But won't the pool start turning green with all the hot weather coming without bleach (chlorine) in the water? It's crystal clear right now and we don't want to start another issue. Is it really okay to wait until the kit comes before adding any chlorine? Sorry, but just worried.
Pool will not hold chlorine
- Thread starter jstblush
- Start date
Why add chlorine if you are draining out water?
But, you can add chlorine if it makes you feel better ... kind of acting blind, so do not add too much. Maybe 1 bottle of bleach a day.
But, you can add chlorine if it makes you feel better ... kind of acting blind, so do not add too much. Maybe 1 bottle of bleach a day.
Well, the thing is, we are hoping to have enough water drained out soon. Then the pool will just sit with this heat wave coming with nothing in it because we don't have the test kit yet and it probably won't be here until Thursday. That's a whole week away unless it arrives early. That doesn't sound like a good idea to just let the pool sit with nothing in it when it's going to be so hot, does it? I don't know.
I would put a jug of bleach in a day just to make sure it does not turn green. Better than having to fight the algae monster.
Kim
Kim
Once it's filled up and before getting the good tester, I would get a cheap OTO 2-way tester and use pool math to determine how much chlorine to add to reach 10ppm any time the total chlorine tested to be <=5ppm. That's just my personal opinion because sometimes you can spend days waiting for a cloudy pool to clear up after your pass the other criteria of the SLAM process.
Okay guys, here are the readings from this morning from the pool store:
pH 7.6
free chlorine (1.0 PPM min) 1.5
pH 7.6
free chlorine (1.0 PPM min) 1.5
Okay guys, here are the readings from this morning from the pool store:
pH 7.6
free chlorine (1.0 PPM min) 1.5
alkalinity (120-150 vinyl) 75
Hardness (200) 180
Conditioner (20-100) 100
This water sample was taken before the pool was completely full again because Bill just wanted to get an idea of where he was at. It sure seems like it's taking a TON of water removal. Anyhow, this is what they told him to do at the pool store. They told him you're good now on the CYA. It's at 100. He said the range you need to be in is 20-100. Now just throw in some liquid chlorine. Then test your water and see if your free chlorine is holding. If it is, then throw in your tabs and you should be good. That sounds CRAZY to me from what I've read and am TRYING to learn here! First of all, a CYA reading of 100 is still high. So why would we want to throw in more of the tabs that got us into this mess in the first place! Bill is keeping the pump and removing more water. I sure hate to see our water bill! And I wish that new test kit would get here. But the shipping was so high to get it here sooner. And with all the money we've spent and are still spending, I just took the regular shipping. UGH!
pH 7.6
free chlorine (1.0 PPM min) 1.5
alkalinity (120-150 vinyl) 75
Hardness (200) 180
Conditioner (20-100) 100
This water sample was taken before the pool was completely full again because Bill just wanted to get an idea of where he was at. It sure seems like it's taking a TON of water removal. Anyhow, this is what they told him to do at the pool store. They told him you're good now on the CYA. It's at 100. He said the range you need to be in is 20-100. Now just throw in some liquid chlorine. Then test your water and see if your free chlorine is holding. If it is, then throw in your tabs and you should be good. That sounds CRAZY to me from what I've read and am TRYING to learn here! First of all, a CYA reading of 100 is still high. So why would we want to throw in more of the tabs that got us into this mess in the first place! Bill is keeping the pump and removing more water. I sure hate to see our water bill! And I wish that new test kit would get here. But the shipping was so high to get it here sooner. And with all the money we've spent and are still spending, I just took the regular shipping. UGH!
It seems to me that this is the realization that people need to come to in order to go to the TFP method....
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
the problem you are seeing is the pool store has no clue, they are just trying to sell things to get you to buy more later.. The pool store test is also NOT accurate, so dont believe what its telling you.. I bet it is still way off and you will know when you get your test kit in... 2 things come to me:
1. Bring the water up and wait till you get you kit and test, then you will know exactly what you need to do...
2. Keep draining and refilling untill the CYA is about 40, this is the hard part cause you really dont know if the pool store is correct.
I know you guys are renting the pump so i would probably go with option 2, I just dont want you all 2 waste water...
If you went with option 1 and it was still high you would have to rent the pump again and fill with more water...
1. Bring the water up and wait till you get you kit and test, then you will know exactly what you need to do...
2. Keep draining and refilling untill the CYA is about 40, this is the hard part cause you really dont know if the pool store is correct.
I know you guys are renting the pump so i would probably go with option 2, I just dont want you all 2 waste water...
If you went with option 1 and it was still high you would have to rent the pump again and fill with more water...
You need to learn that generally pool store advice is worthless ... usually out of lack of understanding, hopefully not out of greed and their bottom line.
We have your back and we SO understand what you are going through!
I lost a whole pool to the pool store
The liner became so brittle from high (no idea how high) and PH problems that it just let go all at once. I was very lucky that no one was in the pool when it happened.
You CAN do it and we will help you!
Think about buying a cheap sub pump from harbor freight or such to have around just in case later and to use now.
Kim
I lost a whole pool to the pool store
The liner became so brittle from high (no idea how high) and PH problems that it just let go all at once. I was very lucky that no one was in the pool when it happened.You CAN do it and we will help you!
Think about buying a cheap sub pump from harbor freight or such to have around just in case later and to use now.
Kim
If we ever get the CYA down to a decent level and SLAM the pool, can anyone give a rough estimate of how many gallons of bleach we should have on hand? Bill does not want to have to run to the store every 5 minutes to buy more when we're in the process of SLAMMIMG. We do have some liquid chlorine in the garage. Can we use that instead? I want to thank you all for hanging in there with us! I do have another question...surprise, surprise. If it takes that much bleach everyday to keep the pool going, I'm having a hard time seeing where the savings are. A whole bucket of the tabs last us at least all summer. And this summer we got them for around $80. Not trying to be smart or argumentative. Just trying to figure it all out.
I do have another question...surprise, surprise. If it takes that much bleach everyday to keep the pool going, I'm having a hard time seeing where the savings are. A whole bucket of the tabs last us at least all summer. And this summer we got them for around $80. Not trying to be smart or argumentative. Just trying to figure it all out.
Impossible to say. Depends on what is lurking in your water.
Start with at least double the amount needed to reach shock FC level (but you need to know your final CYA level to know that).
How old is the chlorine? It degrades over time and pretty fast if stored in the heat.
And what exactly is it?
The saving are not have to waste your time and effort dumping 1000s of gallons of water when your CYA gets too high
Plus the condition of the water is nicer if you maintain it properly.
Start with at least double the amount needed to reach shock FC level (but you need to know your final CYA level to know that).
How old is the chlorine? It degrades over time and pretty fast if stored in the heat.
And what exactly is it?
The saving are not have to waste your time and effort dumping 1000s of gallons of water when your CYA gets too high
Plus the condition of the water is nicer if you maintain it properly.
jstblush,
I traveled the same path you are going down last year to get my CYA from somewhere over 100 down to 40. Don't get discouraged. You would be amazed at how many drains it can take. Partly because each drain is removing both the CYA residual water and the clean water you added the prior day. I decided to buy an inexpensive submersible pump from Home Depot for around $80. It's not fast but I wasn't in a rush. For refilling I run three hoses from three separate spigots. The one on the incoming main obviously provides the highest volume.
Once my CYA was around 40ppm I stayed away from the Chlorine Tablets and just added beach each day. 15,000 gal pool in South Louisiana (90 degree days and direct sunlight) requires between 32 and 48 oz. bleach daily if only 1 or 2 people spend and hour or so in the pool. Had a pool party with 10 people in the pool for at least 4 hours a couple weeks ago and the bleach requirement more than doubled.
The testing gets easier and easier and your confidence in your results grows proportional to the quantity of tests you run. I often retest shortly following the addition of Chlorine or Muriatic acid just to prove to myself that I've got it right and with the help of a very good test kit and the Pool Math page on Trouble Free Pool I always get it right. Although, before I let my neighbor's or relative's kids in the pool I run the SMFITW test that I developed personally... it stands for Shove My Face In The Water. To date I've never experience burning eyes or chlorine smell.
Good Luck and have fun perfecting your testing skills!
I traveled the same path you are going down last year to get my CYA from somewhere over 100 down to 40. Don't get discouraged. You would be amazed at how many drains it can take. Partly because each drain is removing both the CYA residual water and the clean water you added the prior day. I decided to buy an inexpensive submersible pump from Home Depot for around $80. It's not fast but I wasn't in a rush. For refilling I run three hoses from three separate spigots. The one on the incoming main obviously provides the highest volume.
Once my CYA was around 40ppm I stayed away from the Chlorine Tablets and just added beach each day. 15,000 gal pool in South Louisiana (90 degree days and direct sunlight) requires between 32 and 48 oz. bleach daily if only 1 or 2 people spend and hour or so in the pool. Had a pool party with 10 people in the pool for at least 4 hours a couple weeks ago and the bleach requirement more than doubled.
The testing gets easier and easier and your confidence in your results grows proportional to the quantity of tests you run. I often retest shortly following the addition of Chlorine or Muriatic acid just to prove to myself that I've got it right and with the help of a very good test kit and the Pool Math page on Trouble Free Pool I always get it right. Although, before I let my neighbor's or relative's kids in the pool I run the SMFITW test that I developed personally... it stands for Shove My Face In The Water. To date I've never experience burning eyes or chlorine smell.
Good Luck and have fun perfecting your testing skills!
WalMart sells a 6-way test kit for $23 that includes a CYA test with the tube/dot if you want to get a reading that's likely more accurate than the pool store is giving you. Mind you, this is only a stopgap until you get a good test kit.
HTH 6-Way Test Kit - Walmart.com
HTH 6-Way Test Kit - Walmart.com
Bill took another sample to the pool store today to see where we're at now. I know it is not the same as using our new test kit, but we have to at least get a reading to give us some idea of where we are at. Here are the new numbers:
pH. 7.8.
Free chlorine. 5.0
Alkalinity. 70
Hardness. 180
Conditioner 50
I really truly hope this is at least close to being correct because the CYA is finally going down!!!! The pump has been returned so we will just have to go from there.
We are not losing the chlorine now. We will just have to wait for our new test kit and check the numbers and go from there. But Bill is relieved that it finally went down because he had about had enough of the process. And now he can keep chlorine in the pool, especially with the heat wave coming.
If we can keep our chlorine up now, would that mean we don't need to SLAM our pool?
pH. 7.8.
Free chlorine. 5.0
Alkalinity. 70
Hardness. 180
Conditioner 50
I really truly hope this is at least close to being correct because the CYA is finally going down!!!! The pump has been returned so we will just have to go from there.
We are not losing the chlorine now. We will just have to wait for our new test kit and check the numbers and go from there. But Bill is relieved that it finally went down because he had about had enough of the process. And now he can keep chlorine in the pool, especially with the heat wave coming.
If we can keep our chlorine up now, would that mean we don't need to SLAM our pool?
I can't wait for you test kit to come in!
It would not hurt to SLAM for a couple of days just to be on the safe side.
Kim
It would not hurt to SLAM for a couple of days just to be on the safe side.
Kim
Hi there. Our test kit just arrived about 30 minutes ago or so. Yea! Bill will be home shortly from work and we shall see where we are. Yikes. Excited and a little scared to find out where our CYA level really is at after all that draining! I haven't even opened the box yet. Wish us luck! Sure we'll have plenty of questions...so be prepared.
borjis
LifeTime Supporter