Bleach for pool while away

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Shannon246

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Aug 6, 2016
10
AL
We recently bought a house with an in-ground pool, about 13,000 gallons. After some issues. I discovered the CYA is high and I wasn't keeping the FC high enough for it. It is right around 100 now. I only use bleach or liquid chlorine now and keep it around 8-13 per the pool calculator app. Everything has been great, but we will be going out of town for a few days. We live in Alabama and the pool gets lots of sun. It tends to lose about 6ppm chlorine every day so I'm adding 1/2 to 1 jug of 8.25% bleach daily. Is it ok to high shock before leaving? Shock level is 25, so it'd all be gone in about 4 days and below the ideal level in 3. High shock is listed at 54. I'm just not sure if there are other issues from raising it that high. Would it be better to use the pucks in the feeder while we are gone even though it will raise the CYA more? CH is low, but are there any delayed release clorinators that just add calcium and not stabilizer?
It's a lot of chlorine loss daily, but we typically have 4 kids and 1-2 adults swimming every evening. We also tend to have hit/miss afternoon showers daily. All this makes me wonder if I really can predict the loss while we are gone.
We have a variable speed pump that runs 24/7 if that matters.
FC-9
CC-.2
PH-7.4
TA-90
CH-50 (vinyl pool)
CYA-100
Thanks,
Shannon
 
Welcome to TFP!

There is no issue with raising your FC to shock level. It is always ok. If you have a cover that will reduce FC loss to the sun. You could raise FC to shock level and cover it.
 
Shannon246 said:
We recently bought a house with an in-ground pool, about 13,000 gallons. After some issues. I discovered the CYA is high and I wasn't keeping the FC high enough for it. It is right around 100 now. I only use bleach or liquid chlorine now and keep it around 8-13 per the pool calculator app. Everything has been great, but we will be going out of town for a few days. We live in Alabama and the pool gets lots of sun. It tends to lose about 6ppm chlorine every day so I'm adding 1/2 to 1 jug of 8.25% bleach daily. Is it ok to high shock before leaving? Shock level is 25, so it'd all be gone in about 4 days and below the ideal level in 3. High shock is listed at 54. I'm just not sure if there are other issues from raising it that high. Would it be better to use the pucks in the feeder while we are gone even though it will raise the CYA more? CH is low, but are there any delayed release clorinators that just add calcium and not stabilizer?
It's a lot of chlorine loss daily, but we typically have 4 kids and 1-2 adults swimming every evening. We also tend to have hit/miss afternoon showers daily. All this makes me wonder if I really can predict the loss while we are gone.
We have a variable speed pump that runs 24/7 if that matters.
FC-9
CC-.2
PH-7.4
TA-90
CH-50 (vinyl pool)
CYA-100
Thanks,
Shannon
Click to expand...

I'd perform overnight FC loss test to verify nothing else contributes to your FC loss. 6ppm is quite high in my books, I average 1-2 ppm a day in a sunny CA; my pool is not used much- less than 1 hr on average.

Otherwise do what was already recommended ^^^
 
Thanks! I've wondered about the high loss, but it only lost 1-2 ppm at night the times I checked. We did have an algae problem several weeks ago when the pump broke and I didn't realize we needed the higher FC levels. It has been sparkling and consistent now. We don't get a lot of debris typically, so it's not that either. On average the kids swim 1-2 hours a day. I'd love to reduce the amount of bleach I'm adding!
We do tend to get afternoon showers or end up adding water if we don't get rain for a few days.

No, we aren't close to Dallas.
 
Shannon246 said:
Thanks! I've wondered about the high loss, but it only lost 1-2 ppm at night the times I checked. We did have an algae problem several weeks ago when the pump broke and I didn't realize we needed the higher FC levels. It has been sparkling and consistent now. We don't get a lot of debris typically, so it's not that either. On average the kids swim 1-2 hours a day. I'd love to reduce the amount of bleach I'm adding!
We do tend to get afternoon showers or end up adding water if we don't get rain for a few days.

No, we aren't close to Dallas.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum.

Losing more than 1ppm of FC overnight is a sign that there is something in the water consuming chlorine.

How did you determine that you killed all the algae in the pool?

Dom
 
Shannon246 said:
... but it only lost 1-2 ppm at night the times I checked. We did have an algae problem several weeks ago ...
Click to expand...
that's how much I lose in a day in full sun- you definitely have something going on. If you don't have time before departing and can't make arrangements for someone to continue the SLAM I wouldn't bother to start it now, it would be just waste of chlorine.
If it's less than 5 days bringing pool to shock level + cover might work or you could also compliment by putting trichlor tablets in the floater for delayed release. I know it will make your CYA even worse but you need something to add chlorine while you're away or you might see swamp on return since you already have algae bloom going. If you can ask someone to come by and just pour chlorine in the pool at least every other day it would be the best. Your current demand seems to be 1 gal/day of 8.25% bleach. Heck, I use 3 times less on mine.
 
We've just kept the pump running since we replaced it. It mostly runs on low, so we wanted to be sure to keep cycling.
I kept the pool shocked until it was clear and only lost 1ppm over night for a few nights. I say 1-2ppm since I haven't gotten to check it first thing in the morning. I'll try to test at set times again. So if that is too much loss, what do I need to do to solve it? Shock really high? Should I be checking something else?
 
Shannon246 said:
We've just kept the pump running since we replaced it. It mostly runs on low, so we wanted to be sure to keep cycling.
I kept the pool shocked until it was clear and only lost 1ppm over night for a few nights. I say 1-2ppm since I haven't gotten to check it first thing in the morning. I'll try to test at set times again. So if that is too much loss, what do I need to do to solve it? Shock really high? Should I be checking something else?
Click to expand...
If your water is clear of any algae, you pass an OCLT, & your CC is 0.5ppm or less you are probably fine.

This time of year, with daily use, I lose about 3-4ppm a day. 2ppm in 24 hours is nothing to be alarmed about, but 2ppm overnight is cause for concern. Do a proper OCLT.

Dom
 

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Shannon246 said:
We've just kept the pump running since we replaced it. It mostly runs on low, so we wanted to be sure to keep cycling.
I kept the pool shocked until it was clear and only lost 1ppm over night for a few nights. I say 1-2ppm since I haven't gotten to check it first thing in the morning. I'll try to test at set times again. So if that is too much loss, what do I need to do to solve it? Shock really high? Should I be checking something else?
Click to expand...

Shocking high doesn't really help to kill algae, it seems to work better if you bring FC to shock level and maintain until it stops consuming FC and water clears. I'd just try to perform OCLT now without adding anything and then make my mind in the morning.
 
Shannon246 said:
Ok, last night it lost 1.5ppm BUT we had a storm come through during the night.
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Rain has very little impact on pool chemistry. Unless this storm put a heavy amount of debris in your pool, the 1.5ppm loss is a sign that something organic is consuming chlorine.

I would do another OCLT to confirm.

With a CYA of 100ppm, your minimum FC level is 7.5ppm, target is 13ppm, shock level is 40ppm.

You can raise your FC to shock level & cover the pool to reduce FC loss while on your trip away, but I would avoid tablets at all costs.

Dom
 
Shannon246 said:
Ok, last night it lost 1.5ppm BUT we had a storm come through during the night.
Click to expand...

Did you manage to catch any of that rain water? That was the best thing to me when I was coming down from high CYA.

Unless you got a lot of run out water in you pool (not from the sky but off the ground) I don't think it would affect your FC much. It would bring it down a little due to dilution but unless you got 5" of it I'd say the effect is insignificant.

Could you please put name of the test kit you're using in your signature or state how those results were obtained? TF100/K2006 kits can't directly test CYA concentrations above 100 so if it is 100 with one of these kits all you can say it's >= 100 but you can't see how much exactly. My original 300 'looked' like 100 too :). I used dilution to bring sample down within the test range.
 
I use the Taylor 2006 FAS-DPD. Originally, it was clearly >100. Lately, it is right around 90-100 when the dot disappears. We did vacuum to waste and do back washes, so that has helped it. I will do another test tonight.
I will try to test the CYA better too.
 
Shannon246 said:
I use the Taylor 2006 FAS-DPD. Originally, it was clearly >100. Lately, it is right around 90-100 when the dot disappears. We did vacuum to waste and do back washes, so that has helped it. I will do another test tonight.
I will try to test the CYA better too.
Click to expand...
The CYA test is tough for everyone at first. Remember, do the test outdoors on a bright sunny day, back to the sun with the view tube at waist level, but a good 6" away from your body. The idea is to keep the view tube in your shadow, but allow enough indirect light to illuminate the particles in the CYA solution to impair your view of the black dot.

Geeze, now that I've actually typed that out, I see why it's such a PITA lol.

Also, when doing the FC test, don't drop too fast. Hold the bottle as vertical as possible, and let the drop naturally form and drop off. I try not to drop any faster than one drop per second. Try to use a consistent sample size as well.

As mentioned, it would be helpful to others (and stop everyone from asking about it) if you could put your pool and test kit info into your signature.

To change your profile and/or signature, select "Settings" (top right under Pool School button). Scroll down (left side) to "My Settings" & select Edit Profile or Edit Signature.

http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/115-read-before-you-post

Dom



- - - Updated - - -

Shannon246 said:
Using dilution, I get CYA of 120. I have also done tests to make sure the bleach I'm using acting correctly. It always raises it just as I expect.
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Ok, that will make your minimum FC 9ppm, target FC 16ppm, shock FC 48ppm.

You really need to lower your CYA.

Dom
 
Yes, the CYA test makes me about cross eyed! It was about to storm here so I did that test in a few different lights. I'll do it again with sunlight when I can. I've been aiming for over 10 FC so that's good. I'll edit my signature later.
 
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