Ok, so lets assume for one minute that it is not organics. With the SLAM, should I be trying that during the day? Or should I try it at night since I am at least holding the chlorine during that time?
Huge Chlorine Demand Post Conversion
- Thread starter Stillini
- Start date
Ok, so lets assume for one minute that it is not organics. With the SLAM, should I be trying that during the day? Or should I try it at night since I am at least holding the chlorine during that time?
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,770
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
All the time. The goal is to maintain slam level fc. The more frequently this occurs the fast things will go.
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,057
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
As Mdragger said, there is no way to distinguish chemically between chlorine and bromine. Just because it doesn't show up on the store's printout doesn't mean it's not present.
The bromine doesn't really disappear by the SLAM. UV turns bromine quickly into bromide. When adding more chlorine it oxidised the bromide back into chlorine, turning the chlorine into chloride. That's because chlorine is a "stronger" oxidiser than bromine.
Some of the bromide will not be oxidised back into bromine but into bromate (BrO3-) where it stops creating chlorine demand. But it can take a very long time to eventually turn all the bromine/bromide into bromate. Bromate is also not something you want too much of in the water.
Eventually, the more water you are able to replace, the better.
Maybe you can ride it out through the swimming season, and then use rain and snow melt as efficiently as possible to dilute your water. An opaque pool cover would help in this situation to reduce UV impact.
Whenever there is big rain forecast, drain some water in advance to make room for fresh water. You will remove more bromine by draining water before dilution by rain.
The bromine doesn't really disappear by the SLAM. UV turns bromine quickly into bromide. When adding more chlorine it oxidised the bromide back into chlorine, turning the chlorine into chloride. That's because chlorine is a "stronger" oxidiser than bromine.
Some of the bromide will not be oxidised back into bromine but into bromate (BrO3-) where it stops creating chlorine demand. But it can take a very long time to eventually turn all the bromine/bromide into bromate. Bromate is also not something you want too much of in the water.
Eventually, the more water you are able to replace, the better.
Maybe you can ride it out through the swimming season, and then use rain and snow melt as efficiently as possible to dilute your water. An opaque pool cover would help in this situation to reduce UV impact.
Whenever there is big rain forecast, drain some water in advance to make room for fresh water. You will remove more bromine by draining water before dilution by rain.
So basically, I am going to be dealing with this for the foreseeable future short of removing the water and starting over. Actually, funny part is it's still better than Baquacil nonsense so it's not to bad. I feel like it is what it is so my thought would be I am going to SLAM every other night to keep the pool clean and not completely kill my budget on chlorine while draining/adding a little bit of water as well. Hopefully that will get me through the season. Does that sound reasonable?
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,057
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
I'm glad you're keeping that spirit. Not much you can do about it apart from "Keep calm and add chlorine". We should start making T-shirts, base caps and coffee mugs with that slogan.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,770
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
The issue I see with your every other day plan is that there are times when the sanitizer level is very low that way. Basically a roller coaster. This can leave you with unsanitary conditions much of the time inviting algae & also risk person to person transmission of pathogens.
I suggest that before deciding one way or the other that you do a true
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
If the oclt passes you can try to treat the pool similar to an outdoor bromine pool going forward until you can exchange water by covering it during the day as suggested above to protect your sanitizer levels from the sun & prevent them falling too low.
I suggest that before deciding one way or the other that you do a true
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.
If the oclt passes you can try to treat the pool similar to an outdoor bromine pool going forward until you can exchange water by covering it during the day as suggested above to protect your sanitizer levels from the sun & prevent them falling too low.
- Mar 5, 2020
- 3,057
- Pool Size
- 66000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Astral Viron V35
Yep, I agree. OCLT is important to make sure that the pool is algae free, and then keep it algae free.
And work out a strategy to use precipitation over winter as efficiently as possible to drain as much bromine as possible out of the pool.
And work out a strategy to use precipitation over winter as efficiently as possible to drain as much bromine as possible out of the pool.
OCLT passed. I did it last night, started with 5 - ended with 4.5/5. Chorine is gone now though. Thoughts?
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,770
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
That’s good news sorta-
Kinda confirms what we suspected (bromine/ bromide)
You can either dose to adequate sanitizer levels daily & use a cover to help keep the level up or do a water exchange to help rid yourself of the cdx/bromine/bromide problem.
Without a cover to protect it from uv your sanitizer level will be a feast or famine situation on the daily.
You need to know some more details about your well & it’s capabilities before deciding on going that route. Some wells are capable of filling a 20k gal pool with certain limitations (gal/hr) & some are not.
Even small exchanges over time would be helpful for your situation.
There’s also water delivery as a more expensive option. Some municipalities offer this for less than a private company.
You shouldn’t drain any lower than 18” in the shallow end or your liner can shift.
If you have a high water table you should consider the no drain water exchange as the safest option.
Ok, so I think I will do small drains/refills every few days until this is done. In the meantime, I figure I will add chlorine in the evenings so that at least it's sanitizing overnight to get as much cleaning power as possible since putting it in the day doesn't seem to hold. That being said, what amount would you guys recommend to try to keep the chlorine levels at? SLAM or just my target rate of about 6? And should I be running the filter 24/7 or just enough for 1.5 turn overs?
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,770
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
If you’re not going to cover the pool during the day/maintain adequate fc levels around the clock, then yes- raise to slam level each night. I would also suggest that you test & dose to target fc levels before using the pool otherwise it will be unsanitary.
You need to run the pump long enough to skim the debris you have & filter any particulates to your liking no matter how many “turn overs” that is or isn’t. Also long enough to mix any chemical additions (30 minutes is sufficient for that).
You haven’t filled out your Signature with your equipment so hard to give more advice than that.
In the long run it uses more water to do small drains & refills. But it is what it is. Only you can judge the capabilities of your well system so tread lightly if you’re unsure.
You need to run the pump long enough to skim the debris you have & filter any particulates to your liking no matter how many “turn overs” that is or isn’t. Also long enough to mix any chemical additions (30 minutes is sufficient for that).
You haven’t filled out your Signature with your equipment so hard to give more advice than that.
In the long run it uses more water to do small drains & refills. But it is what it is. Only you can judge the capabilities of your well system so tread lightly if you’re unsure.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,770
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
If that’s a single speed pump you can try just starting with 4 hours or so & see what the results are. It will definitely be easier on the wallet the less you run it.
Since you don’t depend on it for making chlorine the world is your oyster. This depends on how much debris gets in the pool that needs to be skimmed of course.
I have a sand filter & a 27k gal pool & about 5- 6 hours keeps mine looking fine when debris is low. I like it to be skimming if we’re going to be using it so I run during the day. Since I depend on mine to operate my smallish swcg I have to increase this to 12 hours or so in the peak of summer to make enough fc. Probably going to make the leap to a vsp in the near future so I can run on lower speed basically around the clock and use about 1/3 of the energy that I do now.
www.troublefreepool.com
Since you don’t depend on it for making chlorine the world is your oyster. This depends on how much debris gets in the pool that needs to be skimmed of course.
I have a sand filter & a 27k gal pool & about 5- 6 hours keeps mine looking fine when debris is low. I like it to be skimming if we’re going to be using it so I run during the day. Since I depend on mine to operate my smallish swcg I have to increase this to 12 hours or so in the peak of summer to make enough fc. Probably going to make the leap to a vsp in the near future so I can run on lower speed basically around the clock and use about 1/3 of the energy that I do now.
Determine Pump Run Time
To figure out how many hours you need to run your pump, you need to know how fast your pump works. You can find this here.
www.troublefreepool.com
I really like your point about skimming to keep it looking good when you are using. Thanks!
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,770
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I just don’t like swimming with bugs or grass from everyone’s feet - also something nice about the water moving whenever I am looking at it since I am outside alot during the day. I’ve got mine set to come on around 7:30/8:00am & my robot runs @9am so its nice and clean when I am ready to use it.
Nice!! That's the next thing I need to do, setup my robot to start automatically. I'd love to see how you setup yours. I am concerned about the power portion of the unit. How did you protect it?
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,770
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
The control box you mean?
It is permanently installed in my deck box.
My bot
has automation mode which allows it to automatically run when power is applied so I have it on a smart plug. A timer would work as well. My weatherproof in use covered receptacle is on the post to the right under the deck.
Which robot do you have? It isn’t listed in your signature.
It is permanently installed in my deck box.
My bot
has automation mode which allows it to automatically run when power is applied so I have it on a smart plug. A timer would work as well. My weatherproof in use covered receptacle is on the post to the right under the deck.Which robot do you have? It isn’t listed in your signature.
Nice setup!! I would like to do something like that but with the inground I am worried about someone tripping on the cord wherever I do end up setting it up. I updated my sig but we have two bots -
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus for the actual pool cleaning and then the Solar Breeze NX2 which does skimming. Both awesome additions!
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus for the actual pool cleaning and then the Solar Breeze NX2 which does skimming. Both awesome additions!
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,770
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
There’s several threads here about storing robots & lots of inventive ways to do so. Some have added a gfci in the yard in a lower traffic area just for their bot & it’s “house”.
www.troublefreepool.com
Google search results
www.troublefreepool.com
Thanks, I will look into!There’s several threads here about storing robots & lots of inventive ways to do so. Some have added a gfci in the yard in a lower traffic area just for their bot & it’s “house”.
Google search results