New pool - chlorine calculations and other

[borka79]

Hi all,

I've just purchased a new inflatable pool for the kids and have some questions:
https://www.bigw.com.au/product/driclad-10ft-fast-set-pool-set/p/WCC100000000039480/

Brand Name Driclad
Product Height 76 cm
Product Length 305 cm
Product Width 305 cm

The pool comes with a filter pump. The question is when should I activate the pump? Always or only when the kids are in the pool or once a day or any other rule of thumb...

Chlorine.
What is the rule of thumb for Chlorine? I understand that there are some measurement tools to the test the pH and etc, but what is the initial dose I should apply?
To pool is round, and the water height is 30 cm. The Chlorine I purchased comes in a form of a powder not tablet.

Appreciate your input.

Thanks
Boris

 

[tim5055]

Welcome to TFP!!

If my calculations are correct your new pool should hold about 1,900 gallons US

We base our pool care system on accurate testing and only adding what the pool needs, when it needs it. To do that you need your own accurate test kit. I'll let one of your neighbors down under make the test kit recommendations.

While it should be OK for now, we tend to shy away from solid forms of chlorine. In it's natural state, chlorine is a gas. Many large commercial pools actually use gas injection systems to chlorinate their pools. Now, to change chlorine into something we can use at home it needs to be bound to something. The "somethings" that are commonly used are stabilizer (also known as CYA), calcium, lithium, or --- get this water in common household bleach. All of these add a little salt to your water, but they add something else. Cal-Hypo add calcium, Tri-Chlor and Di-Chlor (tabs and most granules) add stabilizer, Lithium hypochlorite adds lithium and bleach/liquid chlorine adds - water.

All of these things can be bad for your pool (except the water) in large quantities. The stabilizer helps shield the chlorine form UV degradation, but at higher levels it also impairs the ability of chlorine to do it's work. The higher the stabilizer level you have the higher the amount of chlorine you need. Too much calcium and you start to get scaling on the walls and floors of your pool.

Look on the package and tell us what form of solid chlorine you have. Probably one of these three Cal-Hypo, Tri-Chlor or Di-Chlor This will determine how much to add to the pool.

I suggest you do a little reading in Pool School. Start with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

 

[borka79]

Thanks Tim
I will do some reading on the suggested posts.
Based on my calculations, currently the pool holds 560 gallons (2120.58 liters).
1.5m Radius
Water height is 0.3m

Here is the chlorine which I'm using.

 

[needsajet]

To use Trouble Free Pool Care, buy the test kit from ClearChoiceLabs. There's every chance you'll get the $122 back in chemical and water savings and your enjoyment of the pool. Total Pool Water Testing Kit, Fresh Water Clear Choice Labs

If you must use what you have due to budget constraints, and based on 2100 litres, add 12 grams of that dichlor daily at the same time each day. After 21 days, drain the pool and refill with fresh water. Then continue as before. Buy a 4in1 swimming pool test kit and use it to keep an eye on the pH of the water. If it migrates outside 7.2 to 7.8, come back and let us know. Higher or lower pH can cause sore eyes or skin irritation.

A better option might be to return the dichlor and use this system: Pool School - Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools

We can guide you through any of the options, so feel free to ask questions along the way Keep track of what you do, especially the amount of each or any chemical you add, and that will make it way easier for people here to help out.

Be sure to exclude unsupervised toddlers and young children and non-swimmers from the pool. Drain it if need be. Better yet, use a fence to keep them out.

A lot of people feel it's best to only run the pump for that pool when the pool is not is use. Please read the manual and see if there's a caution about this. The pump must get it's power from a circuit that has a ground fault interrupter, and it would be exceedingly rare for an outdoor power point in Australia not to be protected by such a device. I would run it for half an hour after adding any chemicals, and try four hours per day ordinarily and see how it goes.

Welcome to TFP and glad you have a new pool to beat the heat!!

 

[tim5055]

Well, I lost something in the conversion

needsajet has you covered very well.

 

[needsajet]

You're not the only one! I had to do/re-do the volume as well. My first crack was 21 litres!!

Metric is fine but errors always seem to be an order of magnitude or three, haha