Chlorinating pool while on VA

[run53]

So my salt cell died and I ordered a new one that was defective. I’m waiting for the warranty replacement but I’ll be going g on Vacation soon and I’ll be gone for a week. Since I’ve always had the SWG to keep up the FC, I don’t know the best way to keep it chlorinated while I’m gone. I’m thinking about using the 3” tabs as the risk of raising the CYA is probably minimal if I only use them for a week. Right now my CYA is 70ppm and I have to add about a half gallon of liquid chlorine every day to keep FC between 4.5 and 8.

I’ve never used tabs before. Do they go in the skimmer or in a floater? How many would I use to last the week? I will probably also bring my pool up to slam level before I leave just for insurance. Anything else I need to think of?

 

[LovelyGong]

Tabs shouldn't go in the skimmer as the high dose of chlorine through your pump will degrade its lifespan. A floater would probably be fine. I'm not sure about how many tabs you'd want to use.

 

[mknauss]

I would put 4 tablets in a floater.
That will add 9 ppm FC and 6 ppm CYA over the week.

Then deal with what you have when you get home. Unless you can get someone to visit the home a couple times while gone. How do you plan to keep the skimmer basket cleaned out?

 

[run53]

I would put 4 tablets in a floater.
That will add 9 ppm FC and 6 ppm CYA over the week.

Then deal with what you have when you get home. Unless you can get someone to visit the home a couple times while gone. How do you plan to keep the skimmer basket cleaned out?

Thanks.....I may be able to get a neighbor to add some liquid chlorine a couple times.

So if I do the math,

Slam level for 70CYA = 28 FC
plus
4 tabs = 9ppm FC

total FC = 37ppm

If I assume 4 ppm FC loss per day, I should have about 9ppm FC when I return in one week.

Does this sound correct?

 

[mknauss]

I doubt the tablets will fully dissolve.

If you can get someone to add chlorine, I would not use any tablets, or at most one or two.

 

[run53]

I doubt the tablets will fully dissolve.

If you can get someone to add chlorine, I would not use any tablets, or at most one or two.

Thanks...... like I said I've never used the tabs before so that's good to know.

If they don't dissolve, I would be flirting with low dangerously low FC by the time I return, even if I start at slam level. So yeah....sounds like 2 or 3 of strategically timed gallons of liquid chlorine after the slam would be the way to go. Plus since my CYA is already at 70, not sure I want to raise it much higher. Pretty sure I can get a neighbor to do that 2 or 3 times.

As far as the skimmer baskets....not too concerned as that time of year I get very little tree stuff in the pool. Even if the baskets get full, I assume I would get enough draw from the main drain to keep things running. Am I missing something?

 

[mknauss]

They will dissolve some, just not likely completely gone.

 

[Katygreys]

I also don’t have massive daily debris and can let my skimmer go 7 days and it’s not a big deal. Of course I empty them daily while I’m home, even if it’s 4 dead Mexican petunia flowers and that’s it

I say raise to slam, then gets a neighbor to come over and dump to keep you very safely above minimum. Make it easy for them so they don’t have to measure or guess.

 

[proavia]

Since your SWG isn't producing FC, dose your pool according to the non-SWG/Liquid Chlorine part of the FC/CYA Levels.

For CYA 70 without a functioning SWG, you minimum FC is 5 and target is 8-10.

 

[revitup]

Close the skimmer(s) completely. Open main drain.