Stabilizer

Water Chemistry
1

The stabilizer in our pool keeps rising and we are adding no chemicals.  It is over 164?  Could the acid stain that was applied to our concrete surrounding the pool be causing this to rise?

2

Hello Sklcsalcorn - We’d be glad to assist you. The acid that was used to clean the concrete should not be raising the stabilizer level. How are you sanitizing the pool? Are you using chlorine tabs or di-chlor shock?

3

Thanks for getting back to me - I have put NOTHING in my pool.  That is the mystery.  I just purchased the home in Nov 2016 and the stabilizer was at 99 and has slowly risen since then to 164.  We converted the pool to saltwater, added salt, added bicarbonate and that is it.  Our chlorine was very high at 12 so we have shut down the chlorine and our pool people have told us to drain it below the skimmer 8 times and then refill from the bottom each time.  We did add a chlorine neutralizer before we started to drain which brought chlorine down to 2.5.  I have drained it now 3 times and will continue to drain and then take in another sample.  The MYSTERY is what is making the stabilizer go up??  The concrete is STAINED with an acid stain, not just cleaned?  With the run off from the acid stained concrete into pool, would that cause the stabilizer to rise?

Thank you

4

The only way the acid run-off would raise the stabilizer level is if it was cyanuric acid. How are you testing the stabilizer level?

5

I did not stain the concrete, the previous owners did.  The stabilizer was tested with drops, not strips by a professional pool guy and then a local pool and spa company.  I guess I better try and figure out what stain was used and if I can remove it.  At the pool company, they keep saying that I had to have put something in there for it to rise…that’s the problem, I’ve put nothing!  There has to be some reason and that’s why I keep going to the stain on concrete.  Thanks for you help

6

I’m at a loss as to why the stabilizer would rise if no cyanuric acid or stabilized chlorine has been added. I asked everyone here but nobody could come up with anything. Please come back and let us know what you find. Good luck!