5 Things to Know About Lowering Pool Cyanuric Acid

Drain and refill is the only reliable method Cyanuric acid does not evaporate or break down naturally. The only way to remove it is to physically drain water and replace it with fresh water.

Skip chemical “CYA reducers” These products are overpriced, slow, and barely effective. They are not worth your money.

Calculate how much water to drain Test your current CYA level and decide your target (30-50 ppm is ideal for most pools). If you are at 100 ppm and want 40 ppm, replace about 60% of the water. Drain, refill, test again, and repeat if needed.

Never drain a concrete or gunite pool completely Ground pressure can crack the shell or pop it out of the ground. Stick to draining a third or half at a time. Vinyl and fiberglass pools can handle partial drains, but check the manufacturer’s limits.

Stop adding more stabilizer until CYA is fixed Do not use tablets or shock that contain stabilizer while you are trying to lower CYA. You are only making the problem worse.