Ok here we go

[cnix]

I don't use pucks either. (Well, actually I used some last year after a drain/refill to add stabilizer.) It took only about 2 doz (from memory) over the course of 4-6 weeks and my stabilizer was up to 30 ppm starting from zero. The tri-chlor can really add CYA quickly.

I switched to bleach and never looked back. I'll use maybe 30-40 gal of 6% bleach during a long Tennessee season, and about 3 gal of muriatic acid. That's all. The pool is sparkling clean and stays that way. In the heat of the summer I check Chlorine every 2-3 days; this time of year, about every 2-3 weeks.

It takes maybe 5 minutes tops twice a week to get a rough chlorine check--close enough to monitor the level. Far simpler than trying to get rid of CYA. (I know--the previous owner's use of tri-chlor was what caused the drain/refill--CYA was in the 250+ range--looked like whole milk in the test vial)

Chuck

[mwsmith2]

So you don't use chlorine pucks at all? You just use bleach for normal chlorination?

I know this has already been answered, but yup, that's all I used. Easy too. Now I have a SWC, and life is even easier!

Michael

[matt4x4]

I can't speak for MWSMITH2, but I don't use any at all, it adds stabilizer, then you have to use more chlorine to have it be effective - it snowballs, only add stabilizer when the CYA level drops, teh ONLY way CYA will leave your pool is through pumping it out (backwash/drain/Leak), otherwise it should remain stable pretty much all year.
As for pucks, the only time you will see pucks in my pool is when I go away for over a week because the pucks will insure keeping the Cl levels up.

[aylad]

Lots of the posters on this forum only use bleach. You'll find that there aren't very many who use trichlor pucks, and even fewer who use them on an ongoing basis. Creates too many problems with high CYA levels.

Janet

[mwsmith2]

Acid lowers pH and and only lowers alkalinity temporarily (sort of).

That's not completely correct. For those who might be confused, here's the quickie answer: Lowering your pH down to the 7.0 range will result in some permanent reduction in alk, due to offgassing of co2 during the low pH period. If you can areate the water to offgass more co2 while your pH is low, your alk will drop even more. Simply put, acid WILL permanently lower your ALK, if you drop it low enough.

Michael