I decided to change over from baquacil to chlorine at the end of the season last year. Everything went well with the change. My question involves the amount of chlorine I'm having to add to keep my level between 3 to 5 ppm. I'm adding about 80 ounces of 6% bleach about every 2 days. Water is crystal clear and looks great, I'm just wondering if that's about normal chlorine consumption. My test results are: FC= 5, CC=.5, PH=7.5, T/A=95, CH=120, CYA=60. I live in central Alabama and would appreciate any advice or info on this subject.
Chlorine consumption
- Thread starter gregala
- Start date
Additional factors will help us here.
How much sun does the pool pool get? How much rain?
What is the water temperature?
Do you use a solar cover?
What are you using to test with?
Scott
How much sun does the pool pool get? How much rain?
What is the water temperature?
Do you use a solar cover?
What are you using to test with?
Scott
Around 2 ppm loss per day in warm weather is normal. Right now my water temp is around 70 and Air temp has been low 80s this week. If your weather in Alabama has been like mine lately I would say your chlorine consumption is normal.
In addition to Scott's questions, you can also look at how much debris falls into the pool. Leaves, sticks, blossoms, ect... will consume chlorine until you get them out of the pool.
In addition to Scott's questions, you can also look at how much debris falls into the pool. Leaves, sticks, blossoms, ect... will consume chlorine until you get them out of the pool.
Welcome fellow Alabamian! 
80oz sounds about right for a 14,000 gallon pool. I use about 48oz a day in full sun all day. A solar cover will help a bit but about a quart & a half a day is pretty good. You might consider getting a liquid feeder (i.e. Liquidator, dosing pump, etc.) if you don't have one.
With a CC of .5ppm I'd run the OCLT (overnight chlorine loss test) just to make sure you don't have something consuming the chlorine.
80oz sounds about right for a 14,000 gallon pool. I use about 48oz a day in full sun all day. A solar cover will help a bit but about a quart & a half a day is pretty good. You might consider getting a liquid feeder (i.e. Liquidator, dosing pump, etc.) if you don't have one.
With a CC of .5ppm I'd run the OCLT (overnight chlorine loss test) just to make sure you don't have something consuming the chlorine.
I'm using a TF-100 test kit. The pool gets about 8 hours of sunlight a day right now. Water temp is about 68 or so. There are some debris getting in (pollen, blooms,etc.) falling off of trees but I try to keep it all cleaned up. I don't have a solar cover so not using that. I guess, from the replies here, that my consumption is pretty much normal. How do you do the OCLT?
Just a reminder that with your CYA at 60--------------your MINIMUM chlorine number is 5. Mine is in full sun all day and I have to jack it up in the summer to a target level of 4ppm over minimum as I lose that much per day with a CYA of 50ish.
To perform the overnight FC loss test:
1) If you have an SWG, tablet chlorinator, or other chlorine feeder, shut it off completely.
2) After the sun goes down, and at least 30 minutes after your last chemical addition of the day, test your water for FC using the FAS-DPD test. Record that result. Do not put any more chlorine in your pool.
3) The next morning, as early as practical and definitely before there is any direct sunlight on the pool, perform the FAS-DPD FC test again and record the results.
If your FC level remained the same, or went down by 1.0 or less, the water is clean. There isn't any living algae or other organic contamination in the pool.
If you lost more than 1.0 ppm of FC, then there is something in the water that needs to be removed and you should shock, or continue shocking, the pool.
1) If you have an SWG, tablet chlorinator, or other chlorine feeder, shut it off completely.
2) After the sun goes down, and at least 30 minutes after your last chemical addition of the day, test your water for FC using the FAS-DPD test. Record that result. Do not put any more chlorine in your pool.
3) The next morning, as early as practical and definitely before there is any direct sunlight on the pool, perform the FAS-DPD FC test again and record the results.
If your FC level remained the same, or went down by 1.0 or less, the water is clean. There isn't any living algae or other organic contamination in the pool.
If you lost more than 1.0 ppm of FC, then there is something in the water that needs to be removed and you should shock, or continue shocking, the pool.
Noticed this afternoon what looks like sand scattered around in spots on the bottom. To cool to get in and see if it's sand. What else could have this appearance? Gonna do the OCLT tonight.
Dead algae, dirt, pollen and other fine debris that have settled to the bottom of the pool will look like sand. Usually if it is coming from a sand filter it will collect just under the return. You can hold an open stocking over the return while the pump is running to see if you catch any sand coming out.
No significant change in FC overnite so I guess everything is good and consumption is normal. Thanks for all the advice and info.
Pierre!
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Great Thread... learned lots.
Glad to hear the 96Oz of Bleach a day is probably not going to be required!
C'mon TF100...
Thanks for the Info!
Patrick
Glad to hear the 96Oz of Bleach a day is probably not going to be required!
C'mon TF100...
Thanks for the Info!
Patrick