Water care resourcesCyanuric acid buildup

What cyanuric acid does in a pool

If your chlorine reading looks acceptable but your technician says the stabilizer level needs attention, the number worth knowing is cyanuric acid. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 1 part per million of free chlorine in pools, or at least 2 parts per million when cyanuric acid is used. In hot tubs, the recommendation is at least 3 parts per million of free chlorine.

Cyanuric acid is a stabilizer used in pool water. Kingfisher checks cyanuric acid monthly on weekly service routes and adds stabilizer as the readings call for it on Chemical Care and Full Care plans. The goal is to manage the reading as part of the overall water testing routine rather than relying on how the pool looks.

Why pool stabilizer builds up over time

One reason stabilizer can become a concern is that tablets add cyanuric acid to the water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that high cyanuric acid, built up by tablets, makes chlorine work more slowly. That means the stabilizer reading belongs alongside the free chlorine reading when the water is tested.

Evaporation is also part of the local pool maintenance picture. The Southern Nevada Water Authority reports that an average in ground pool loses 48.6 gallons per square foot per year. A typical 470 square foot Southern Nevada pool can lose up to 22,842 gallons annually. These water losses are one reason regular testing and record keeping matter in a Las Vegas pool.

The problem with high cyanuric acid

High cyanuric acid makes chlorine work more slowly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A pool can still look clean while the readings need attention. The CDC notes that clear water can still carry germs, so testing matters more than looks.

Kingfisher tests free chlorine, pH and total alkalinity weekly, and checks cyanuric acid and calcium hardness monthly. The CDC recommends a pH between 7.0 and 7.8. Keeping these readings documented gives the technician information that cannot be determined from the appearance of the water alone.

How to lower cyanuric acid in Las Vegas

When cyanuric acid is too high, lowering it requires a partial drain. Fresh water is then used to replace part of the pool water. Because this is Las Vegas, the source of that replacement water is also worth considering. The Las Vegas Valley Water District calls local tap water very hard, with 280 parts per million of total hardness and 75 parts per million of calcium. The minerals come from the Colorado River through Lake Mead.

If a pool needs to be drained, the Las Vegas Valley Water District and Southern Nevada Water Authority require pool water to go into the sanitary sewer, usually through the home’s sewer clean out. It must not be drained into the street or a storm drain.

How Kingfisher Pool & Spa helps

Kingfisher monitors cyanuric acid as part of the monthly testing included with weekly Chemical Care and Full Care service. We test the water weekly, add routine chemicals as the readings call for them and document the results in the visit report.

If the stabilizer level becomes too high, a major chemical correction may require a partial drain. Kingfisher provides a written estimate before that one time service begins. After every weekly visit, the report includes water readings, chemicals added, tasks completed, technician notes, equipment observations and a photo of the pool.