Help with liquid chlorine

[Mr. Met Mike]

OK -- so progress is being made. Check all areas that algae could hide. Do you have drop in stairs or a ladder? Light niche, skimmer door, etc.

No drop in stairs or skimmer door. The only thing I have is a large built in light. Do I need to unscrew that and take that out and check?

 

[mknauss]

Do I need to unscrew that and take that out and check?

Yes.

 

[Dtkokay]

Hi there - On your CYA reading that appears to be 45, round your CYA result up to the next ten. So if you think you see 45, you should interpret that results as 50.

Your chlorine levels are hard to understand because you haven’t listed when you’re actually adding chlorine. For example, your FC readings are increasing in the evenings, which is very counterintuitive. When I look at your results, I see the FC bouncing up and down but without knowing when you added chlorine and what the FC level was after that, personally I haven’t tell if you’re making progress.

Also, are you actually testing your water after adding the chlorine to confirm that you’re reaching 20 ppm? Or are you adding a certain amount of chlorine that you believe will get you to 20 ppm and assuming that you’re reaching 20 ppm? You should test the FC level maybe 15-20 minutes after adding chlorine to confirm you’re reaching 20 ppm.

 

[Mr. Met Mike]

Yes.

What about the drain covers? Those seem like they would be really difficult to do. Do they need to be done as well?

 

[mknauss]

Some have found algae under them. I would not worry about them until you deal with the most obvious areas.

 

[Mr. Met Mike]

Hi there - On your CYA reading that appears to be 45, round your CYA result up to the next ten. So if you think you see 45, you should interpret that results as 50.

Your chlorine levels are hard to understand because you haven’t listed when you’re actually adding chlorine. For example, your FC readings are increasing in the evenings, which is very counterintuitive. When I look at your results, I see the FC bouncing up and down but without knowing when you added chlorine and what the FC level was after that, personally I haven’t tell if you’re making progress.

Also, are you actually testing your water after adding the chlorine to confirm that you’re reaching 20 ppm? Or are you adding a certain amount of chlorine that you believe will get you to 20 ppm and assuming that you’re reaching 20 ppm? You should test the FC level maybe 15-20 minutes after adding chlorine to confirm you’re reaching 20 ppm.

I have been testing the FC and then adding the required amount based on Pool Math to get back up to 20 ppm right after each test. I have not been testing 15-20 minutes after. I am going to start incorporating that into my testing. Also, I have been using 50 as my CYA number.

 

[mknauss]

I am going to start incorporating that into my testing

You can do that once to see if everything is correct, but there is no need to do that after every chlorine add.

 

[Mr. Met Mike]

What is the best way to add the chlorine? In front of the return jets, the deep end only, the perimeter of the entire pool? I know typically you should not add chlorine during the bright sunshine, but is that ok for a slam? Also, is it ok to run the robot cleaner during the slam?

 

[mknauss]

Add the liquid chlorine slowly at a return stream with the pump running.
You can add liquid chlorine at any time of day.
You can run the robot if necessary but it is best to brush manually.

The following article describes how to add all the chemicals recommended for use by TFP.

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Dtkokay]

I have been testing the FC and then adding the required amount based on Pool Math to get back up to 20 ppm right after each test. I have not been testing 15-20 minutes after. I am going to start incorporating that into my testing. Also, I have been using 50 as my CYA number.

I had a feeling. If you don’t test shortly after adding chlorine, you can’t confirm that you’re reaching SLAM level of 20 ppm. You also can’t accurately tell how much your chlorine is dropping. Keep it going - I think you’ll there!

 

[Mr. Met Mike]

Is this eating all of my chlorine?

 

[mknauss]

Not helping. Clean it up and hang it in the pool if possible until the SLAM is over.

 

[Mr. Met Mike]

This is crazy how much chlorine I have gone through. My pool is crystal clean, but here are my numbers since I removed the light and cleaned it out yesterday.

8/21 4:40 pm FC = 4.6
Added 4 gallons
8/21 5:15 pm FC = 22.6

8/21 7:40 pm FC = 17
Added 1 gallon
8/21 8:15 pm FC = 22

8/21 11:45 pm FC = 13
Added 2 gallons
8/22 12:15 am FC = 22

8/22 10:30 am FC = 7
Added 3 gallons
11:00 am FC = 20.6

8/22 3:50 pm FC = 11

Ugh I'm ready to give up!

 

[mknauss]

Seems extreme from what you say.

I see only one test logged in to your Poolmath. Is that the only time you tested your CYA?

Your overnight loss is huge. There must be organics in the pool somewhere.

 

[Mr. Met Mike]

Seems extreme from what you say.

I see only one test logged in to your Poolmath. Is that the only time you tested your CYA?

Your overnight loss is huge. There must be organics in the pool somewhere.

I have tested the CYA several times. I keep getting the same results of 50.

 

[Stoopalini]

Have you cleaned the filter, or replaced the DE media, at all during this SLAM process?

 

[Mr. Met Mike]

Have you cleaned the filter, or replaced the DE media, at all during this SLAM process?

Yes twice.