New Pool Under Construction - chlorine guidance

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T

toofast

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May 9, 2013
993
North East Ohio
So first of all thanks to all the great information related to pool chemistry in this forum...LOVE IT!

My pool guy tried to sell me an UPGRADE on a Ecosmarte System - almost considered it, so thanks again.

A bit of background...in ground fiberglass pool, 14,000 gallons, NE Ohio (4 months swim season), Heat Pump & Sand Filter with two speed motor.

I've had a pool when I was much younger and remember the issues with stabilized chlorine and CYA levels, etc...so I want to be careful of course. I was just planning on using the BBB method. HOWEVER my pool guy, who is relatively trustworthy, is almost INSISTING that I at least install a Automatic inline tablet feeder to "supplement" my bleach.

His reasoning...

With the short season, CYU should not massively buildup and since I travel a bunch having an automatic feeder (with stabilized chlorine) set on low will allow me to maintain decent levels without having to worry about the wife figuring out the test kits, etc. He claims that I would not STUFF the feeder with 100 pucks, just a few and set it on LOW and then use my bleach to top off levels, etc.

I almost want to stay 100% away from the "automatic" stabilized route as I really don't want to drain and refill, as I live in the country and refilling a pool is not cheap.

The auto feeder is only $100 or so, but still I am not sure there is any value in it. I think I would rather install a liquidator vs. the tri-feeder.

I guess I could use these calcium hypochlorite tablets, but WOW are they expensive.

http://www.poolandsp...7c539_a_7cS3300

If my thinking is wrong - please help me clear my brain.

Thanks in advance....
 
An auto feeder can be handy when you are gone, but it isn't hands-off enough to allow you to stop testing. They are troublesome and prone to clogging.

Have you considered a Salt Water Chlorine Generator (SWCG)?
 
I second the recommendation for consideration of an SWCG.

You would add salt to the pool to around 3000 PPM, which is only 10% of the level you find in the ocean. I believe that most can taste it, but it's not salty, and leaves your skin feeling smooth. The SWCG basically turns the salt into chlorine eliminating for the most part your needing to manually add chlorine.

The nice thing is once you get it dialed in, you can leave if alone and it works on it's own.

You do typically have to adjust PH down more than you are used to because of the aeration caused in the SWCG cell.

Seems like this, or a liquidator would be the two best options for you, if you don't want to use stabilized chlorine.
 
Thanks for the quick response...

Yea, so I was not thinking that the auto feeder was 100% hands off, but I figured it was better than nothing. Also thinking the Liquidator might be a good idea...

As for SWCG - well I really have not, I will have a ton of stone coping around the pool edge and my pool guy kind of freaked me out that the salt water will over the years "destroy" the coping. Also, I am told that with my Heat Pump, the Salt system would prematurely destroy that unit...darned if I do and darned if I don't.

Honestly though, I have not researched SWCG much yet as I thought they were out of my budget...plus I am told they need a 220 line and I am plum out of power.

So confusing.....
 
Well my K-2006C Arrived - a few basic tests after adding a bit of bleach and brushing around.

FC - 2.2
pH - 7.5
TA - 90
CYA - 0

The water is fairly clear, but it won't stay long I suspect.

I wonder if it makes sense for me to get a cheap floater and use tri-chlor tabs to get the CYA and FC up until the pumps get installed in a few weeks.
 
toofast:

Sounds like the Liquidator might be your best option. That would allow you to use bleach or liquid chlorine, both of which are non-stabilized and therefore would not increase your CYA.

There is no harm in getting an auto feeder. I have one and the only time I use it is when I am out of town for more than a few days (which is rare). Whatever you do, do not mix trichlor pucks and cal-hypo pucks. That can cause an explosive reaction. I would even go so far as not using cal-hypo pucks in a feeder that had ever used trichlor pucks and vice-versa. Most feeders are made for use with the trichlor pucks.
 
BoDarville said:
toofast:

Sounds like the Liquidator might be your best option. That would allow you to use bleach or liquid chlorine, both of which are non-stabilized and therefore would not increase your CYA.

There is no harm in getting an auto feeder. I have one and the only time I use it is when I am out of town for more than a few days (which is rare). Whatever you do, do not mix trichlor pucks and cal-hypo pucks. That can cause an explosive reaction. I would even go so far as not using cal-hypo pucks in a feeder that had ever used trichlor pucks and vice-versa. Most feeders are made for use with the trichlor pucks.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that is what I thought, until I posted a few times and talked to the MFG of the Heat Pump, AquaCal - who by the way sells SWG. Since I have titanium inner in the HEAT PUMP and since my coping is non-porous, I might be in the SWG mix.

Although I part of me LOVES the simplicity of the Liquidator. Choices, Choices.
 
Man i was getting confused there for a minute. Glad you called and got confirmation from the people who would decide warranty issues i.e. the people who matter lol

It's a little troubling that the PB is so anti SWG, sounds a little uneducated in the matter. I wonder how that conversation is going to go....uh so i talked to the manufacturer......LOL

I ran into that with my pool builder but it was over me wanting a variable speed pump.....he prefers to install stuff that he knows if bulletproof....and was wanting to let them be on the market a few more years to "prove" themselves......
 
Yup and so do tons of others....and my is it working well last night after work the temp was 93, kids love that and so do i.....Have you started a build thread, where you show drawing and pictures and a quote etc.?
 

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harleysilo said:
Yup and so do tons of others....and my is it working well last night after work the temp was 93, kids love that and so do i.....Have you started a build thread, where you show drawing and pictures and a quote etc.?
Click to expand...

I haven't - but the pool is already in...here are a few videos I built...not sure if mentioned the mfg name is ok, but it is in the video so not much I can do.

http://youtu.be/12_KNSWVcG0
 
I think I am fighting a losing battle without a better way to circulate the water. My sump and constant brushing is helping I am sure, but I can not maintain my numbers, and I am really afraid to shock the pool without constant circulation.

I assume everyone agrees...

Is my best bet simply to keep enough FC to fight off the big monsters ? My tabs don't seem to be increasing the CYA much (I have 6 3" pucks floating around) although I know this does take a while to go into effect. My PH dropped a bit, assume it is because the pucks with tri-chlor - but if I remember I thought the tri-chlor would increase the PH, oh well, still lots of learning.

So I also assume I should work on my pH getting up a bit, it is OK to have minimal circulation while increasing the pH or does it not really matter too much. I just don't want this pool to turn into a swamp....dang pool guy has moved out the date a few weeks again, so it won't be till early June now - UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.


FC: 2.5
CC: 1.0 (the night before I tested, we pulled 30 skimmers full of leaves off the bottom, so perhaps the chlorine was doing its job a bit)
pH: 6.8 (it was below 7, so this is a good guess)
TA: 80
CYA: 0
CH: 100 (although this doesn't matter too much at the moment I think)
 
Ah funny, yep Gorilla it is, good eye.

Actually, I have not thought about a tarp....the leaves where only a fall problem, but as for the sunlight, that is a different story.

I just get worried that the tarp would be a nightmare to keep in tact, we have so much wind and without proper anchors - heck I am sure I could get 50 concrete blocks and hold her down.

I guess I am hesitating, as I hate to spend a bunch of money for a super short term solution, yes I know - most likely cheaper than letting the pool go to heck.

Wouldn't I need to shock the pool before I covered it anyways ? Or just keep the floaters in it and cover her up ? DANG POOL GUY!
 
Why would he put the pool in so soon and no filtration till June? :shock:

You need to get some CYA in there. At least enough to reach 30. You can use the sock method -I've dissolved plenty with just a sump pump for circulation. Your CC of 1 is concerning. I wouldn't necessarily say it's time to shock yet... but even if you do you can with the sump. How many hp is it, how many gph?

I cleared an inground pool using a 1/6 hp sump. I moved the sump around the pool to ensure circulation all over, shocked and killed the greenies off until the filter was reassembled and working. Took 2 days for filter to be up and running again and less than 48 hours to filter everything out once the filter was running:


ledondo by poolmom11, on Flickr

ledondon after by poolmom11, on Flickr

So you can accomplish a lot with just the sump. The high chlorine levels may shorten the life of them but they're not that expensive, mine was less than $100.

Yes, you need to raise the PH. tablets lower PH and TA. They raise CYA but not fast enough for what your looking to do.

Once you have a proper filtration system you should raise the CH to 200-250 as we recommend for fiberglass.

I wouldn't cover it with a tarp with a CC of 1 they wont breakdown without shocking and/or sunlight.
 
Ok, so the pump is 1/4 HP and 1200 GPH.

Long story, the pool was actually in last fall, but Hurricane Sandy screwed things up, so the filters, etc had to wait to spring.

I will follow the advice above and get cracking !

OH, as a final note...once I get CYA up to 30, I assume I should remove the floaters to prevent more creep upward ? Or will 4 pucks do little damage and they are ok to try and maintain, etc.

Thanks as always!
 
JohnN said:
Assuming they are 8 oz tablets, they would raise the CYA by about 10. You can figure this out yourself by using the "Effects of adding chemicals" section at the bottom of the pool calculator.
Click to expand...

Ok, missed that part of the pool calc...THANKS.

so double checked and they are 7 oz so x 4 = CYA Increase of 8.3 = so now I know my answers and what I gotta do!

AWESOME - thanks again!
 
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