If you have a swimming pool at your home, it is quite likely that you will want to use it regularly throughout the year. However, unless you maintain the water on a regular basis, the chlorine and other chemicals in the water will start to break down due to exposure to sunlight and heat. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at what cyanuric acid is and how you can lower it in your swimming pool if its levels are too high.
How To Lower Cyanuric Acid In Pool?
Check Your Pool’s pH Level First
The first step to lowering the level of cyanuric acid in your swimming pool is to check the pH level of the water. Ideally, the pH level of the pool of water should be between 7.2 and 7.6. If the pH level is below 7.2, it indicates that your pool water is acidic and has a high pH level. If your water is alkaline, it has a high pH level. High pH levels in pool water may cause the cyanuric acid to become less effective in reducing chlorine loss and also cause scale. If there is a high pH level in your pool water, you can bring it down by adding muriatic acid. Depending on your water source and its pH level, you might need to get your water balanced by a professional pool technician.
Shock Your Pool With Chlorine
The next step to lowering the level of cyanuric acid in your swimming pool is to shock it with chlorine. In this step, you will need to add extra chlorine to your pool water. This will help you bring down the level of cyanuric acid in the water by oxidizing it. After this, you will need to check the new level of cyanuric acid in your pool water and then maintain it according to the new level.
Add A Drying Agent
If your water source is from a well or a municipal water system, it might contain excessive amounts of calcium. If this is the case, it can cause the level of cyanuric acid in your pool water to rise. To bring down the level of calcium in your water, you can add a drying agent. Drying agents are substances that help reduce calcium levels in pool water. Some of the most popular drying agents used in the swimming pool industry include dry acid, soda ash, and calcium chloride. Soda ash is the most common drying agent used in swimming pools to reduce the calcium level in the water. Once you add soda ash to your swimming pool water, it will react with the calcium to form carbonate. Carbonate is a mineral that reduces the amount of calcium in your swimming pool water.
Add Calcium Carbonate and Co-Co chlorine
Another way to bring down the level of cyanuric acid in your swimming pool is to add calcium carbonate. This mineral is an effective water conditioner that not only lowers the level of calcium in your swimming pool water but also reduces the level of cyanuric acid. Another mineral that can be added to reduce the level of cyanuric acid in your swimming pool water is co-co chlorine. Co-co chlorine is another mineral that reacts with cyanuric acid to reduce its concentration in the water. Citric acid is yet another mineral that can be added to reduce the level of cyanuric acid in your swimming pool water. Citric acid reacts with cyanuric acid and forms carbon dioxide and is reduced to citrate which is a conditioner for the water.
Why Is Cyanuric Acid High In Swimming Pools?
High pH Levels
The pH level is a measure of how acidic or basic the water is. Swimming pools are generally between 7.2 and 7.8 on the pH scale. If the pH level of the water is too high, it can lead to negative effects on the water. A pH level of 8 is considered to be high, and it can cause a number of issues with the water. One of these is that it can result in high cyanuric acid levels. Unfortunately, cyanuric acid is necessary to keep the pH levels from rising. Therefore, high cyanuric acid levels can indicate that the pH level is too high. If the pH level is too high, it can cause irritation to the skin and eyes. It can also cause corrosion of surfaces and equipment. If the pH level is too high, it is recommended to lower the level by adding a substance like soda ash. Adding soda ash may also help lower cyanuric acid levels.
High Alkalinity Levels
Alkalinity is a measure of the amount of acid in the water that is not pH related. The alkalinity level is typically between 80 and 120 ppm. If the alkalinity level is too high, it can cause the pH level to rise. Therefore, a high alkalinity level can indicate that the pH level is too high. If the pH level is too high, it can cause irritation to the skin and eyes. It can also cause corrosion of surfaces and equipment. If the pH level is too high, it is recommended to lower the level by adding a substance like soda ash. Adding soda ash may also help lower cyanuric acid levels.
High Water Temperature
Indoor swimming pools are often heated in order to extend the swimming season. A heated pool uses more chlorine than a non-heated pool. Therefore, indoor pools may use more chlorine than outdoor pools. If the water is heated above 103 degrees Fahrenheit, there may not be enough cyanuric acid to prevent the pH level from rising. High water temperatures can also cause corrosion of surfaces and equipment. Unfortunately, there isn’t much that can be done to lower water temperatures. However, there are some ways to lower the pH level that is recommended if the water temperature is above 103 degrees Fahrenheit.
Why Is Cyanuric Acid Important?
- Cyanuric acid is an important chemical in swimming pool water. It acts as a fertilizer, allowing the chlorine in the water to combat bacteria, algae, and other contaminants.
- The higher the cyanuric acid level, the stronger the chlorine will be in the water. In other words, if you have a high cyanuric acid level, your water will be very clean and bacteria-free even with little chlorine in the water.
- However, if the level of cyanuric acid is very low, the chlorine will not be as strong, and you may have to put more chlorine in the water to keep the water clean.
- Unfortunately, a high level of cyanuric acid can also cause eye irritation, skin irritation, and asthma in some people.
- This is why it is important to keep cyanuric acid at a safe level in the water.
What Causes Cyanuric Acid To Increase?
Excessive Bather Use
Bather loads are the amount of chemical that is used up because of swimmers in the pool. This can be calculated by measuring the chemicals in the water and the number of swimmers present. When there is a high bather load, the chemicals in your pool will be used up faster. This could lead to a decrease in the amount of cyanuric acid in your water. In other words, excessive bather use can cause cyanuric acid levels to increase. That’s because the more often people swim in your pool, the more chemicals they’re using up. If you want to prevent excessive bather use, think about limiting the number of swimmers in your pool at any given time. You could also keep your pool open for shorter hours.
Chemical Mishandling
Chemicals are very important when it comes to maintaining the pH balance in your pool. They help to break down contaminants and prevent them from building up. If the chemicals in your pool are not being handled properly, they could break down too quickly. This will also cause your cyanuric acid levels to drop. If you’re not sure about how to handle your pool chemicals, you should speak to a professional. They will be able to tell you what you need to do to make sure your pool stays balanced.
Natural Decay
The cyanuric acid in your pool is not going to stay at the same level forever. It will slowly decrease over time. As it does so, the amount of free chlorine in your pool will increase. When that happens, you need to lower the amount of cyanuric acid in your water. If you don’t, your pool will start to smell too strong. If you don’t keep an eye on the chemical levels in your pool, you could cause cyanuric acid levels to rise to an unsafe level. This will make your pool too alkaline and could lead to corrosion of your pool equipment.
Conclusion
Cyanuric acid is an important chemical in a swimming pool. Its level is determined by how much chlorine is in the water. A high amount of cyanuric acid indicates that the water is being over-disinfected, and you will need to put less chlorine in the water. A low amount of cyanuric acid indicates that you need to increase the amount of chlorine in the water. Finally, you can also use UV light to break down the cyanuric acid.
