Safe methods for adding Bleach and Muriatic acid? Pouring, pre-mixing, brushing? etc

[boringforumname]

I tend to be a paranoid person when it comes to my children's safety. My worst fear is either of these liquids creating a pocket or saturated area that someone swims through and has irreversible eye damage (or something else equally nasty).

1) I guess the best way to look at this is, what exactly happens to either bleach/Liquid Chlorine or muriatic acid when added to pool water if, say, the pump was off? If these chemicals are denser than the water, do they sort of sit in pockets in the area you added them to? Would they sink slowly in a concentrated clumps, or does it naturally spread out evenly, yet slowly, over time? Does it spread out over the walls?

2) Is it better to pour slowly in the deep end near a return jet, or pour evenly around the entire pool OR pre-mix it in a bucket and THEN pour evenly around the entire pool? The issue with the first seems to be possibly creating dangerous pockets that can hang around or saturated areas that take longer to mix evenly, and the issue with the second/third is it's more of a pain in the butt as well as splashing on you and the decking (really an issue with muriatic acid).

3) I've heard also that brushing the walls (whole pool or just deep end?) after you add is recommended, but why?

4) How long, with the pump running, can you safely expect these chemicals to be evenly mixed in the water, and does size of pool and pump P.S.I./water turnover rate factor into that? I have a fairly large pool of 30,000-35,000 gallons and an energy efficient variable speed pump that I am currently running at about 10-12 p.s.i. on a 500 lb sand filter.

 

[Geebot]

If your pump is running and you add at the return at the deep end then give yourself 1/2 an hour before swimming and you should be fine.

 

[RobbieH]

Pour near a running return. That's all you need to know.

 

[Richard320]

The key to safety is dilution.

So never add bleach or acid unless the pump is running and always dribble it into the return stream.

If by some freak accident it they go in otherwise, then brush the area to mix and dilute it.

Watch the cloud disperse into nothingness the next time you pour in some bleach. Or mix up some food coloring in a pitcher of water and go pour that in. It'll fade away into nothingness but if it doesn't, bleach will oxidize it away anyway and you'll realize you have a problem with the circulation.

 

[kimkats]

Good for you for being a momma bear! The others have your covered with adding the FC and MA.

Now I want to talk to you about how you store your MA. It should not be stored by your chlorine. They do not play well together. Most of us store it outside in a shady area. Those with kids keep it in a plastic storage unit that is WELL VENTILATED. Better safe than sorry.

Kim:cat;

 

[boringforumname]

Thank you all for the help so far.

The key to safety is dilution.

If by some freak accident it they go in otherwise, then brush the area to mix and dilute it.

This is what concerns me. So if I pour too quickly, why would brushing the sides help? Do these chemicals tend to spread over the walls near the area they went in if you dump it?

 

[kimkats]

Brushing moves the water, moving the water mixes it up. You need to brush the walls any way so you are doing two things at once.

Kim:cat:

 

[boringforumname]

Brushing moves the water, moving the water mixes it up. You need to brush the walls any way so you are doing two things at once.

Kim:cat:

So you would only recommend brushing the walls in the general area of the pour if you dumped it too quickly by accident?

This whole brushing thing... I really need to know how effective or important this step is in adding either of these 2 chemicals. Mostly because I REALLY hate brushing the walls.

I already run a dolphin cleaner, and I'm considering going back to side suction equipment anyway, so I'm not really clear on when or how often the walls should be brushed. I normally only do it if I have a yellow algae bloom (brush, shock, vacuum to waste a day or two later).

 

[doc8404]

I'm sure I'm in the minority. I brushed my walls for the first time yesterday. First time ever.

 

[kimkats]

Brushing the side of the pool is my husband's ONLY job with the pool. One time when he thought it looked fine so did not brush for a while...............I was in the pool and noticed some green on the side. Yep! Algae. I called him over to see it and ran my hand over the side and a nice little green cloud poof up. He jumped in and brushed the sides LOL

Now saying that.........you do not have to brush after adding FC or MA. Just make sure the pump is on (high if you are able), pour slowly right in the stream of the return. Wait 30 mins. and call it good.

You can also add the FC and MA in the evening after the kids have gone to bed and let the pump run for a while without any worries.

Kim:cat: