Chlorine level for IG pool in Canada

[XRAYTIM]

Hi Everyone

My question: What are your thoughts for the maximum chlorine-ppm to use when closing your pool with a vinyl mesh cover?

My wife came home from the local pool store with 30 litres (7.9 gallons) of 12.5% liquid chlorine for the final pool closing shock because thats what the pool-store recommended.

Using the http://www.poolcalculator.com I calculate that the chlorine level will increase by 63ppm! So the pool company is suggesting the chlorine level be about 68 ppm before I cover the pool? :?:

Our pool is:
60000 litres (15850 gallons) 14'x28' in-ground vinyl we are in southern ontario canada.
chlorine sanitized by 3" pucks/feeder and granulated chlorine
safety-mesh cover for the winter
pool water is balanced as per TFP recommendations


Thank you for your recommendations!

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!

what is your CYA level? I think the general idea is to raise to the shock level of FC, but that depends on the CYA. I will say that their recommendation is likely way too high.

How does the water look now?

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[XRAYTIM]

Hi

Thanks for the fast reply

cya is 40 & water is clear (free chlorine 5 ph 7.6 ta 140 ch 280 temp 60 degrees) So in the summer I would shock at 16-20 ppm.

Does everyone agree that raising the chlorine to 68ppm would be way too much?

Anyone have any thoughts on what the maximum chlorine ppm should be for winter closing? (vinyl and mesh cover)
No sense sweating the cost of chlorine because the chlorine is sitting in my garage now anyways.

Will the high chlorine damage the vinyl liner?

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

cya is 40 & water is clear (free chlorine 5 ph 7.6 ta 140 ch 280 temp 60 degrees) So in the summer I would shock at 16-20 ppm.

Does everyone agree that raising the chlorine to 68ppm would be way too much?

Anyone have any thoughts on what the maximum chlorine ppm should be for winter closing? (vinyl and mesh cover)
No sense sweating the cost of chlorine because the chlorine is sitting in my garage now anyways.

Will the high chlorine damage the vinyl liner?

Per this: pool-school/closing_in_ground_pool
The answer is standard shock level. However I'm not sure what a "vinyl mesh cover" is. Is this cover like a leaf cover - allowing sunlight to reach the water? Or is this more like a standard safety cover - opaque?

 

[XRAYTIM]

Does everyone agree that raising the chlorine to 68ppm would be way too much?

Anyone have any thoughts on what the maximum chlorine ppm should be for winter closing? (vinyl and mesh cover) [*]corrected (vinyl liner and mesh pool cover)[*]
No sense sweating the cost of chlorine because the chlorine is sitting in my garage now anyways.

Will the high chlorine damage the vinyl liner?

Per this: pool-school/closing_in_ground_pool
The answer is standard shock level. However I'm not sure what a "vinyl mesh cover" is. Is this cover like a leaf cover - allowing sunlight to reach the water? Or is this more like a standard safety cover - opaque?

UnderWaterVanya thank you for the link. Sorry "vinyl and mesh cover" should have been "vinyl liner and safety mesh pool cover"

Ok, I am sticking with the TFP forum recommendation and I will raise my chlorine level to at least 20ppm.

What is niggling at me is What is the downside to pouring in the extra chlorine? Would you expect it to damage the liner?

 

[jblizzle]

Yes. Elevated FC levels can fade the liner. Although you would have to go above mustard shock level for extended periods of time ... Certainly still no where near as high as the store suggested.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[XRAYTIM]

Re: Chlorine level for IG pool closing in Canada

Thank you jblizzle & UnderWaterVanya for taking the time to help me sort this out.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Thank you jblizzle & UnderWaterVanya for taking the time to help me sort this out.

Welcome!

As mentioned, the mustard algae shock is as high as is recommended. If the water is 60 degrees Fahrenheit or lower the standard shock level should be sufficient.

-sent with Tapatalk 2

 

[PAGirl]

Was curious, since you said you are using pucks in a feeder and granulated chlorine, how you measured your CYA?

 

[XRAYTIM]

Was curious, since you said you are using pucks in a feeder and granulated chlorine, how you measured your CYA?

Local pool store gives me a CYA level

Pucks are used for maintaining sanatizer, and granules are used for shocking pool, opening pool, and algie if needed.

 

[jblizzle]

Well ....... continued use of puck and and granules adds FC and CYA continuously. FC is consumed CYA sticks around until it is too high and you pool turns green. I highly recommend you read through Pool School a few times this winter. Then order yourself a test kit, switch to liquid chlorine and don't believe what the pool stores tell you.

Pool Stores are notoriously inaccurate and non-repeatable when testing ... and CYA is one of them they are the worst with. Get a kit and trust yourself.

Now, I will say, since you are up north and likely replace a lot of water over the winter, using the pucks might work for you. The winter drain lowers your CYA. But, you need to KNOW your levels and understand what everything you put in the pool affects. That way you ensure your never go green.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

What type of granular chlorine? Dichlor is common and adds CYA. Trichlor has CYA also but is rarer to see used in powder form. Lastly Calhypo is frequently used and dies not contain CYA but does increase Calcium Hardness.


- Sent using Tapatalk

 

[XRAYTIM]

Calcium hypochlorite 65% granules & Trichloro-s-triazinetrione 3"pucks

I would love a tfp pool test kit .... But its not available in Canada I priced a similar Taylor kit locally and got sticker shock$. Well north of $100

I use a Taylor k-1004 kit at home. $40 if memory serves.

• dpd reagent 1 r-0001
  Dpd reagent 2 r-0002
  Dpd reagent 3 r-0003
  Ph indicator r-0014
  Thiosulfate n/10 r-0007
  Acid demand r-0015

Anyhow hardness does climb through the season (June-aug) ending just over the recommended range. I close the pool in late sept. Then sept to until the mid-may-open rain adds about 2900 (guess) gallons (14'x28'x1' rain + snow thru mesh safety cover) This dilution usually puts hardness to just below the recommended range.

I will review the pool school.

Just need to figure out away to get the tfp test kit despite being in Canada.

 

[jblizzle]

Unfortuneately, Dave can not ship the TF-100 out of the US due to his agreement with Taylor. The K-2006 kit is the same thing, just different quantities of reagent.

This is where you can order the K2006, but you are right, they have quite the markup in Canada:
You can get the Taylor kit from here:
http://piscines-apollo.com/cubecart/tes ... -2006.html

Your terminology may not quite be correct, or I misunderstand. Hardness is not the same as CYA.

The cal-hypo will add CH
The trichlor will add CYA ... this is really the one you need to worry most about getting too high as it will result in a green pool when the FC is too low.

Read up and ask any questions. I think maybe the thing you are missing is that if you maintain the correct FC for your CYA level, then you should never need to use cal-hypo to "shock" the pool on a schedule (if that is what you are currently doing).

 

[XRAYTIM]

Re: Chlorine level for IG pool in Canada cya. Hardness....

Your terminology may not quite be correct, or I misunderstand. Hardness is not the same as CYA.

I think maybe the thing you are missing is that if you maintain the correct FC for your CYA level, then you should never need to use cal-hypo to "shock" the pool on a schedule (if that is what you are currently doing).

This thread is jumping around a bit......
I useCal-hypo for shock every two weeks. I've never been able to go longer or else I will get Algae. Someone suggested it could drive up hardness so I commented on my experience.

Trichlor does add chlorine and cya. But the pool company tests for cya. I've been cautioned about their accurracy. I will find a source for Dave's or the Taylor kit without paying 2x the price my neighbours 20min south pay :lol:

How many weeks can you go without shocking? In my case it's a small warm pool with 25-75% tree shade throughout the day.

I will make getting the kit a priority.

 

[PAGirl]

If you add a calculated amount of chlorine daily, you will not need to add bags of "shock". Around here, shocking is a process of eliminating algae when levels of chlorine fall below the recommended amounts for your CYA level. That's why it's important to have an accurate reading of CYA. If you read pool school it will make much more sense than it probably does right now!

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

Re: Chlorine level for IG pool in Canada cya. Hardness....

I useCal-hypo for shock every two weeks. I've never been able to go longer or else I will get Algae. Someone suggested it could drive up hardness so I commented on my experience.

Holding the recommended FC levels after first using the Shock Process to get rid of any living algae will keep the algae away without any need for routine regular shocking. Routine shocking using "shock" from the pool store is akin to paying for a service by sending them a random but higher than likely needed number of dollars every few weeks. This may work for many but if the amount is not quite enough - you still get hit with the late fees - and if the amount is too much - you're wasting money and sowing confusion.

I will find a source for Dave's or the Taylor kit without paying 2x the price my neighbours 20min south pay :lol:

Make friends with a Pool owning BBB yank south of the border and make a road trip. Have them order an extra kit for teaching purposes and go study with them. Then take your homework supplies back with you and send regular reports so you can be graded <wink>.

How many weeks can you go without shocking? In my case it's a small warm pool with 25-75% tree shade throughout the day.

Unless I make a mistake like when I failed to ensure that my in-laws had bleach for a couple of days - I never need to shock.

 

[XRAYTIM]

Pagirl, Underwatervana, & jblizzle You folks are great! Great analogies, pointers and suggestions. Thank you for helping me sort all this out.

Never needing routine shock would be ideal! I am looking forward next season.

 

[bassmasta]

Hi, I also live in Southern Ontario, but have an above ground pool. When I close my pool I raise the chlorine levels with liquid chlorine, about 6 L of 6% per ~20,000 L of water. During the year I have added CA and copper based algaecide as well and more recently, since my water is alkaline, muriatic acid. During the year I add liquid chlorine and muriatic acid using an automated system. On closing, the pH of my water is 7.0 - 7.2 and total chlorine is about 5 - 10 ppm. I put a light and water proof cover over the pool after mixing the chemicals thoroughly via my automated system prior to returning them to the pool. On opening the pool, my water and liner are perfect, looks the same as when I closed it; the reason is the light and water proof cover which extends the life of the pool chemicals and keeps dust and other dirt out of the pool; my last vinyl liner lasted 13 years!. With an above ground pool, it is easier to manage the type of cover I have, I just siphon off the water on the cover in the spring and remove any large debris manually. With an in-ground pool, it will be a little more work to get the water off the cover, but the pay-off will be clean water in the spring without having to put a ton of chemicals in the pool. I would highly recommend a water and light-proof cover for your pool.