Pool service

[SacDave]

I joined TFP a couple months ago, now I have total control of my pool and looks the best it has in ten years. How I ended up hear before I joined I spent $250 in one month on chemicals that didn't solve my returning algae problem. Anyway since I've joined All I use is chlorine, acid and stabilizer if I need it. What I have learned my pool in July used 1/2 gal of chlorine and a little acid now and then. This month I'm at about 1.5 quarts a day (cooled down) so being retired it's no big deal to take of the pool and actually like taking care of it myself. So some of my neighbors have pool services so I had to ask myself how can they possibly take care of a pool coming one day a week? Do they just dump some mass amount of chlorine in the pool once a week?

 

[pabeader]

That and other chemicals. Yuck!

 

[chem geek]

Most pool services use Trichlor pucks in a floating dispenser or in-line chlorinator (unless the pool has an SWG). To prevent algae growth, they use other means such as algaecides (linear quats or Polyquat or copper ions) or phosphate removers unless the pool is lucky enough to be poor in algae nutrients.

Some pool services have the CYA high at 100 ppm or more and dose high with chlorine, say 14 ppm FC and end up with 4 ppm FC at the end of the week.

 

[SacDave]

14 ppm I don't think I'd want get in.

 

[jblizzle]

When I fired the pool service, my CYA was up around 300ppm. Likely so they could only come every 2 weeks. I never liked the water.

 

[pabeader]

14 ppm I don't think I'd want get in.

Don't forget though that the FC by itself is not indicative of high or low level. You need to consider the effect of CYA when making that decision.

 

[chem geek]

14 ppm I don't think I'd want get in.

14 ppm FC with 100 ppm CYA has the same active chlorine (hypochlorous acid) level as 4.3 ppm FC with 30 ppm CYA or 0.13 ppm FC with no CYA. You would not notice ANY difference between any of these three since the effects on swimsuits, skin, and hair are only from the active chlorine as is the outgassing for any faint chlorine bleach-like smell.

If you are going to understand the Chlorine / CYA Chart for managing your pool, you really have to get out of your head that FC means anything by itself with respect to chlorine's strength because it doesn't. With 14 ppm FC and 100 ppm CYA, 99% of the FC is bound to CYA and effectively inert. It is chlorine held in reserve, but it is not active. When the active level drops it is replenished from the reserve, but it is the unbound chlorine that matters, not that bound to CYA.

 

[pabeader]

Thanks for the higher level of detail. CG. I knew I could count on you for the better explanation.

 

[SacDave]

Thanks for the information on FC level. I did not undestand that your explanation helps a lot Thanks. BTW San Rafael I grew up in Greenbrae moved in 87.