I'm going on vacation for 2 weeks and we finally have our pool under control. I don't want to return and find all the chemicals all out of wack. What do I do? How much chlorine can I add before we leave and not damage the pool with too much chlorine?
Going on vacation for 2 weeks . . . what do I do?
- Thread starter ckf
- Start date
Will your filter/pump be operating at least part of the day in your absence? If so, a higher level of chlorine should be fine. How much chlorine does your pool consume in a week? Example: Suppose that before you leave your normal tested Free Chlorine (FC) is within a normal range (2 -8 ppm) and your weekly loss rate is about 5 ppm, then you might consider adding sufficient chlorine to boost it (from, say, 2 to 12 ppm -or- 5 to 15 ppm.) This presumes that you normally add liquid chlorine to sanitize your pool. A somewhat different approach would be required if you rely upon pucks, tabs or granular chlorine sources. For more specific answer, post current full test results and your estimate for weekly or daily chlorine loss.
Yep, we sure could use the info polyvue asked for 
Also, because it's an indoor pool and not exposed to direct sunlight, the chlorine usage should be fairly low so you probably have only been adding chlorine once or twice a week?
What is your water temp? The cooling water temp will also reduce chlorine demand.
Also, because it's an indoor pool and not exposed to direct sunlight, the chlorine usage should be fairly low so you probably have only been adding chlorine once or twice a week?
What is your water temp? The cooling water temp will also reduce chlorine demand.
I don't have current tests results but we usually only add liquid bleach once a week and current pool temp is around 85 degrees. Our pool filter is on and will be running 12 hours a day.
Shy of any test results, I would recommend trebling your normal weekly dose of liquid chlorine (3x) the night before or on the day of your departure. But when you get back, please consider testing the water (yourself, if possible) so that you know you're not swimming in unsanitary, chemical soup.ckf said:
Since you usually only add once a week, you should be fine by doubling/tripling the amount you normally add, assuming your FC has been stable.
Good suggestions above.
I check FC daily & daily add liquid chlorine.
FWIW, what I did when I left town:
Before I left, my Target FC each night was FC 6, for weeks.
When I left, I made the Target FC 8 – told the guy "add this much bleach each night".
I increased the pump run time from 8 hours to 10 hours.
Taught him to do the OTO test- "just call me if its under 3"
I was only gone 5 days though.
I check FC daily & daily add liquid chlorine.
FWIW, what I did when I left town:
Before I left, my Target FC each night was FC 6, for weeks.
When I left, I made the Target FC 8 – told the guy "add this much bleach each night".
I increased the pump run time from 8 hours to 10 hours.
Taught him to do the OTO test- "just call me if its under 3"
I was only gone 5 days though.