How often do you add bleach/chlorine to your pool?

[Beez]

I could just dump in enough bleach for 3 days worth of FC loss (which would still be well below shock level) on Thurs night & then check and adjust everything again Sun night when we return

That won't work. The higher the starting FC level, the faster you will lose chlorine during the day.

I guess my pool defies the laws of chemistry then, because I routinely add enough chlorine to last several days at my measured daily FC loss, and it works out every time. My pool is heavily shaded, so I know that is a key factor, but it is never 100% in the shade.

I suggest that if anyone is interested in how their own pool reacts, do the experiment yourself! You're really not taking that much of a risk, and how else will you really know? I did, that's how I know about my pool. Isn't that a big part of BBB, knowing your pool? And how else to gain the experience but through experimentation?

 

[sb127]

I guess my pool defies the laws of chemistry then, because I routinely add enough chlorine to last several days at my measured daily FC loss, and it works out every time. My pool is heavily shaded, so I know that is a key factor, but it is never 100% in the shade.

I suggest that if anyone is interested in how their own pool reacts, do the experiment yourself! You're really not taking that much of a risk, and how else will you really know? I did, that's how I know about my pool. Isn't that a big part of BBB, knowing your pool? And how else to gain the experience but through experimentation?

We're going to be gone for 3 days pretty soon, and I think I'm going to give it a shot. Like you said....you really never know for sure until you try it. Worse case, I might end up with a little algae to deal with and then I'll know not to do that again. Given that we will be gone 3 days at a time nearly every other weekend, that's too many pucks & my CYA will creep up quick.

 

[Beez]

We're going to be gone for 3 days pretty soon, and I think I'm going to give it a shot. Like you said....you really never know for sure until you try it. Worse case, I might end up with a little algae to deal with and then I'll know not to do that again. Given that we will be gone 3 days at a time nearly every other weekend, that's too many pucks & my CYA will creep up quick.

Ideally, you would want to try it while you're at home so that you could test FC loss each day in addition to the overall loss in 3 days. If you have time before you leave that is...

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!

 

[Bama Rambler]

Can I get a "whenever the pump is running" choice?
Yeah, it's an LQ thing!

 

[PaulR]

In the summer, I shoot for every other day; with the solar cover it works out pretty well. Without the cover I'd probably have to go daily.
Winter consumption is a LOT less; from last November to March I would dump in a gallon of 12.5% (FC +7) every 2-3 weeks. (I don't do a gallon at a shot in the summer, except once when we had friends over and it got heavy use for two days with no cover.)
--paulr

So you put your cover on daily? when the pool is not in use? Is it an automatic cover, or do you have to roll it out every day?

It's the usual blue bubble-wrap cover, purely manual. I leave it on 24/7 except when people are swimming. Or too lazy to put it back on after swimming.
--paulr

 

[thunderkyss]

paulr, thanks for replying.

& thank all of you who participated. This is what I needed to know. I can't tend to a pool every day.

It's just not me. I have a very short attention span. I may really get into this year, but next year, I'll move onto ball room dancing, or cabinet making, or something.

I think I'm just going to go with the SWG, which means no flagstone, so I'll have to rethink that.


Thanks again guys.

 

[Beez]

I think I'm just going to go with the SWG, which means no flagstone, so I'll have to rethink that.

Excellent idea. Not sure you have to ditch the flagstone though...

 

[sb127]

We're going to be gone for 3 days pretty soon, and I think I'm going to give it a shot. Like you said....you really never know for sure until you try it. Worse case, I might end up with a little algae to deal with and then I'll know not to do that again. Given that we will be gone 3 days at a time nearly every other weekend, that's too many pucks & my CYA will creep up quick.

Ideally, you would want to try it while you're at home so that you could test FC loss each day in addition to the overall loss in 3 days. If you have time before you leave that is...

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!

Just returned from our 3 days away from home. I decided to give it a try and bumped the FC up to 11.5 early Fri morning before we left (CYA 60). I've been averaging around a 2.5-3.0 FC loss per day. We just returned home (Sun evening) and the FC was 2.5 (a little low, but not bad) and CC was still 0. That works out to a FC loss of 9 over 3 days so a 3.0 loss per day....about what it has been in the past. Not to mention the pool gets around 8-9 hours of full sun and we were pushing 104F this weekend. Next time, I think I'll bump up the FC to 13-14 before we leave & maybe that will keep me above my FC min of 4.0.

Any longer trip than 3 days, I think I'd go ahead and stick some pucks in the chlorinator just to be sure.

 

[poolgirl22]

Can I get a "whenever the pump is running" choice?
Yeah, it's an LQ thing!

Thank you...I was thinking the same thing...although I also liked Isaac's 2880x per day answer.

I selected 2x/week because that's what I seem to do..I fill the LQ a couple times per week. It IS right next to the outside fridge...so...it isn't like it's not convenient..