OK to use bleach and tablets to chlorinate?

[Blur811]

I am going away for a few days so I was going to add some bleach and then use the Hayward Chlorinator while we are away. I was also planning on adding ~100 oz of Borax to increase the PH up to 7.5

Thanks for any advice

FAC = 3
TAC = 3
CH = 210
CYA = 60
TA = 80
ph = 7.2

 

[tim5055]

Does you pH normally rise slowly like most pools do? If so I would just leave the pH alone.

Following our methods your FC is already way too low (you should never be below 5 and target 7) and your CYA is too high and using the pucks is just going to drive it higher. If you are only going ot be gone 3 days I would bring it to shock level for your CYA level (24 FC) just before you leave and be ready to add bleach when you get back.

What test kit are you using as we don't commonly see TC reported?

 

[mikemass]

A few days? Sure. A few weeks or a whole season? No. Enjoy your few days away. Hope it's for pleasure. Have fun!

 

[Blur811]

What test kit are you using as we don't commonly see TC reported?[/QUOTE]

This was from a local pool store but I measured with a Taylor K2006 test kit last night and had essentially the same results. I only went to the local pool store to test for phosphates because I've had some small pop-ups of green algae in the corners of the stairs, likely due to low chlorine and not brushing it all off. Phosphates were tested at 100ppb. I just purchased a good stainless steel brush, added algaecide 2 days ago, then double shocked the pool last night. I had been keeping the solar cover on most of the time and the water got really warm and chlorine dropped.

 

[tim5055]

I'm going to be honest, mixing pool store advice/testing with TFP methods is just another recipe for disaster.

When we see algae we don't use algecide. Why? because algecide is a preventative treatment - it really does little to eliminate an active algae growth. The small print on the bottle usually says not to use for an active algae growth or eliminate algae before using. The pool store sells it to you for algae, because - they make money on the sale.

We do not "shock" our pools, we follow the SLAM Process when there is a problem.

It's your choice which methods you follow, but I suggest staying out of the pool store.

 

[Blur811]

"Does you pH normally rise slowly like most pools do? If so I would just leave the pH alone."

The ph level has dropped over the past ~4 weeks from 7.5 to 7.2 so I figured I'd should add borax. Thanks for the advice, this is my first season with a pool (just bought the home in the winter) so I started with typical pool store advice but I am trying to migrate to TFP methods.