Heading out of town, what do I need to do?

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S

saunterer

0
Jun 26, 2009
16
Spring Hill, Kansas
Greetings and thanks for all the info that I have read thus far on TFP.

The whole family is heading out of town next week for 4 days and we will have no one to monitor our pool while we are away. My question is, since the weather here in eastern Kansas has been scorching for the past week (water temps ~92 degrees) and I am loosing about 4 ppm of chlorine a day. What should I do to maintain our pool while we are away? The good news is that the temps are supposed to drop into the low-mid 80's while we are away, so loss of FC should be a bit less than it is currently.

Current readings with 11000 gallon fiberglass pool with SWG:

FC - 6
CC - 0
pH - 7.5
TA - 90
CH - 250
CYA - 70
Salt - 3800

Last year as new pool owners, we went away for 7 days and left the SWG running at 60% 24 hours a day and when we got back, the whole pool was out of whack. It took me almost a week to get my water balanced to normal. (And since then I have become a bit obsessive on maintaining the pool, it's almost an addiction :mrgreen: )

Now that I have a handle on the pool this year (outside of direct sun, high temps and FC loss of 4 ppm/day), should I just shock my pool the night before we leave to a level of say 20 ppm and run the SWG at my normal 60%? The way I figure, at -4 ppm a day, by the time I get home it will be ready to shock again.

Ideas, am I on the right track?
 
The FC loss is better thought of as a rate (% of FC) than a total (4ppm). So, if you bring it up to 20, the first day you will lose more than the usual 4.

But the whole point of an SWG is to maintain FC on its own; are you having to add 4ppm bleach per day on top of what the SWG produces? That doesn't sound right.
--paulr
 
Your test #'s look good and I also can't understand why, having a SWG, you would need to add chlorine.

Have you done an overnight test?

It would be helpful if you listed your pool and equipment specs in your sig.
Go to User Control Panel (upper left under TFP logo) and select Profile, then Edit Sig.

Welcome to the forum :wave:
 
PaulR said:
But the whole point of an SWG is to maintain FC on its own; are you having to add 4ppm bleach per day on top of what the SWG produces? That doesn't sound right.
--paulr
Click to expand...

Paul, if I am at 5 to 6 ppm chlorine one day, I might have to boost it up with about a gallon of 6% bleach every two days or so. But this has only been for the past 7 days or so as we have been having 95+ degree day time temps. Does heat degrade FC, is it just direct sunlight or a combination of both?

butterlfly said:
Have you done an overnight test?
Click to expand...

Butterfly, I did an overnight test a few nights ago but since my FC was over 5 ppm I couldn't exactly gauge the exact reading. Now that the sun is down, I'll shut off the pump and take another reading. I might have to dilute the water sample since I just added bleach a few hours ago. I'll post back in the morning the results of the FC test.

Thanks all,

Chris
 
saunterer said:
Paul, if I am at 5 to 6 ppm chlorine one day, I might have to boost it up with about a gallon of 6% bleach every two days or so. But this has only been for the past 7 days or so as we have been having 95+ degree day time temps. Does heat degrade FC, is it just direct sunlight or a combination of both?
Click to expand...
Both. A heat wave would explain the extra loss.

If the weather is supposed to break, then shocking just before you leave will probably work out (getting back to the original question).
--paulr
 
When you get back you should get an FAS-DPD test, it sounds like you don't have that in your kit. It's essential for detecting an overnight FC loss. You can just get that test, to supplement your kit.

have a nice vacation.... :wink:
 
frustratedpoolmom said:
When you get back you should get an FAS-DPD test, it sounds like you don't have that in your kit. It's essential for detecting an overnight FC loss. You can just get that test, to supplement your kit.

have a nice vacation.... :wink:
Click to expand...

I did the overnight test last night. Started at 6 ppm FC and this morning at 0700 it was still 6 ppm. I diluted my pool sample with distilled water at a 50/50 ratio to get this.

So I guess I'll just chalk this up to the heat wave. Cold front is supposed to move in early this evening. Woo Hoo! I would be nice to swim in 82 to 85 degree water again.

Gratuitous pool shot :whoot: It's hard to take a vacation when you have a pool at home.

CIMG0001.jpg
 
It sounds like you did the overnite loss test with an OTO kit. It will not be accurate enough to tell you what you need to know. IMO, I use OTO to tell me I have some chlorine in the pool. I use FAS/DPD when I ever need to know how much

BTW, that's a pretty pool and your water looks very nice and clear.
 

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I'm using a Taylor DPD test kit from Leslies. I tried those OTO's before an never liked the results. But yes, the pool is crystal clear and sparkling, I just want it that way when get back home on Friday.

OT: From Raleigh huh? I grew up down in Duplin County and my father now lives near Newton Grove. Need to get back soon for my sweet tea and BBQ fix. Kansas City has good BBQ, but nothing like back home. :goodjob:
 
Update.

Got home last night from a great time in Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon.

The night before we left, I added a gallon of 6% bleach bringing my FC up to about 14 ppm and bumped my SWG up to 40%, leaving the pump on 24hrs/day. When I tested last night my FC levels were around 8 PPM. Woo Hoo. Now all I have to do today is vacuum the pool, smoke some ribs and watch the kids have a great 4th of July.

Thanks TFP!
 
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