1st Time Shock / Daily Bleach Requirements

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PoolBoy74

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Jun 9, 2012
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Hello,

I am a 7-year pool owner located in metro Atlanta, trying the BBB method for the first time this season. I would like to avoid Leslie's chemical route (think it's a ripoff, a visit to the store is always a haggle, bad customer service, etc.)

I have been treating pool every other night with 6% bleach since opening a few weeks ago. Started with Clorox but now using the cheaper (50% less!) "Aldi Tundra" brand for the last week or so.

I am having trouble maintaining any appreciable FC levels (always under 2 ppm) regardless if I add 1, or 2, or 4 96-oz jugs late in the evening. Pump runs overnight on the evenings I add bleach. The water appears clear and sparkling.

Just came back from a complete water test from Leslies- I test FC/CC, pH, TA daily at home.

Here is the current chemistry:
FC/CC:0.5
ph:7.4
TA:70
CYA:100
Calcium Hardness:225
TDS: 900
Phosphates:100 ppb

Leslie's recommendation:
Fix TA via 11 lbs AlkalinityUP ($22)
Shock with 2 lbs PowerPowderPlus ($9 if I buy (2)-1lb bags)

Questions:

1. The CYA/Chlorine chart says I need to operate b/w 7-12 ppm (CYA is 100), and for shock I need ~40 ppm, which is 22 of jugs bleach (22 @ $1.19 = ~$26) according to the PoolCalculator. Why shouldn't I buy the PowerPowderPlus ($9) and save $18- what is the cost justification of the bleach? Has Leslie's grossy underestimated the amount of chlorine I would need to shock, or am I misinterpreting the PoolCalculator recommendations?

2. I would need $8 of baking soda from Wal-Mart for the same "effect" as the AlkalinityUp. Is the $15 difference worth it considering AlkalinityUP claims not to adjust my pH, but baking soda will?

3. Under ideal / post-shock circumstances, how much bleach should I be adding to the pool daily? The PoolCalculator suggests 2+ jugs to raise 4 ppm, but my observations up to this point suggest this is not cutting it.

Thanks for any/all feedback.
 
You have algae in the water, you just can't see it. When CYA is very high it is easy to get into a situation where there is enough chlorine to prevent the algae from ever getting out of control, but not enough chlorine to ever kill all of the algae.

The common CYA test reads any level above 100 as if it was 100, so your CYA level might actually be much higher than you think it is. I strongly recommend that you lower CYA to something below 100 before trying to fight algae.

To have the equivalent amount of chlorine from 22 jugs of bleach you would need 12 lbs of PowerPowder Plus, which would cost about $48 (varies a bit from store to store). The PowerPowder Plus would also add 28 ppm of calcium, which ins't a big deal in this situation.

AlkalinityUp is exactly the same chemical as baking soda, exactly the same. Baking Soda is actually purer, which is good, though the difference is insignificant. Same effect on the water in every way.

Once you kill the algae and get things under control, which requires properly shocking the pool, you should be using about 2 ppm of chlorine per day.
 
Would a good approach be: A) drain from deep end using my cover pump while simultaneously filling with hose at shallow side, and run filter as usual keeping current water level (for i.e. 24 hrs), or B) drain below skimmer level with filter off and fill afterward with hose (for 24 hrs)?
 
You could also retest the CYA using a 50/50 mix of pool and tap water to start and then double the reading. This will give you a better idea how high it is and how much water should be replaced.

Posted with Tapatalk ... sorry if I sound short ... hate typing on phone :)
 
Good thing our water is relatively cheap here!

I've also read about people getting a big tarp, placing it over the pool and weighing down the edges allowing for slack in the middle. Then as you drain water from the pool you replace it on top of the tarp, when you finish you slide the tarp out. Maybe over kill.
 
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