week old pool-want to start using liquid chlorine, can I?

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W

work2swim

0
Jul 24, 2008
3
AG
18x48
easy set w/inflatable ring
5600 gal.

I'm very nervous and it has taken me hours of reading on here to get the nerve to ask this probably "dumb" question. Anyway, my pool is 6 days old now and when it finally got full with tap water it was cloudy looking. I shocked w/1lb cal hypo type and the next day I added 3" trichlor tablet and some algaecide...day 3 i shocked again w/cal hypo shock. day 4 i put 2 of the other puck type pucks (LOL) in the skimmer. still 0 or very low chlorine level...am thinking of putting liquid chlorine in but worried it might counteract with the pucks still in my skimmer. Is it OK to use both types of chlorinator at the same time? i'm just wanting my chlorine level to rise but had read on the back of my puck to not use with any other chlorinating device...what the Crud does that mean? i assume chlorine is chlorine but want to make sure it's ok. thanks for your time and attention.
 
Welcome to TFP!

There are no dumb questions :) Questions are the way we learn. We were all beginners at one time.

You didn't mention adding any stabilizer/conditioner/CYA/cyanuric acid. CYA helps protect the chlorine from sunlight. Without CYA you will lose all of your chlorine to a couple of hours of sunlight. The pucks you are using are made of trichlor. Trichlor contains CYA. But with only a couple of pucks used so far there is still very little CYA in the water.

It is fine to use both trichlor and bleach in the same pool. However, it is very important that you add each of them to the pool and not to each other. Pouring bleach directly onto a trichlor puck would be bad. Pour the bleach slowly in front of the return jet and you will be fine.

It would be very helpful to have a complete set of water test results. Ideally, you should get a top quality test kit. I recommend a kit from TF Test Kits, see the link in my signature. The Taylor K-2006 is also good. In the mean time test results from a pool store would be a good start. Knowing your water test numbers is very important. Otherwise everything is guess work and it is easy to make mistakes.
 
Wow, thank you so much for the speedy response. I feel much better now, I'm obviously somewhat of a worry-wart. Initially, I did not add any stabilizer upon fillup...I'm off to the store right now to purchase...will update...thanks again!!
 
Well, this evening I turned off my pump to clean my filter and noticed clumps of granular looking stuff floating atop the water near my skimmer, so I raised up the skimmer and noticed the 2 (big) "pucks" had turned into MUSH!! in 1 day... Is that normal? So, now I'm afraid to add the bleach b/c of it adhering to some of the "clumps" floating around the top of the pool...Am I being too OCD! Still no chlorine reading but the cya reading increased a little in a matter of hours as I left for the store...not real confident in my stupid *** test strips, though so I will be investing in a better kit tomorrow a.m. and will then get back to you with a more accurate reading. I can't imagine the CYA increasing like that w/o doing anything... Have I mentioned I'm from Arkansas and the weather here, as you've all heard before is MUGGY and HOT!! Maybe I should just blame it on that since most everyone blames everything negative in their lives on the weather and gas prices.
 
It's ok to be a worry wort about your pool. I know I am!! Just listen to the great folks here and your pool will be truly trouble free.

Definately get the good kit and post a full set of test results. You'll want to check these and then post them here.

CL/CC/FC (if you plan on using bleach, then I recommend the 6% ultra bleach from walmart. At some stores they have the 1 gals jugs for .95!
pH-( soda ash to raise- muratic acid to lower)
TA- (good ole arm and hammer baking soda is what I use)
CH- (not to much of a big deal in a vinyl pool, but good to know if you are in the high or low end.)
CYA- (this will take at least a 3-5 days to get a good reading) I use the Aqua Chem stabilzer from Walmart.

Also, you may want to stop by home depot or lowes and keep a gallon jug of muratic acid on hand, just incase your pH ever gets to high.

HTH and never worry about asking a dumb question. I am sure I ask a lot of them, but everyone of them have been answered!

And welcome to TFP! :wave:
 
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