Bucket Test

[sbelgrave]

Ok,

I'm starting my bucket test now. I'm basing my Bucket test off the instructions given on this thread (http://www.troublefreepool.com/viewtopi ... ight=spoon). Assuming For each teaspoon of bleach I add to the 5 gallon bucket before it starts holding a FC level, I will need to add 96 ppm of chlorine to the pool.


Using : 5 Gallon Bucket of Water, using 1 Teaspoon increments of 6%.



Questions :

1. When I add the teaspoon of bleach to the bucket and mix it up with a wooden spoon, how long do i have to wait to take a reading of the FC level ?

 

[JasonLion]

To get a complete picture of the chlorine demand you need to wait at least an hour before testing, however if the FC level is down to low levels more quickly than that you can add more chlorine.

So, add chlorine, stir, wait 15 minutes, test FC. If the FC level is below 10 then add more chlorine and wait again. If the FC level is above 10 wait the full hour and then see where you are.

 

[sbelgrave]

Thanks Jason,

Few other question that I'm starting to think of now.


1. For this test , do you have to keep filing the bucket up with a fresh new 5 gallons for each test ? What I mean is. If you put in a few ounces, don't get the result you want after an hour, is the test 'compromised' if you simply add more ounces (I swear I've read in some forums that the point of shocking your pool is get over an initial 'hump' to beat the algae etc. otherwise the algae 'wins'), or should you dump that water and go with a new 5 gallons and do it over with a larger amount of ounces ?

2. Before you wrote me I was doing some tests with 12.5 % by accident. Today is my first day with the Taylor kit. At that time I was getting an FC of 8. I'd dump in the DPD powder and swirl it in the 10ml tube, it would remain bright pink and I'd add 16 drops in to get a level of 8 for the FC.

That seemed good. then I realized my post had said 6% so I got a new 5 gallon bucket and tried it with the 6%. At this point some strange things began to happen. Seems that no matter how much 6% I put in, the DPD powder turns bright pink for second and then as I swirl it it turns to clear in about 2 seconds.

I was worried maybe something was wrong with my 6% bleach so I retried the test a 3rd time now back with the 12.5% and a new 5 gallons of water. Same thing continues to happen right now and I'm up to 14 ounces of 12.5% and still it goes to clear in 2 seconds. Does that seem odd to you. Is it simply cuz I hadn't waited for an hour as you suggested in your post ? Thanks

-S

 

[JasonLion]

The DPD chlorine test, add drops to turn the water some shade of red and then compare to a color standard, will turn pink for a moment and then go clear when the FC level is very high.

You need fresh pool water when you want to start counting over from zero. For example if you add 1 oz of chlorine and that is way too much and you want to do it again by teaspoons. You also want to start over with fresh water if you need to leave for more than a couple of hours.