASTRONG’s Cyanuric Acid (Pool Stabilizer) is designed to protect your chlorine from UV degradation, ensuring your pool stays cleaner longer.

As a general guideline, 13 ounces of stabilizer will raise the cyanuric acid levels of a 10,000-gallon pool by about 10 PPM. Be careful not to overdo it, as high CYA levels can also cause problems, and it’s much harder to lower CYA than it is to raise it.

How to Add Cyanuric Acid (Pool Stabilizer) to Your Pool

Follow these simple steps when adding cyanuric acid:

1. Test Your Water: Use an AQUASTRONG pool test kit to check your water’s current levels of cyanuric acid, pH, and alkalinity. It’s important to balance your pH and alkalinity before adding stabilizer to ensure it works effectively.

2. Prepare the Solution: Fill a 5-gallon bucket with pool water. Add the required amount of stabilizer to the bucket — never add CYA directly to the pool without diluting it first.

3. Pour into the Skimmer: Slowly pour the CYA solution into your pool’s skimmer. Run the pool pump for several hours to help circulate the stabilizer throughout the pool.

4. Test and Repeat: After a few hours, retest your pool’s chemical levels. If necessary, repeat the process until your CYA levels are within the recommended range.

Tip: You can also dissolve cyanuric acid in an old sock or pantyhose and hang it in front of your skimmer. As the water flows through, it will dissolve the stabilizer slowly.

How Much Cyanuric Acid Should You Add?

If your pool’s CYA is too low, you can use the following guidelines:

• 10,000-gallon pool: Add 13 ounces of pure cyanuric acid to raise your CYA by 10 PPM.
• 20,000-gallon pool: Add 26 ounces of pure cyanuric acid to raise your CYA by 10 PPM.

Remember, it’s always better to add a little at a time and retest to avoid over-stabilizing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Raising Cyanuric Acid

1. What if my cyanuric acid levels are still too low? You can add more stabilized chlorine or pool stabilizer in small increments. Always retest your pool water after each addition.

2. Does pool shock increase cyanuric acid? Certain types of pool shock, such as stabilized chlorine shock, will increase cyanuric acid levels. Be sure to check the label before use.

3. Does baking soda raise cyanuric acid? No, baking soda does not affect cyanuric acid. It raises your pool’s alkalinity but does not stabilize chlorine.

4. Can I use household bleach to raise CYA? No, household bleach does not contain cyanuric acid and will not help stabilize chlorine. It’s an unstabilized chlorine source.

5. Do saltwater pools need cyanuric acid? Yes, saltwater pools need cyanuric acid to protect the chlorine produced by the salt chlorine generator from the sun’s UV rays.

Conclusion

Maintaining the right levels of cyanuric acid is crucial for efficient pool sanitization. If your CYA levels are too low, consider using stabilized chlorine or adding pure cyanuric acid to your pool to protect your chlorine from the sun and ensure your water stays clean and safe for swimmers. Regularly test and adjust your pool chemistry to keep your AQUASTRONG pool in top shape.