Summer is just around the corner, and pools are about to welcome more swimmers. For pool maintainers, more effort is needed to maintain the pool. Generally speaking, we will add chlorine Disinfectant to prevent the growth of bacteria in the pool. When the dosage of chlorine disinfectant is within a certain range, we can ensure that the water is clean. However, under summer heat and direct sunlight, the rate of chlorine consumption will be accelerated. If appropriate measures are not taken to protect the chlorine in the pool water, it will lead to a series of problems, such as weakened bactericidal effect, resulting in excessive bacteria, algae growth and so on. Therefore, to protect the available chlorine, we need to add some Cyanuric Acid Powder or granules.
How does cyanuric acid protect chlorine in pool water
In the high temperature and direct sunlight environment, free chlorine in the pool is easily decomposed. In this case, the addition of cyanuric acid powder or granules is very necessary.
Cyanuric acid reacts with hypochlorous acid in pool water to form chlorocyanuric acid, which can effectively protect free chlorine from ultraviolet radiation. This binding is reversible, when the free chlorine in the water becomes less, chlorocyanuric acid can gradually release free chlorine through slow release action, continuously disinfecting the pool water. If the content of cyanuric acid is lower than 20-30 mg/L, chlorine disinfectants will soon be destroyed by the sun, and 80% to 90% can be removed in 2 hours, which is especially common in outdoor water parks and outdoor swimming pools.
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Another point is that cyanuric acid can absorb ultraviolet light, which can reduce the intensity of ultraviolet light acting on hypochlorous acid.
By adding Cyanuric Acid Granules or powder, the cost of disinfection can be significantly reduced.
How much cyanuric acid should I put in my outdoor pool
The cyanuric acid concentration above 20 ppm can significantly slow down the photodegradation of chlorine.
In the United States, it is recommended that the concentration of cyanuric acid in the pool water is 30-50ppm. The specific concentration requirements can be consulted in the local requirements document.
The cyanuric acid level is not the more the better. The excess cyanuric acid will continue to accumulate in the pool water, and the balance between free residual chlorine and cyanuric acid will be broken. It will cause the reduction of the disinfection and oxidizibility of free residual chlorine, which can further bring about the breeding of bacteria and algae, white and cloudy water, even lead to chlorine does not have a disinfection effect. This phenomenon is called "chlorine lock".
There are some notes need to be mentioned:
- First, if it is an indoor pool or a hot tub, there is no need to add additional cyanuric acid powder or granules.
- Secondly, the cyanuric acid level should be measured once a week.
- Last but not least, if cyanuric acid exceeds the standard, part of the pool water should be discharged and new pool water should be added to reduce the concentration of cyanuric acid.
Therefore, the level of cyanuric acid is an important indicator for pool maintenance. We are a leading supplier of Swimming Pool Chemicals in China. We can provide not only cyanuric acid powder, granules or tablets, but also disinfectants, algaecides, clarifiers, and pH adjusters. For a more detailed look at what pool chemical you need for your pool, check out our Swimming Pool Care guide here.