Using 5.5 to 7 ppm of chlorine per day!

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DonW

DonW

0
Jun 27, 2008
97
Central IL.
I am currently using 3 jugs (96 ozs.) of bleach per day trying to stay ahead of the chlorine consumption in our pool. The pool is using up approximately 5.5 to 7 ppm of chlorine per day. This is regardless of swimmer load, weather, or any other condition. I read other posts about people using 2 jugs per week, and on good days that what I'm using daily! It's been hot (Where isn't it!), pool water is at about 86 degrees and pool sits in direct sun from dawn till dusk, uncovered. Water is sparkling clear. I did an overnight free chlorine loss and the results were zero. There was no loss in FC from 10:00 pm to 5:35 am and no difference in CC, still .5 or less. I'm thinking about shocking but I read http://www.troublefreepool.com/so-bbbers-how-long-since-you-ve-shocked-t20611.html & http://www.troublefreepool.com/when-do-you-shock-t24545.html and don't want to be a wuss, but might do it anyways. Recommended Minimum FC is 5 and Target of 7 according to the Chlorine/CYA chart. So I test at 10:00 am in the mornings and it is at about 5 or 6 daily. Bump it up to 12 or 13 with the bleach and the next day repeat. I work 2nd. shift so this is my test and add schedule. I add the bleach in full sun, but the other day did test a half hour afterwards and was assured of the higher FC level. Any thoughts?

FC 6.0 (average, never below 5)
CC .5
TC 6.5
PH 7.5
CYA 60
TA 200
 
CYA was tested with TF test kit, reagents are fresh, and after dumping in the last 3 jugs I did a test and from FC of 6 ppm, got a reading of 14 ppm. Pool gallonage, CYA, and readings all appear to concur with one another. I suspected the Aldi's bleach but the test confirms its 6% label claim.
 
Hi, Don,

Go back to the basic principle that FC is consumbed by two things only, sunlight and organics in your pool water.

Everything you've done implies that your CYA is correct so your sunlight loss should be somewhere around 2ppm which is kind of an average we see on the forum.

So, that leaves organics. I would redo the overnight FC loss test. There is virtually no other altenative...unless your swimmer load has been 15+ everyday.
 
OK, I guess that's what I'll have to do. Not 15 swimmers, just one fat sweaty guy. I'll do another CYA test also, but I'm pretty sure it's in the neighborhood of 60. Not looking forward at getting up at 5:35 am again!
 
Y'all are losing me on this one on the shock suggestion if there is no overnight loss of FC and his CC is .5 . Why would it possibly need shocking (although I don't see any other alternative either). Just chemically curious since he's passing both of the Golden Bullet tests.
 
woodyp, something here is not what it appears to be. The reported combination of test results and symptoms don't fit together. That isn't really surprising, it happens all the time, it is just a little more obvious this time around. Anyway, duraleigh and 257WbyMag are guessing that the overnight FC loss test result was wrong, while I am inclined to believe that the CYA level is wrong. There are a number of other possibilities as well, and there really isn't any telling which one it might end up being at this point.
 
Yeah, let me jump in here and make sure I understand your details...

You are testing at 10 am, and adding chlorine at 10 am to bump it up to 12-13?

I'd suggest testing at 7-8 pm, adding enough to reach your target, testing and adding again the next evening. Your loss with full sun no cover should be more like 2-4 pm.

Even with 60 CYA if you add chlorine in full sun at 10am you will still prolly lose 50% to sunlight. Targeting higher doesn't mean you'll not still lose 50%. An overnight loss of zero (if you're confident in the result) means this is a sunlight issue.

Adding the chlorine in the evening allows it to do its job without sunlight interference. I'd also suggest a solar cover to see if you can reduce your daytime consumption. With my black/blue cover on I loss less than 1ppm per day when the pool is not in use. I just returned home from a week trip, shocked and covered before I left and my FC was 9. (my CYA is 50).

So I'd repeat your overnight loss test, and then try the evening testing/adjusting for a few days and see if that cuts back on the consumption.
 
Where did my CYA go? Thanks to all who responded. I just did a CYA test and came up with 32. I know 32, right? It wasn't 30 and if it had graticules between 30 and 40 I'm guessing 32. Bottom line, where did my CYA go? When I opened this year it was 60. Last year it was 80 and I was fighting mustard algae. Now nobody go Aha! I cleared that up. I was using a solar cover at the time and I couldn't get enough circulation going. OMG! The amount of bleach I went through with mustard algae shock level. This year no cover, no algae. I will try another overnight free chlorine loss, but if my CYA is truely under 40, I understand the chlorine loss. To be honest, I am frightened to add more stablizer. I had such a time with the pool at a CYA of 80 I don't want to come near that again. I have some R-0013 CYA Reagent coming in the mail and want to do more testing before I add (shudder) more stabilizer.
This morning I had FC of 6.5. I dumped in 2 1/2 jugs (96 ozs) of bleach and 1/2 gallon of muratic acid. PH was 7.6, now it's around 7.4. Just did another FC check and I have 8.5. I'm on track for my usual +5 ppm FC loss as sunset won't be for another hour.
 

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Ok, from sniffing around in the archives I saw this http://www.troublefreepool.com/degradation-of-cyanuric-acid-cya-t8880.html, and understand that CYA loss does occur. Some phenomenons are better when they happen to other people, less stress. The learning curve on this pool ride seems to widen a little further every time I'm feeling a teeny bit confident about our pool.
When I opened in May 28th, I had a FC level of 12.5 ppm. I was so elated I had to post about it. What I didn't say at the time was that there was small piles of a greyish substance scattered at the edges of the pool, but clear water. I assumed at the time that this was the remnants of the mustard algae I was fighting. The next day after filling I had a FC of 1.5. Could it have been piles of used up ammonia? I had the CYA tested the same day I opened and was a CYA of 60. (Haven't tested since.) Super elated because the previous year's was 80, and was so looking forward to reduced chlorine consumption/demand/shocking etc. Fast-forward to today. 2 to 3 jugs of bleach per day at $1.10 per jug = $264 to $396 per 4 month season. Ouch! (Pool Store Employee, "Well, you know that's the price for pool ownership", {fist-bump, wink!}.) Anyways, I have 8 ozs. of R-0013 coming, hopefully some day the learning curve will ease up for me.
A couple of facts:
No leaks (please God be with me on this).
Added 1 inch of water so far this season.
Backwashed a few times because of excessive rain water.
Hardly no splash-out or loss of water.
 
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