Vacation Chemistry

[Schnozz]

Going away for about 10 days. Lowered my CYA to around 35 by replacing water through backwash and vacuuming to waste over time. No one to watch my baby. So, I'm testing pucks before we go to see how the numbers end up. Pool will stay open, maybe a cover. The question is, Do I need to add an algeacidea like Polyquat60? Recommended or unnecessary? Pump and filter on a timer to run 3 hours in the AM and 3 hours in the PM. Thanks

 

[Texas Splash]

Typically we advise folks to take the pool up to SLAM/Shock level and perhaps add a floater or use their in-line chlorinator. The cover should retain FC quite well. Do you mind sharing how long will you be away from the pool, and where exactly is Charter Oaks? That may influence some of the recommendations.

 

[Schnozz]

We'll be away 12 days or so. Charter Oak is about 30 miles east of Los Angeles. Do you think a cover is necessary? And using trichlor with large floater..

 

[Texas Splash]

The cover will certainly help save your FC from the LA sun, but if you chose not to use it, you should still be okay by increasing to SLAM/shock level (FC 16) and adding a couple tabs in a floater or your in-line chlorinator to hold you over. As an example, one 8 oz Tri-Chlor tab will increase your FC by 6.5 and increase CYA by 4. It will also lower pH by .35. Hope that helps.

 

[Schnozz]

It does help......I've read a couple of old threads about vacation chemistry and kind of figured out what I thought I should do. Didn't remember reading about raising my FC to SLAM levels first, but went back and re-read the threads and low and behold, it was there. Thanks for the reminder. I can't tell you how beneficial this site has been for me.....back in town soon. I have a little re-leveling to do when I get back. Maybe I'll just have a slab of concrete poured and set her up on that. We'll see....Thanks again.....

 

[Schnozz]

This is a little late, but I thought I'd let everyone know how it went. We left the 29th of October and returned on the 11th of November. I brought the FC to slam levels of 24 ppm, a little high for a CYA of 35. Just over did the liquid chlorine..Added a floating chlorine holder filled with pucks, about five of the 3 inch pucks. Pump ran 6 hours each day we were gone on the Intex pump timer. When we returned, about three pucks were gone. FC was at 18 ppm and the CYA had jumped to about 50 ppm. No green water. WooHoo!

Im a furniture upholsterer, and this is my busiest time of the year, so I got a little pool lazy, added two more 3" pucks and left the floater in the pool until today. I was testing every three or four days since then. Today, checked again. FC at 18 but my CYA is up to 70.

Removed the floater, vacuumed to waste, brushed, and backwashed the filter. Added water to replace what went to waste and backwash. Pumps been on for about an hour. Getting ready to retest and shift back to liquid chlorine.

Any way, thanks for the advice before my vacation. Nothing like coming home to a clear pool. And I have seen first hand the affects of chlorine pucks on my CYA. I'm a believer in the TFP method, just a little thick headed....

 

[MarianParoo]

Learning is a curve. Welcome home!

 

[kimkats]

LOL at least you are willing to learn with a little help! Good job!!!

Kim

 

[JoyfulNoise]

70ppm is perfect....for an SWG pool. Maybe you were channeling a deeply repressed subconscious desire to switch to salt water chlorine generation and reap the benefits of never having to worry about vacation pool care....or maybe you just needed to learn a lesson about pucks

Either way, great story!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006