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Is Your Pool Overstablized???
Outdoor chlorinated pools require stabilizer (cyanuric acid) to protect chemicals from being destroyed by UV light from the sun. The ideal level of stabilizer is between 20-50 ppm. At levels of 70 ppm and higher, a pool is overstabilized and the problem of "chlorine lock" arises. At this stage the chlorine in your pool is not effective as a sanitizer. This may lead to such problems as an algae infestation or bacterial growth.
Stabilizer enters pool water either by granular stabilizer itself, or by addition of chlorine products such as pucks, minitabs, or granular. King size pucks are 53% stabilizer.
Unfortunately, the only method by which the level of stabilizer in the pool may be lowered is by dilution. There are basically two ways to achieve this.
* Do not add any more stabilizer by way of pucks or minitabs. An alternate method of chlorination can be adopted for part of the season by use of liquid chlorine, duration tablets or granular unstabilized chlorine. The level of stabilizer will fall gradually as you lose water through backwashing and splash out.
* drain part of your pool water and add fresh water. It is not recommended that you drain more that 1/3 of your pool at a time. If your stabilizer level is 75 ppm, and you drain one third and refill it, the new level will be 50 ppm. You can also backwash extra long to get rid of some
over stabilized water.
* The combination of these two suggestions also works well. It is strongly recommended that you add pucks or minitabs to your pool only when the chlorine level is below the ideal range. The level should be measured frequently, as it varies with such factors as bather load and weather. Following a good weekly shocking routine allows you to use less pucks or mintabs and is therefore advantageous. Granular stabilizer should only be added when the pool is completely emptied and refilled with fresh water.
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