That’s an outrageous amount of money to spend on pool chemicals for two months (I spend way less than that over an entire year!), but it’s a common experience with lots of pool guys that just dump a bunch of stuff in and hope it works without having accurate test results to go off of. Without an accurate test kit you’re flying blind and there’s not much advice other than guesses TFP can provide. In all likely hood you just needed more chlorine and none of the floc or other stuff they sold you.
Pool Chlorine Level Keeps Dropping (Please help! Incurring astronomic costs in chemicals)
- Thread starter qsch1
- Start date
- Jun 1, 2018
- 16,012
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Use PoolMath to calculate bleach amounts based on the percentage of bleach you have - it is free.
Understand that trichlor(tablets) & dichlor powder raise your cya which makes your necessary shock/slam level higher along with being acidic.
FC/CYA Levels
We recommend you use plain cheap Unadulterated bleach (no Cloromax technology) or dedicated pool liquid chlorine.
Www.discountsaltpool.com sells replacement cells for that unit but it may not come in before next week.
You may want to try the autopilot dealer locator to find a brick & mortar store that has one in stock
Where to Buy | Dealers | AutoPilot Salt Chlorine Generator Company
Products for your pool and spa, including salt chlorine generators and accessories, find one of our dealers near you for quality products you can count on
autopilot.com
Here’s all that cell can do in 24 hours in your pool volume running full till
9ppm is not even slam/shock level for the lowest cya level.
The SLAM Process with liquid chlorine using accurate testing is the proven & least expensive way to eradicate the algae and confirm it is gone.
All the cell can do is help keep it gone if set properly afterwards.
I am going to show you the chart for the CYA/FC ratio. As you can see from the chart the more CYA (balancer or stabilizer that is added when you use powder or tablet forms of chlorine) the more FC you need. Once you get over 80 CYA you need to drain and replace some of your water so you have half a chance of beating the algae.
Now here is the chart for doing a SLAM as seen here: SLAM Process
I only spend MAYBE $300 a YEAR on chemicals for my pool.
Now here is the chart for doing a SLAM as seen here: SLAM Process
I only spend MAYBE $300 a YEAR on chemicals for my pool.
98Poolmaster
In The Industry
Do you guys think a 1/2 hp pump on that size pool is enough?It also says it’s solar powered, thought I would bring that up.
I didn't see any clear information about what you have been referring to a "shock", although you did mention powders and tablets for availability. Without knowing what exactly has been added, it is hard to guess...but many of the non-liquid forms of Chlorine also contain CYA. So using them increases the level, and as the charts posted show, you need more and more Chlorine added to work at all. Eventually you reach a point where it takes an extreme amount. And a salt cell just can't make anywhere near enough to satisfy that level of need.
The test kits mentioned are the best at giving a solid basis for what your chemical levels are in the pool. But if you just can't use one of them, at minimum tell us what your levels are via locally available testing. Right now, most important is your current CYA level. After that, your current Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine, and pH. Get your pool guys to tell you the most current numbers they get from their testing. It may not be very accurate, but at least will give others here something to go on to make recommendations.
At this stage, the ONLY thing you should be adding is some form of liquid Chlorine. Yes, you may need a lot of it - but how much is completely unknown until there are some numbers to serve as a guide. Liquid Chlorox is the poorest choice - weakest concentration, meaning you have to buy many times as much. But if it is only what you can get.... NEVER use any Chlorox sold as "splashless", "scented", "enchanced" or any other variation. It must only be just very plain bleach.
But we have to see your numbers to give any meaningful advice.
The test kits mentioned are the best at giving a solid basis for what your chemical levels are in the pool. But if you just can't use one of them, at minimum tell us what your levels are via locally available testing. Right now, most important is your current CYA level. After that, your current Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine, and pH. Get your pool guys to tell you the most current numbers they get from their testing. It may not be very accurate, but at least will give others here something to go on to make recommendations.
At this stage, the ONLY thing you should be adding is some form of liquid Chlorine. Yes, you may need a lot of it - but how much is completely unknown until there are some numbers to serve as a guide. Liquid Chlorox is the poorest choice - weakest concentration, meaning you have to buy many times as much. But if it is only what you can get.... NEVER use any Chlorox sold as "splashless", "scented", "enchanced" or any other variation. It must only be just very plain bleach.
But we have to see your numbers to give any meaningful advice.
In
it does seem smaller than most in the US for that size pool but I’m not a great source of information on what’s really the minimum. I’ve never seen a solar powered pump so that may be affecting how much runtime the salt cell can operate, which could mean it’s not able to produce enough chlorine during sunlight hours. Don’t really know without test numbers.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 7,812
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
You need reliable test results. One of the recommended test kits will provide those.
A recommended test kit needs to be used consistently (daily, weekly, monthly, depending on which exact test in the test kit you use), not just a few times a year.
Testing isn't tedious. It's easy and a necessity for a sanitary pool.
A recommended test kit will cost less than 10% of a new SWG system.
Since you have a friend flying down next week, bringing a quality, recommended test kit with them is a no brainer.
98Poolmaster
In The Industry
A few times a year?Don't know how to respond to that.I still think that pump is undersized and it’s solar so on non sunny days the pump must not work.How many hours do you run the pump and what kind of filter do you have?Skimmers?Return lines?
I suspect if he has been running the pool 14 years a certain way it’s gotta be hard to change. He must have been quite fortunate to go that long without major problems, or maybe the pool guys just hid the problems for a while and it’s finally coming back to bite them. I know I’d be wondering why I’d need to change if I had made it 14 years.
But I’ve also learned that sometimes what you think are normal, required problems and expenses are not necessarily normal or required.
@qsch1 let us know how it goes.
Much depends on the pump. When they were available and there was no need for more flow due to water features, I regularly installed 1/2hp pumps on a pool that size with no issues keeping the pool clean and using a SWG if it was on the pool. A simple pool doesn't need anything more powerful, and they were California-legal. DOE regulations put an end to that.
They were always high-head pumps, like Whisperflo, Hayward Tri-Star, and, my favorite, the Waterway Champs-107S that moved more water than either of the others for the same electrical cost. Even used one on a 40,000 gallon, very old concrete-block pool, with only one 1.25" suction line (lily-pad skimmer) and one 1" return. Serviced that pool for over a year with no problems, just ran the pump 10-12 hours a day. It was a rental property and there was no way to talk the owner into a VSP.
Some of the solar pool pumps on the market use the Waterway wet-end on a solar motor and can move 40-50 gpm even on a cloudy day, plenty for a 20K pool. They are DC, variable speed motors that change speed as solar is available, so the flow may not always meet SWG requirements. Don't know what the OP has for a pump, so it may not be adequate.
98Poolmaster
In The Industry
Thanks for the info I know Whisperflo 1/2 hp can power 9-13 thousand gallon pools no problem.We have two we service with them never used one on anything bigger but if I’m not mistaken the flow rate is pretty close to a 3/4 which we put on some 15-20 thousand gallon pools.We have gotten 80-90% of our accounts on the Intelliflo in the last decade.Edison had 400.00 rebates for several years ,have you dealt with any of the new Intelliflo 3 yet?What is the highest hp they make on solar pumps?Really haven’t looked into them as of yet ,so I was just wondering of your experience with them.
Using the .5 hp pump on a larger pool was just a matter of running it long enough to do the job. Customers were more than happy to save the $1000.00 or so difference at the time between a .5hp single-speed pump and a VSP, because our electric rates in most of my area are very good and it would take too many years for the VSP to pay for itself. The other benefits of a VSP never seemed to outweigh the initial cost.
In nearby PG&E territory and I wouldn't even discuss or sell the .5hp single-speed. DOE regulations ended that option.
No real experience with solar pumps. Have seen two in my area. Customers were very happy with them, but both also had a regular pump in the system "just in case" though neither said they ever used them.
The ones that I saw were from this company, which uses the Waterway wet ends on most of their pumps. They make them up to 3.5hp. Not bad pricing since they sell complete systems, including the solar panels, switch, and wiring :
98Poolmaster
In The Industry
Would be very surprised if they ever got more popular.I appreciate the input and information,the VS pumps have gotten crazy expensive I remember just 10-12 years ago they were under 900.00 and Pentair was offering rebates.With the Pentair Partners we were getting a free pump for every 11 we sold back then.
I just ordered a cell and it should arrive in time for my friend to bring it down Jan 6th. I will then put it in and see if that keeps the chlorine levels up. I will also try and get those tests you requested, ask the pool guys if they can do this for me. Thanks
That is what I am saying. And I have been telling the pool guys this for months!
Thanks very much, I did get rid of the algae and the pool was very clear and blue. The issue is then it turns in around a week as the chlorine level drops due to the cell not having it topped up. I will read the second link you sent, very helpful thanks!Use PoolMath to calculate bleach amounts based on the percentage of bleach you have - it is free.
Understand that trichlor(tablets) & dichlor powder raise your cya which makes your necessary shock/slam level higher along with being acidic.
FC/CYA Levels
We recommend you use plain cheap Unadulterated bleach (no Cloromax technology) or dedicated pool liquid chlorine.
Www.discountsaltpool.com sells replacement cells for that unit but it may not come in before next week.
You may want to try the autopilot dealer locator to find a brick & mortar store that has one in stock
Just know that you must rid yourself of the algae or you will continue to have issues even if the cell is functioning properly.Where to Buy | Dealers | AutoPilot Salt Chlorine Generator Company
Products for your pool and spa, including salt chlorine generators and accessories, find one of our dealers near you for quality products you can count on
Here’s all that cell can do in 24 hours in your pool volume running full till
View attachment 546011
9ppm is not even slam/shock level for the lowest cya level.
The SLAM Process with liquid chlorine using accurate testing is the proven & least expensive way to eradicate the algae and confirm it is gone.
All the cell can do is help keep it gone if set properly afterwards.
Thanks, yes it has been working well for about 2 years. The only issue is if the sun isn't out then vacuuming becomes a problem. I have my other pump (Pentair 3 Horse) which I want to reinstall for that, the board had become damaged in a lightening storm and we fitted the solar power 1/2 Horse pump but that has now been replaced.
What simple efficient test kit do you recommend? Is there a electronic one, which can check all those main values (ie. CYA, Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine and PH)? Thanks
Thanks, as I said I have had the pump for about two years and had no issues. It runs well (good pressure) for at least 10 hours per day. You can see the filter I have in my signature, I have been using those since I built the pool about 14 years ago but obviously changed the cartridges.
I suspect if he has been running the pool 14 years a certain way it’s gotta be hard to change. He must have been quite fortunate to go that long without major problems, or maybe the pool guys just hid the problems for a while and it’s finally coming back to bite them. I know I’d be wondering why I’d need to change if I had made it 14 years.
But I’ve also learned that sometimes what you think are normal, required problems and expenses are not necessarily normal or required.
@qsch1 let us know how it goes.
The only thing that changed in the 14 years was the installation of the solar pump about 2 years ago, a new board and cell about 6 - 12 months ago. I have a funny feeling that the cell may not be working properly. It is not an autopilot cell and the production might be more limited?
Last edited: