Perforating pool shock packet for vacation

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C

Comeby

Active member
Jul 13, 2015
37
Frisco, Texas
Pool Size
14500
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
We are about to head out for 8 days on vacation. I hated to do it but I’ve loaded inline chlorinator with some pucks. Usually in this 108F heat I see the liquid chlorine get zapped away at about 3-4 days. My biggest risk if water level dropping to the point of no circ. Thought about closing the skimmer valves and having the pump pool from the bottom only so I don’t cavitate the pump and to keep circulating over the week.

Thinking of dropping a bag of shock, punching some holes in it and dropping into my floating puck holder. I wouldn’t put it in the skimmer before the plastic could plug the suction of the skimmer. Has anyone done that?






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Build Type: Plaster
Volume: 14500 gallons
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Latest Test Result Summary:
FC: 3.0 (an hour ago) - added 1 gal to get to 7
pH: 7.7 (an hour ago) - added 2 cups to get to 7.6.
TA: 60 (2 days ago)
CH: 220 (10 days ago)
CYA: 45 (2 days ago)
TEMPERATURE: 88° (an hour ago)
CSI: -0.19 (an hour ago)
==========================================
 
Comeby said:
I hated to do it but I’ve loaded inline chlorinator with some pucks. Usually in this 108F heat I see the liquid chlorine get zapped away at about 3-4 days.
Click to expand...
Your CYA is 50 (always round up to next higher decade number) so you could raise your FC level to 20 with LC. That will give you 3 days (5ppm per day). Plus add the pucks as that will help as well but they are slow dissolving.
Do you have any neighbor that would pour a gallon or 2 of LC after 4 days?

Comeby said:
My biggest risk if water level dropping to the point of no circ. Thought about closing the skimmer valves and having the pump pool from the bottom only so I don’t cavitate the pump and to keep circulating over the week.
Click to expand...
Good idea if you do not have autofill.

Comeby said:
Thinking of dropping a bag of shock, punching some holes in it and dropping into my floating puck holder. I wouldn’t put it in the skimmer before the plastic could plug the suction of the skimmer. Has anyone done that?
Click to expand...
I have never done that because I don't like using granular shock. Is this cal-hypo? My concern is that granular shock can clump in the floater.
If you do this, it would be interesting to hear the outcome upon your return.
 
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If that floater has held trichlor, I would not put cal hypo in it. If by chance there are any traces of trichlor in the floater, it could go very badly.
 
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HermanTX said:
Your CYA is 50 (always round up to next higher decade number) so you could raise your FC level to 20 with LC. That will give you 3 days (5ppm per day). Plus add the pucks as that will help as well but they are slow dissolving.
Do you have any neighbor that would pour a gallon or 2 of LC after 4 days?


Good idea if you do not have autofill.


I have never done that because I don't like using granular shock. Is this cal-hypo? My concern is that granular shock can clump in the floater.
If you do this, it would be interesting to hear the outcome upon your return.
Click to expand...
I have a neighbor that might do it. I’ll dump a gallon in this evening and check in the am. Still thinking of the doing perforated bag of shock in the floater. As much as I want to close the skimmers, I should’ve tried it while I was here to make sure all looks good over the course of a few days. I hate to experiment while I’m out.
 
If i am understanding u correctly u are planning on putting a dichlor bag in a floater & trichlor pucks in your inline chlorinator- correct?
If u are concerned w/ adding too much cya then why not just use trichlor pucks in the floater too? They add less cya & more fc per oz than dichlor.
6 trichlor tabs total (if they all dissolve) amongst inline chlorinator & floater will add 23ppm fc & 14ppm cya in your water volume - if u also raise fc to slam level for your cya (20ppm Fc) before leaving you should have enough fc to carry through while u are gone.
Also if u have a solar cover you can deploy that would further assist with preventing fc loss from the sun & water loss from evaporation .
You can also fill the pool a little higher to compensate for water loss from evaporation. How much water do u normally lose per day/week?
 
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Mdragger88 said:
If i am understanding u correctly u are planning on putting a dichlor bag in a floater & trichlor pucks in your inline chlorinator- correct?
If u are concerned w/ adding too much cya then why not just use trichlor pucks in the floater too? They add less cya & more fc per oz than dichlor.
6 trichlor tabs total (if they all dissolve) amongst inline chlorinator & floater will add 23ppm fc & 14ppm cya in your water volume - if u also raise fc to slam level for your cya (20ppm Fc) before leaving you should have enough fc to carry through while u are gone.
Also if u have a solar cover you can deploy that would further assist with preventing fc loss from the sun & water loss from evaporation .
You can also fill the pool a little higher to compensate for water loss from evaporation. How much water do u normally lose per day/week?
Click to expand...
Great comments. I was planning on using the shock because it was my impression that is was a bit more potent than the pucks. I guess I had it backwards. In the past I just dropped 2-3 pucks in the floater but this time I actually had shock and my CYA has been running lower than I used to. I hit it with a gal of 10% this morning before leaving as well so I should be at SLAM level.

I don’t have a solar cover although I have used a Lilly pad to help. I found that algae seemed to like the shade. I also filled the pool to the top of the drain. I may ask a sprinkler guy to see if they can add a valve to my system when I get back. I used to have a Rainbird battery powered programmable valve for my garden several years ago and still have it but it’s too old to risk the thing failing while I’m out.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I always rant about how good this forum is for pool owners.
 
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Comeby said:
I used to have a Rainbird battery powered programmable valve for my garden several years ago and still have it but it’s too old to risk the thing failing while I’m out.
Click to expand...
They make one that is wireless control as well. My daughter has one on her soaker hose which she can turn on or off as needed regardless if she is home or not. Seems to work well but as you state there is always a risk it will fail and not shutoff. If there was a failsafe mechanism which would go to OFF would be best.
 
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Comeby said:
Great comments. I was planning on using the shock because it was my impression that is was a bit more potent than the pucks. I guess I had it backwards. In the past I just dropped 2-3 pucks in the floater but this time I actually had shock and my CYA has been running lower than I used to. I hit it with a gal of 10% this morning before leaving as well so I should be at SLAM level.

I don’t have a solar cover although I have used a Lilly pad to help. I found that algae seemed to like the shade. I also filled the pool to the top of the drain. I may ask a sprinkler guy to see if they can add a valve to my system when I get back. I used to have a Rainbird battery powered programmable valve for my garden several years ago and still have it but it’s too old to risk the thing failing while I’m out.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I always rant about how good this forum is for pool owners.
Click to expand...
U can Always use PoolMath effects of adding in the hamburger menu before adding things to get an idea of how they effect all the different parameters.
Regular trichlor tabs are 8oz, jumbo’s are 10oz. The tiny 1” ones are 3oz I believe.
 
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