AGP liquid bleach question.

[chop249]

So I found the forum after having a cloudy pool and got tired of dumping money into the pool store's pockets! It is clean now but I was wondering how much 8.25% bleach I should be going through a week? CYA is around 40, and it is 13,200 gal. I did the overnight test to make sure I was only losing HCl to the sunlight and it seems like I'm using about 240oz of 8.25%/week. But it also looks like it is clouding up a bit again too.... UGH!!!!!

The original problem was green algae I used the Pool Store "Green to Blue" treatment then shocked after it was blue and clear and immediately it went to white/blue cloudy again. SLAM'd it for almost a week and it was the prettiest it has ever been. Now it's tilting back to a touch cloudy. PH is 7.5 and all other variables were within normal range when I did my weekly tests with the TPF100 last week.

Thoughts on clarity and the amount of bleach I'm using?

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum.

Last weeks test results doesn't help us. Posting current results gives us a picture of your pool.

Your FC loss does not seem at all excessive.....why do you think it is?

 

[dsmith99]

Sounds like you have a pretty good understanding of this, but seems likely you may be maintaining your chlorine slightly too low.

My 14k gallon pool is currently using about 32oz of 10% each day, when temps were consistently in the 90's I was adding 42-48 oz of 10% per day. This kept my pool at 4-6ppm throughout the entire day. I maintain slightly higher FC to assure that I never drop below my minimum. With your TX temps well above my Iowa temps, and using 8.25% compared to my using 10%, I would expect your demand to be running higher than mine.

Test and dose daily, maybe raise your target level to 6-7 ppm. Your tests can confirm that you are still above minimum the following day. If your FC is dipping down to 3 or below then you need to either dose more often or raise your target up. Don't forget to brush the walls and floor every couple days, very important step to keep algae from getting started.

 

[chop249]

Welcome to the forum.

Last weeks test results doesn't help us. Posting current results gives us a picture of your pool.

Your FC loss does not seem at all excessive.....why do you think it is?

I was looking for verification that it was about in the ballpark. I just started with bleach and had been on the permasalt system. Actually I am still letting the copper system still run. Unless it needs to be removed I was going to just let it keep the copper levels in there for the supposed algae benefit. I'll test in a bit and give the current results. Thanks.

 

[chop249]

Sounds like you have a pretty good understanding of this, but seems likely you may be maintaining your chlorine slightly too low.

My 14k gallon pool is currently using about 32oz of 10% each day, when temps were consistently in the 90's I was adding 42-48 oz of 10% per day. This kept my pool at 4-6ppm throughout the entire day. I maintain slightly higher FC to assure that I never drop below my minimum. With your TX temps well above my Iowa temps, and using 8.25% compared to my using 10%, I would expect your demand to be running higher than mine.

Test and dose daily, maybe raise your target level to 6-7 ppm. Your tests can confirm that you are still above minimum the following day. If your FC is dipping down to 3 or below then you need to either dose more often or raise your target up. Don't forget to brush the walls and floor every couple days, very important step to keep algae from getting started.

Target is 4-6 by pool math with a min of 3. I would probably agree that I keep it too low since getting it back to descent shape. Instead of adding everyday like you are I add every 3-4 days at 90-120oz. What are you doing over the winter? Last winter we left it uncovered with the pump off entirely and it stayed perfectly blue and clear without adding anything. Did I just get lucky?

 

[chop249]

Ok so I added a few inches worth of fresh water today. 3-4 inches. But here are my numbers.
FC 1.
TC 1.5
PH 7.8
TA 120
CH 150
CYA 35
Per Pool Math I'm adding 100oz of 8.25 to bring it to 6.

 

[dsmith99]

Target is 4-6 by pool math with a min of 3. I would probably agree that I keep it too low since getting it back to descent shape. Instead of adding everyday like you are I add every 3-4 days at 90-120oz. What are you doing over the winter? Last winter we left it uncovered with the pump off entirely and it stayed perfectly blue and clear without adding anything. Did I just get lucky?

Problems with this method and it's confirmed by your latest test, your chlorine is getting below your minimum and remaining there for way too long. Your pool easily loses a couple ppm/day to the sun and that must be replenished, that's why we dose our pools every day. I add enough chlorine to get back to 6 ppm every day, by the time next evening rolls around I am still above 3 ppm. Three or four days with no chlorine boost is just too long, your pool will never stay clear. If you can't find the few minutes each day to test and dose the pool, you should look into automating the process with a dosing pump. That's what I did and it makes my life easier.

For a couple hundred dollars my pool gets it's daily dose of chlorine whether I'm home on time or stuck at work for hours past. Another option would be to convert to a salt water generator to automate the process. The SWG has a much higher initial cost but saves having to buy and haul the bleach, over the long term the overall cost likely favors a SWG but I doubt by a significant margin. A premature failure of the SWG would quickly tip the scales the other direction.

Either of these methods can take care of automating the chlorine addition but both require monitoring and daily testing of PH and FC. A pool is kinda like a pet, it requires daily care. A few minutes of pool chores per day will keep the pool sparkling blue the whole summer, ignore it for days and your experience can be much different. It will take ten times as much work and money to recover from a green pool.

 

[Mr Bruce]

I was looking for verification that it was about in the ballpark. I just started with bleach and had been on the permasalt system. Actually I am still letting the copper system still run. Unless it needs to be removed I was going to just let it keep the copper levels in there for the supposed algae benefit. I'll test in a bit and give the current results. Thanks.

Copper does kill (suppress?) algae, but the problem is it never goes away without water replacement. At certain pH levels it can stain surfaces or turn hair green. I would remove it. Chlorine is all you need to keep algae away.

 

[MarianParoo]

I agree with Mr. Bruce. Disconnect the copper.

I also agree that you need to figure out a way to test daily. Once you get to know your pool, you may be able to skip a day here and there, but not at first.

You said that your water is cloudy. I would suggest a SLAM: Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain But you could try an OCLT first: Pool School - Perform the Overnight FC Loss Test (OCLT)

 

[phonedave]

I can miss a day with my pool. but only because of the numbers I keep it at, and the amount of CL it looses per day. My pool take a quart of 8.25% per day. That equates to a 1 ppm loss per day (in rough numbers). I keep my pool around 5.5 ppm, and it drifts down 1 ppm per day, so I can go two days and still be above my 3.0 ppm "danger zone"

Since I know it takes about a quart per day, as long as I am home, it takes only a minute to dump in a quart.

-dave

 

[chop249]

Sounds like you have a pretty good understanding of this, but seems likely you may be maintaining your chlorine slightly too low.

My 14k gallon pool is currently using about 32oz of 10% each day, when temps were consistently in the 90's I was adding 42-48 oz of 10% per day. This kept my pool at 4-6ppm throughout the entire day. I maintain slightly higher FC to assure that I never drop below my minimum. With your TX temps well above my Iowa temps, and using 8.25% compared to my using 10%, I would expect your demand to be running higher than mine.

Test and dose daily, maybe raise your target level to 6-7 ppm. Your tests can confirm that you are still above minimum the following day. If your FC is dipping down to 3 or below then you need to either dose more often or raise your target up. Don't forget to brush the walls and floor every couple days, very important step to keep algae from getting started.

Where are you finding the 10%?

 

[kimkats]

Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule

I also keep a log of my results with a note about big weather events-cloudy all day, big rain, lots of leaves from wind, etc. After a while you will notice a pattern.

Over winter the water is colder so the algae does not grow as fast. In fact we recommend closing after the water has reached 60 degrees for that very reason.

 

[dsmith99]

Where are you finding the 10%?

WalMart had "Pool Chlorinating Liquid" (10%) most of the summer, being a seasonal item it's long gone in my area. Any pool supply should carry liquid pool shock, same exact chemical as bleach just stronger. Usually 12.5%, you just need to make sure it is fresh as possible. The higher strength does not keep as well, it loses strength at a faster rate. Store it cool and dark to maximize shelf life. Be careful where you buy it, some have found Lowes puts pallets of it outdoors in the sun.