Days between chlorinating...

[slawton]

I have my CYA where it needs to be and I have an Intex saltwater generator.

I have noticed that I can sometimes go three of four days without having to turn on the generator as the FC stays within the range it should (3-5).

I do run the filter each day regardless of the generator.

My question is:

Is it okay to not add chlorine daily or every couple of days? I can remember in my youth, it seemed like my Dad added chlorine every day.

It makes me nervous to go several days without having to chlorinate!

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

As long as your FC level is in range you shouldn't have a problem. I can go several days without needing to add chlorine, especially if the pool is not being used and my solar cover is on. Every pool is unique, and as strange as it sounds you really can't compare your pool to what your dad used to do. Know way of knowing what the circumstances were in his situation at the time... he may have been fighting an organic problem and not being able to hold chlorine very well and was always adding it staying one step ahead of a full-blown bloom, KWIM? Also he may not have had CYA in the pool... etc. who knows.

So you are fine

 

[slawton]

True, I'm thinking back in the 80's he didn't even know about CYA....

we've come so far lol!

 

[dmanb2b]

Slawton,

How are you testing your water? Just curious if you are somehow getting false FC readings which may be causing your "green" issue here...including that 3.5FC is too low for CYA @ 80.

 

[slawton]

Using the TF Test kit so it should be good but I wondered this as well...

And I also just posted this on my green problem post.

Regarding FC at 3-5 with a CYA of 80:

Not according to this: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/recommended_levels

I have a vinyl pool.

Although, this is the lowest reading I have had for some time. I would have to say the average I keep is around 4-5.

And for the past several weeks after the shock, I hardly had to run the generator. The FC had to come down from 30 and with my CYA at 80 that took quite awhile.

But then I found this too: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/chlorine_cya_chart_shock

There seems to be a problem here on TFP or I'm missing something!

And this: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/water_balance_saltwater_generator has always been my "God" and it says 3-5 for my CYA level.

Any moderators out there that can clear up this one?

 

[dmanb2b]

Yup...I can clear it up from experience. 3ppm is the SWG min for CYA at 60 CYA. 4-5 ppm is the minimum when at 80 CYA. Minimum is just that and you should always try to stay at the target of 6-7ppm, especially with an Intex SWG. I have one as well and the difference between the intex and a traditional SWG is that a traditional SWG chlorinates over a longer period of pump run time vs an intex which operates at 100% for a certain period of time. I only run mine for 3 hours and I use the non-swg fc/cya guidelines for FC maintanence. This is just my opinion, but given the shorter run time of the intex, I do not think you get the ability to run the lower FC s as with a traditional SWG.

I run my CYA at 60ppm and maintain an FC level of 6...water has never needed to be shocked and I am constantly in there with the kids...eyes open under water with no irritation...etc.

Hope that helps

 

[slawton]

This is some EXCELLENT ADVICE!

I have always wondered why the SWG on the Intex needed so little time to run...Interesting!

It sure is a pain though...the filter needs to be run 8 hours a day but the SWG only needs around 3 and not even everyday and the timer only works for the SWG...they sould fix that!

Do you use the non swg fc/cya guidelines because of the Intex 100% thingy?

I think this should be explained somewhere in Pool School....this is important stuff!

I've been using the suggested charts there but now find it may not be enough FC.

 

[dmanb2b]

You're welcome. Again, I really have not proved this, but I do believe pool school states that guidelines are in fact just guidelines and every pool is somewhat different. I've just taken pool school adviced and "tweaked" it for my particular situation and theory

Using the slightly higher fc recomendation for non swg pools is still very safe and gives me some "cushion" should I have a power/swg outage. Just my advice and may not apply to all Intex SWG users.