Chemical additions

[gotgone]

I started using the BBB method last season. I have always read to add liquid chemicals over a return in the deep end. I have two returns located in the shallow end. I always add chemicals slowly, 1/2 over each return. Immediately after the addition I brush the bottom and sides of the pool. Am I ok using this method?
The pool store always told me to add liquids while walking around the deep end. It only took 4 years to bleach the liner along the edge of the deep end. That was from constantly adding chlorine to kill algae. My CYA was through the roof for several years. Since installing a new liner last spring and following TFP recommendations, I have had no algae blooms.

 

[Richard320]

I started using the BBB method last season. I have always read to add liquid chemicals over a return in the deep end. I have two returns located in the shallow end. I always add chemicals slowly, 1/2 over each return. Immediately after the addition I brush the bottom and sides of the pool. Am I ok using this method?
The pool store always told me to add liquids while walking around the deep end. It only took 4 years to bleach the liner along the edge of the deep end. That was from constantly adding chlorine to kill algae. My CYA was through the roof for several years. Since installing a new liner last spring and following TFP recommendations, I have had no algae blooms.

Yes.

It sounds like you've gone over and above when it comes to adding chemicals.

And isn't it amazing how troublefree the pool can be when you test it yourself and add only what's needed?

 

[Pacifica]

It is absolutely essential that you add any type of chemicals when the pump is running. Adding brushing to it like you are doing is also a great idea. Don't use anymore tablets if you don't have to. That will help insure that you don't raise your cyanuric acid (conditioner) level higher that it needs to go. Each 3" chlorine talbets which weighs 7 oz. has 3 oz. of conditioner in each one to help stabilize the chlorine content. It is also a good idea to be sure only to keep your chlorine level around 3 ppm, thereby slowing done the bleaching of your liner.

 

[chem geek]

It is also a good idea to be sure only to keep your chlorine level around 3 ppm, thereby slowing done the bleaching of your liner.

If one keeps their chlorine level according to the Chlorine / CYA Chart, they won't be bleaching their liner even if they have 9 ppm FC with 80 ppm CYA. The FC alone is completely irrelevant with regard to the oxidation and sanitizing power of chlorine. It is the active chlorine (hypochlorous acid) that matters and with CYA in the water the equivalent FC with no CYA is roughly the FC/CYA ratio. So with an FC that is 10% of the CYA level this is roughly equivalent to 0.1 ppm FC with no CYA. This will not bleach liners (even short-term shock levels of chlorine won't bleach liners).

The bleaching that occurred from the chlorine addition in this case was due to concentrated chlorine settling/pooling at the bottom of the pool. This happens a lot with Cal-Hypo (if not mixed thoroughly or pre-dissolved in a bucket of water) because it can dissolve more slowly, but it also happens with chlorinating liquid or bleach if added in one place without circulation of the water since it is heavier than water so can settle unless mixed (once mixed, it stays mixed). The worst is a Trichlor puck since it is acidic as well as a high chlorine level and acid can weaken as well as fade vinyl.

As for the amount of side effect chemicals in various chlorine sources, the following facts are independent of concentration of product and of pool size:

For every 10 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) added by Trichlor, it also increases Cyanuric Acid (CYA) by 6 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Dichlor, it also increases CYA by 9 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Cal-Hypo, it also increases Calcium Hardness (CH) by at least 7 ppm.

 

[gotgone]

My pool is an 18x 36 Foxx with a 25k capacity. The pool is in full sun. We are located in southern Indiana. I did what numerous folks have done with a pool. I listened to pool stores and tried to follow their advice. Every spring I would open the pool using Leslies startup kit. The instructions were followed to the letter. I also used 3" pucks in an inline chlorinator. Every 2 weeks I added to gal of 10% chlorine to shock the pool. This was advice from a local pool store. I would use 2 to 3 35lb buckets of tablets each season. I did use the leslies K2005 test kit. Testing was done approx every 2 weeks. I should have been testing at least weekly. My mistake was seldom testing CYA levels. I usually had 3 or 4 algae outbreaks a season. The pool store would always say dump 2 gal of 10% in and wait 24 hrs. Of course there was no chlorine left long before the 24 hrs were up. Dump 2 more gal and wait. This would go on for a week or more. Finally the pool would clear. With high cya levels my ph was always low. I probably averaged 50 to 60 lbs of ph+ additions a season. Within 4 years my new liner was bleached and had wrinkles around 2/3 of the side. I asuume this was from low ph condition. Last year I had a new liner installed and started using the methods recommended here. I added 10% liguid each evening using the pool calculator. I did use some 3" pucks when we were gone for short trips. I had no algae attacks all season. The only problem I had all season was one outbreak of "pink slime".
As I mentioned my returns are both at the shallow end. I have always adjusted them to keep water moving to the skimmer. The problem is the steps are offset at the shallow end and on the same side as the skimmer. The step area gets minimal water movement. This is always the area where the slime appears. I have just learned to be more dilligent with brushing in the step area.
This site has been a real lifesaver for me. Thanks again for all your help