Is adding too much bleach for winter bad?

[richierich]

I think I added too much bleach 2 weeks ago for closing the pool. I added about 90oz of bleach and then covered the pool. I drained below the return lines which drained about 1/3 of the pool. I lifted the cover to see how much dirt was in the pool and the smell of bleach almost made me dizzy. Aside from a fading liner could this damage anything? Like make a hole in the liner? Or affect the micro mesh cover from the fumes or something? I felt like the rails that the cover lays on are turning black from the cover like 'dissolving or melting' it could be dirt though.

Edit I added the 90oz per pool path to get to a FC of 20 which I think I read you should do when closing the pool to get to SLAM levels.

 

[JVTrain]

Have you tested the FC/CC level after adding the bleach? Usually a heavy chlorine smell is due to combined chlorine rather than free chlorine. Was the pool clean and well maintained before draining and closing? How long has the pool been closed?

 

[richierich]

The pool was crystal clear before closing. No CC at all. Its now at about 22 or so

 

[JVTrain]

I'm assuming that your CYA was tested at 50 ppm if you were closing with a target of 20 ppm SLAM. If that's the case, it should be fine. It could be that some CC had formed and outgassed and when you opened the cover, you got a good whiff. I would not be concerned with that level of FC at that CYA causing any damage at all to pool components.

 

[richierich]

Should I open the cover for a few mins to let the gases escape?

 

[pooldv]

No harm in doing that, but not necessary. Your chlorine/cya level is fine.

 

[chem geek]

The active chlorine level gets lower at lower temperature at the same FC/CYA ratio so the effects of the chlorine should reduce as the water gets colder. In addition, chemical reactions slow down as the water cools.