I have been using chlorine for 19 years with 4 diffrent pools with pretty good results, however this year I ran into trouble and found this site. I am learning the ropes of doing it the correct way versus just throwing bleach in, when it tests low on cheap teat strips.( I will be buying the right kit soon). any way in the past I would punch holes in a full bottle of bleach and tie it to the ladder when I was going to be gone for a weekend. Not sure if it did any thing but I always came home to a clean pool. Any thoughts on this?
bleach floater
- Thread starter jim001
- Start date
My first thought is that it worked for you so don't fix it if it ain't broke!
My second thought is it would be difficult to teach that as a method others can use because each pool is different and there are just too many variables. It might work in 3 out of 6 pools. More likely, it might work in one out of 10 pools but to develop a method that would consistently work in all pools would be quite difficult.
Nevertheless, you have a good grip on the concept of feeding your pool chlorine so I think I would continue doing what you are doing.
My second thought is it would be difficult to teach that as a method others can use because each pool is different and there are just too many variables. It might work in 3 out of 6 pools. More likely, it might work in one out of 10 pools but to develop a method that would consistently work in all pools would be quite difficult.
Nevertheless, you have a good grip on the concept of feeding your pool chlorine so I think I would continue doing what you are doing.
I often wondered about this very same thing, I'd call it a poor man's bleach automation system. Really you would need to test it with water, to see what flow rate you get over time. Perhaps hangining it in the middle of the pool, or suspended over a return would be best. Shouldn't be hard using pool calc. To figure out how much each per day is needed.
Problem is what happens after 1 day? Perhaps a bigger container is warranted....
Problem is what happens after 1 day? Perhaps a bigger container is warranted....
I'd just use a few pucks for that period and not be worried if the bottle of bleach was sufficient.
I had the same idea but haven't tried it yet, so I'm glad to know it can actually work.
I thought I'd drill some small holes ih a jug of chlorine and leave it to float freely. Or, if I used a smaller bottle I could leave it in the skimmer.
We just bought a house with a pool, and until we move in I can only drive out to check on the pool maybe twice a week. I don't want to use tablets and raise the CYA any higher.
If anyone else has tried this sort of thing, successfully or not, I would love to hear!
I thought I'd drill some small holes ih a jug of chlorine and leave it to float freely. Or, if I used a smaller bottle I could leave it in the skimmer.
We just bought a house with a pool, and until we move in I can only drive out to check on the pool maybe twice a week. I don't want to use tablets and raise the CYA any higher.
If anyone else has tried this sort of thing, successfully or not, I would love to hear!
Sorry no signature, I'm between pools right now.
The pool in question has CYA of 45. The previous owners used trichlor tablets, pool is in almost full day sun with no cover. So I know I need to maintain a CYA level of 30-50, but don't want to go higher... easier to put it in than take it out ya know.
The pool in question has CYA of 45. The previous owners used trichlor tablets, pool is in almost full day sun with no cover. So I know I need to maintain a CYA level of 30-50, but don't want to go higher... easier to put it in than take it out ya know.
I can see a lot of issues that would have to be understood when using the bottle with holes in it
First - where are the holes in the bottle - top/mid/bottom/all 3/top and bottom/top and mid/etc
Remember, chlorine is heavier than water. If you put a small hole at the top and at the bottom, you will be dumping the whole bottle into the pool in fairly short order (not necessarily a bad thing since a pool can use a gallon in a day)
If you read up on how the liguidator works, you will also realize that in order to get the chlorine transfered from the bottle into the pool, there has to be water flow through the bottle. Sounds kinda tricky when everything is static - putting the bottle in front of a return, etc where there is external turbulance might help, creating lower pressure on one side - causing the water from the bottle to be pulled out on the low pressure side while water to replace it comes into the bottle on the other side - but who knows.
Might work for a day or 2 - but not a workable solution on an ongoing basis.
Since this is only good for 1-2 days (cuz you DO want all of it transfered into the pool within that timeframe) - makes sense to just use a few tabs in the floater while you are away
First - where are the holes in the bottle - top/mid/bottom/all 3/top and bottom/top and mid/etc
Remember, chlorine is heavier than water. If you put a small hole at the top and at the bottom, you will be dumping the whole bottle into the pool in fairly short order (not necessarily a bad thing since a pool can use a gallon in a day)
If you read up on how the liguidator works, you will also realize that in order to get the chlorine transfered from the bottle into the pool, there has to be water flow through the bottle. Sounds kinda tricky when everything is static - putting the bottle in front of a return, etc where there is external turbulance might help, creating lower pressure on one side - causing the water from the bottle to be pulled out on the low pressure side while water to replace it comes into the bottle on the other side - but who knows.
Might work for a day or 2 - but not a workable solution on an ongoing basis.
Since this is only good for 1-2 days (cuz you DO want all of it transfered into the pool within that timeframe) - makes sense to just use a few tabs in the floater while you are away
I'm experimenting with it. I drilled a ring of tiny holes (1/16") around the bottom and top of a liter bottle, and filled it with chlorine in the skimmer. Very hard to pour down low, even with funnel. So tomorrow I will test FC in the pool and in the skimmer to see what I can learn.