Numbers Question With BBB

[poolmomma]

Ok, so I have been using the BBB method since, oh July this year. (I am a baquacrud convert and never been so happy!) We have had a few mix ups here and there with a few things but other than that, smooth sailing! I was just wondering if my "numbers" are ok? Here they are...

FC: 10
CC: 0
TC: 10
TA: 90
CYA: 90
pH: 7.8

These are CONSISTANT numbers. Never change. I add 3 quarts of bleach every other day and have had clear, clear, clear water. No bleach smell, no bleaching of suits or anything. I am just worried about the high content of CYA and FC for my small pool. We have had to drain and refill due to an "accidental" overdose of chlorine that raised CYA to an ungodly amount but it hasn't moved from 90 since. I should be happy with my numbers being so consistant but I am concerned.

I am also wondering what you all do to "close" your pools. I live in southern VA and last year I didn't close my pool. I just ran the pump 8-12hrs a day -vs- all day and added the baquacrap all winter. I want to do the same this winter and clean out the leaves and such. I don't have a cover but do plan on taking out the ladder and storing it. Any other suggestions? We don't get freezing weather but it does get cold. We are planning on selling the house soon so we will probably buy a cover for it for the new owners as well as a new pump for next summer.

 

[JohnT]

CYA doesn't increase unless you add CYA or stabilized chlorine, and it doesn't decrease unless you remove water and replace it, so that's nothing to worry about. You should probably push your pH down toward 7.5. Otherwise you are fine.

 

[chem geek]

3 quarts (12 cups or 3/4 gallons, a typical jug size for bleach) of 6% bleach in 5300 gallons would raise the FC by 8.7 ppm so since that's every other day that's a chlorine demand/usage of 4.4 per day which is very high. Are you using Clorox Regular or an off-brand Ultra bleach as these are usually 6% chlorine? If you are using an off-brand Regular bleach, then this is often 3% or less and might explain what you are seeing since that would be around 2.2 ppm FC per day which is more normal. It would probably be more economical and consistent for you to use Clorox Regular unscented or an off-brand Ultra bleach.

 

[poolmomma]

I WAS using an off brand reg bleach (Farm Fresh) until I found a deal at BJ's for the Clorox. And I thought I typed 7.5 for my pH. That's what it is at. I was looking at the container as I typed and typed the 8 instead.

I am losing about 2 or so ppm per day, yes, with the Clorox versus the 4 or so ppm with the other. I DO notice the higher quality bleach holds longer as we had 3 days of hard core rain and I didn't add any Clorox until day 4 and my FC was still at 1.5ppm. But sometimes when getting out and about, BJ's will be out of their Clorox so I opt for the cheaper Farm Fresh version since Clorox is so expensive there!

Anyway, for the 2nd question, what do you winter people do?

 

[geekgranny]

According to the USA Hardiness Zone map you are in a zone that can expect some freezing weather during a normal winter although the freezing will usually be for only a short time. That is unless you are located in a "microclimate" that keeps your temps higher than normal for your zone.

See this link.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

"Microclimate’s - Within any hardiness zone there will be areas slightly warmer and slightly cooler than the temperature range indicates because of elevation, urbanization, wind patterns, and other factors. Examples of microclimates in your yard are: a spot protected from winds and/or sun by a structure, an elevated area exposed to winds, or a low-lying place where
cooler air settles." From North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. Just one of many explanations of average winter temps and microclimates.

I would certainly be prepared for some freezing weather even if my microclimate in my "zone" has never frozen.

Many people I know around these parts keep their pools open in the winter. The main consideration is that you keep the equipment running when, and if, there is a freeze. Around here a lot of people have "freeze guard" which turns the pump on when temperatures get below a set temp. I do it by hand and just keep the water moving when we have a freeze. I have had one part of the pumping station damaged by freezing, even with moving water; the Nature 2 vessel. I haven't used that in years so it is out of the system.

Although I am in zone 8a, which has pretty short periods of freezing, and wide swings of temps in winter, like 20s-30s for a few days, then up to 50s-70 a few days later, an occasional 70s-80s for a few days, and a few swings into the teens, we have had a few winters where the temps got down lower than the teens and even below zero and held for several days. I've even had ice form on my pool surface a couple of times. That is very rare but it does happen. For many winters I wrapped the exposed pipes with electric heat tape and then some insulation and loose cover of bubble insulation over all equipment, allowing ventilation to pumps but for about 10 years, now, our winters have been pretty mild so I haven't bothered.

My Polaris 280 works in very cold water but hoses get really stiff and sticking hands into the cold water to take it off the dedicated return, for whatever reason, can be extremely painful, especially if one has arthritis.

For many of us, who have lots of trees and plants around, during the fall, and no cover, when all the leaves are coming down, the hardest work is keeping the leaves and debris out of pool before it clogs the main drain and skimmer. After that time is over it's a breeze to keep the pool healthy. Much less chlorine is needed in cold water with few swings in numbers.

 

[chem geek]

I am losing about 2 or so ppm per day, yes, with the Clorox versus the 4 or so ppm with the other.

I don't think you were losing 4 ppm FC per day with the off-brand regular bleach. I just think you were needing to use twice as much because that bleach was only 3% in strength. Chlorine from any source should work just as well and last just as long in the water (I'm ignoring the "extra" things like CYA added by Trichlor and Dichlor and the CH added by Cal-Hypo). When using The Pool Calculator with off-brand regular bleach, you should probably put in 3% for the strength.

 

[poolmomma]

Thanks! I will probably just watch the temps and run the pump constantly when/if we get a freeze.