Indoor, in ground pool high combined chlorine

[JamesW]

They got 0 chlorine, no ammonia, high nitrates (they said over 150ppm).

Nitrates won't do anything.

The local pool/environmental health lady suggested trying some non-chlorine MPS shock as an oxodizer.

That won't help.

If the chlorine is getting used up, then the contaminant is getting used up.

It will eventually be completely used up, but we do not know how much is in the water.

If you can tell me what is in the water and how much, I can tell you how much chlorine it will take.

At this point does adding 12 bags of this hurt?

Dichlor increases cyanuric acid levels, so take that into consideration.

Be very careful when handling powder shock because different kinds can explode if they get mixed together.

Never mix different types of powder shock together.

I’m getting to the point where it’ll be cheaper to drain most of the pool and have a tanker come with 12000 gallons of fresh municipal water.

That might help.

Do not drain too much as the liner can come loose or the pool can be damaged if the water table is high.

I do not see anything on the report that helps much.

 

[i_intub8_u]

Nitrates won't do anything.

That won't help.

Dichlor increases cyanuric acid levels, so that that into consideration.

Be very careful when handling powder shock because different kinds can explode if they get mixed together.

That might help.

Do not drain too much as the liner can come loose or the pool can be damaged if the water table is high.

I do not see anything on the report that helps much.

Ok thanks. Since I already have the Clorox shock, I’ll add these 12 bags. If that doesn’t help, I’ll probably go the drain and fill route so the addition of some CYA isn’t a concern I guess.

After I get this balanced I’ll either use liquid chlorine to keep it balanced or get a SWG installed. So I won’t need the Clorox shock.

 

[JamesW]

 

[i_intub8_u]

Oh jeez. I haven’t added anything to the pool other than the liquid chlorine. So hopefully there shouldn’t be anything that causes it to explode.

 

[JamesW]

The big risk is mixing calcium hypochlorite powder shock and dichlor powder shock.

They look almost identical and people might not realize how dangerous that can be.

 

[Newdude]

Since I already have the Clorox shock, I’ll add these 12 bags.

The 'Xtra blue' is copper, one of the '6-in-1' components. Avoid any mention of blue, ever.

Also avoid any other multiple cure product as the extras are either placebos or harmful like copper or dry acid (sulfates).

12 bags probably won't tip the scales if both levels are low, but it'll put you that much closer to having issues one day.

 

[Mdragger88]

Stop
Here’s what that 12 bags will do


By increasing the cya you will only make it harder for the chlorine to do its job & will increase the necessary shock/slam level to 39ppm.
Not to mention tanking the ph -
Not a good idea

 

[i_intub8_u]

Well the pool filling guy is giving me a deal if I let him come tomorrow. So I’ve decided to start draining the pool and have him fill it tomorrow morning. He estimates the deep end and leaving 2 inches in the shallow end is approx 6000 gallons. So I’ll be replacing over half of the water with fresh municipal water. I’m hopeful this will solve the issue of the CC by diluting it so much. Hopefully I’ll only have to add a relatively small amount of liquid chlorine to get it balanced.

Is he agrees, I might have him pump the first 3500 tanker in the mostly drained pool and then mix it and drain it back down to the minimum. To try to dilute out the junk existing water. The fire hydrant he is tapping is only 3 miles away. He has to make 3 trips. But hoping he might agree to do 4 so I can dilute the crappy water some more.

 

[JamesW]

2" in the shallow end is pretty low.

If the liner has a good fit, it might be ok.

If the liner is tight, it might pull out.

I would not go that low.

12" is probably about as low as I would go without knowing the fit of the liner.

Also, fire hydrant water can be pretty rusty and nasty if the hydrant has not been flushed in a long time.

 

[i_intub8_u]

2" in the shallow end is pretty low.

If the liner has a good fit, it might be ok.

If the liner is tight, it might pull out.

I would not go that low.

12" is probably about as low as I would go without knowing the fit of the liner.

Also, fire hydrant water can be pretty rusty and nasty if the hydrant has not been flushed in a long time.

I’ll be conservative on how far I drain it. The pool fill guy says he flushes the hydrant before filling the tanker so there shouldn’t be much rust or stagnant water.

After I add all this new water, what’s the best course of action to balance the water?

 

[Mdragger88]

I’ll be conservative on how far I drain it. The pool fill guy says he flushes the hydrant before filling the tanker so there shouldn’t be much rust or stagnant water.

After I add all this new water, what’s the best course of action to balance the water?

Let the water mix a while then
Do all the tests & post your results.
Fc
Cc
Ph
Ta
Ch
Cya
Ph in the 7’s & adequate fc are the immediate priority.
Depending upon the ph you may be able to utilize some of the dichlor you have to kill multiple birds with one stone (lowering ph, adding fc, & adding a touch of cya)
We’ll just have to see where you land.
I wouldn’t get rid of your bulk liquid chlorine punch card just yet.
You’ll still want to pass all 3 end of slam criteria before calling it good. Hopefully this exchange will make that easier to accomplish.

 

[i_intub8_u]

Any suggestions on the best for the money SWG that would fit my setup? Indoor, in ground pool, 17k gallons, geothermal heater. Hopefully have my UV system working again by the time I’d install the SWG. They look pretty straightforward to install myself. But I value your experience and advice above all. Thanks

 

[mknauss]

I would suggest a 30k rated system. You don’t have a signature completed so do you have any kind of automation? How do you control your pump, heater, etc.

 

[Mdragger88]

Any suggestions on the best for the money SWG that would fit my setup? Indoor, in ground pool, 17k gallons, geothermal heater. Hopefully have my UV system working again by the time I’d install the SWG. They look pretty straightforward to install myself. But I value your experience and advice above all. Thanks

Fill out your signature with all your equipment - pump type, brand, automation etc.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.google.com

 

[i_intub8_u]

I would suggest a 30k rated system. You don’t have a signature completed so do you have any kind of automation? How do you control your pump, heater, etc.

Filled out my signature. The pump runs 24/7 (this is how it’s been for the last 14 years, I just purchased the house in October 2023 so I haven’t adjusted the pump run time). He has it set on variable speed 2/4. The heater is a geothermal heater dedicated to the pool and in floor heat in the basement and pool concrete pad.

 

[mknauss]

Ok. You can use any brand SWCG if you are going to continue running the pump 24/7. Circupool is well regarded. Be sure what you get will allow fine % generation adjustments. You likely will only be using 1 ppm FC per day or so. Unless the UV is really good. It consumes FC.

 

[i_intub8_u]

Ok. You can use any brand SWCG if you are going to continue running the pump 24/7. Circupool is well regarded. Be sure what you get will allow fine % generation adjustments. You likely will only be using 1 ppm FC per day or so. Unless the UV is really good. It consumes FC.

CircuPool EDGE-40 Salt Chlorine Generator | Discount Salt Pool

www.discountsaltpool.com

Is this one a good option for me? It doesn’t seem to say what the chlorine generation percentages are for each level. It just has gradations for chlorine generation. Are the Pentair IC40 or Hayward T15 “better” SWGs? I just want to get this pool as automated as possible. It’s been nothing but a headache since I bought the house due to the high CCs from a contaminant in my well water.

 

[mknauss]

I believe the Edge is adjustable in 12.5% increments. For your situation, I would get the Edge 25.

Certainly Pentair and Hayward make great SWCG systems. But without automation, you cannot adjust them to low output levels. So you need a timer for the SWCG to make it more adjustable.

 

[i_intub8_u]

I believe the Edge is adjustable in 12.5% increments. For your situation, I would get the Edge 25.

Certainly Pentair and Hayward make great SWCG systems. But without automation, you cannot adjust them to low output levels. So you need a timer for the SWCG to make it more adjustable.

Ok. What sort of automation would you suggest? Putting the pool pump and SWG on a timer? And have it run 14 hours/day instead of 24h or something? I wouldn’t think a residential pool would have to have the pump running 24/7. That would help with longevity of the pump and on utility costs.

 

[JamesW]

It looks like you have an Intelliflo variable speed pump.