It depends on where you are in the process. Hourly testing helps at first, but the consumption rate usually drops fairly quickly.
I've never seen a store carry the needed tests. Fastest way to get it is to order it at TFTestkits.net
Chlorine Lock - Method/How long?
- Thread starter Sleigh87
- Start date
It depends on where you are in the process. Hourly testing helps at first, but the consumption rate usually drops fairly quickly.
I've never seen a store carry the needed tests. Fastest way to get it is to order it at TFTestkits.net
Great! ANd how do I know how much chlorine to add for slaming? I didn't see anything on the links
I just went through an ammonia problem. Mine was very high ~8 ppm ammonia. It took me 1 day to get through the ammonia. I was testing every 30 minutes to and hour and adding 12 ppm of chlorine every time I tested. I added ~12 ppm of chlorine roughly 8 times. How much chlorine you'll need depends on how much ammonia you have and how large your pool is.
I got through it using the methods here, cheap bleach and some patience. Still finishing my SLAM process after dealing with the ammonia. Having ammonia adds another step to the beginning of a SLAM. It's a pre-SLAM problem, I guess.
The amount of chlorine depends on your CYA level. Which is why you need the test kit recommended and you should read and re-read the links mentioned earlier.
You will need to test every 30 minutes at first, quickly you can go to hourly, and hopefully you will be testing every few hours within a day or two. It really depends on how much ammonia/organics that needs to be killed/burned off. The more frequently you test and adjust, the faster the entire process will take.
The process mentioned on this forum is all about learning to take control over your pool and your wallet. It has a steep learning curve at first, but soon you will be singing the praises of this forum when you no longer have to rely on expensive and unreliable pool store magical potions.
Most of the chemicals you need to maintain your pool can be purchased at your local grocery store or even Wal-Mart. You will save a ton a money and your pool will be the envy of everyone who comes over.
You will need to test every 30 minutes at first, quickly you can go to hourly, and hopefully you will be testing every few hours within a day or two. It really depends on how much ammonia/organics that needs to be killed/burned off. The more frequently you test and adjust, the faster the entire process will take.
The process mentioned on this forum is all about learning to take control over your pool and your wallet. It has a steep learning curve at first, but soon you will be singing the praises of this forum when you no longer have to rely on expensive and unreliable pool store magical potions.
Most of the chemicals you need to maintain your pool can be purchased at your local grocery store or even Wal-Mart. You will save a ton a money and your pool will be the envy of everyone who comes over.
And once you have test results, you plug them into PoolMath and set your target level and it will tell you how much bleach you need to add to reach your target.
The Chlorine CYA Chart will tell you what level you need, and PoolMath will calculate how much chlorine that will take.
Very helpful. I'm picking up some bleach to get me started. This is a silly question but I always thought mixing ammonia and bleach was a no no. I thought it created a deadly gas?
Yes it does, but you are not even close to the same concentration as mixing them out of the bottle.
Household ammonia used for cleaning is 5-10% concentrated. That works out to 50,000-100,000 ppm. The highest I've seen ammonia in a pool was 10ppm, which is 5,000-10,000 times lower.
Same applies for bleach, so I think that multiples out to about a bazillion times lower 
Sleigh, you need one of these.
You have gotten a ton of replies is a very short time. All of these fine folks are saying the same thing though, so dont get too confused.
Ok, take a deep breath and relax now.
You pool is fine, and you are lucky your water is clear. The SLAM will probably not take long.
To be clear though, there is no way to help until you have a proper recomended test kit and you can provide the test results.
Keep adding the gallon of bleach a day and get that Test Kit asap and you can be fixed right up in a short period of time.
Also, now just think about this for a minute or 2. The Pool Store exists to sell you as much stuff at they can talk you into buying. Isnt it?
There are no magic powders, or potions that end with the number 9. Its all about as useless as a 50 dollar jar of snake oil.
Maintaining your pool is a simple and inexpensive routine if you have the knowledge to do it.
The people here can provide that to you, if you are willing to dive in, (pun intended!)...
now get that test kit on order !!!
You have gotten a ton of replies is a very short time. All of these fine folks are saying the same thing though, so dont get too confused.
Ok, take a deep breath and relax now.
You pool is fine, and you are lucky your water is clear. The SLAM will probably not take long.
To be clear though, there is no way to help until you have a proper recomended test kit and you can provide the test results.
Keep adding the gallon of bleach a day and get that Test Kit asap and you can be fixed right up in a short period of time.
Also, now just think about this for a minute or 2. The Pool Store exists to sell you as much stuff at they can talk you into buying. Isnt it?
There are no magic powders, or potions that end with the number 9. Its all about as useless as a 50 dollar jar of snake oil.
Maintaining your pool is a simple and inexpensive routine if you have the knowledge to do it.
The people here can provide that to you, if you are willing to dive in, (pun intended!)...
now get that test kit on order !!!
Are you a member of Costco?
They sell 3 packs of 8.25% clorox. You'll probably want to get at least three of those 3 packs, if not more.
I say more, much more! He has a large pool. I under normal conditions use 6 bottles a week in the summer and my pool is only 28K. Have you seen some of the pics of empty bottles of people fighting ammonia.
i just thought id do a mini update. I bought an ammonia test kit at the pet store today. I tested the water and at first it read 0ppm (after 5 seconds, which is when it old me to read), then another 5 seconds later the color reading changed slightly to 1ppm. Does this even count as an "ammonia problem"? Or is this maybe just a chlorine demand problem since I am just opening the pool? It would just be helpful to know WHY my pool is not getting FC.
Doesn't sound like an ammonia problem.
Your pool is not holding FC because:
it is being used to fight algae, organics, bacteria, viruses.
Chlorine needs to be added on a daily basis. It is also consumed by UV light from the sun, which is why you need stabilizer in the pool to help control the loss from the sun, so that the chlorine can be used to fight the organic material from pollen, algae, bather sweat, body oils, sunscreen, etc.
The only way to truly know how much stabilizer you have in your pool is to get a quality test kit, like the tf 100 test kit:
http://tftestkits.net/TF-100-Test-Kit-p4.html
Going to the pool store is a waste of time (driving there, back, there, back) and money (they sell you a **** load of expensive chemicals you don't need)....not to mention, YOU still don't have an understanding of what needs to be done or why.
First step: Order the TF 100 test kit. You should also get the speed stir, and you'll probably want to get the XL option (more testing chemicals).
All of this will cost you $116.90
It will save you thousands.
Your pool is not holding FC because:
it is being used to fight algae, organics, bacteria, viruses.
Chlorine needs to be added on a daily basis. It is also consumed by UV light from the sun, which is why you need stabilizer in the pool to help control the loss from the sun, so that the chlorine can be used to fight the organic material from pollen, algae, bather sweat, body oils, sunscreen, etc.
The only way to truly know how much stabilizer you have in your pool is to get a quality test kit, like the tf 100 test kit:
http://tftestkits.net/TF-100-Test-Kit-p4.html
Going to the pool store is a waste of time (driving there, back, there, back) and money (they sell you a **** load of expensive chemicals you don't need)....not to mention, YOU still don't have an understanding of what needs to be done or why.
First step: Order the TF 100 test kit. You should also get the speed stir, and you'll probably want to get the XL option (more testing chemicals).
All of this will cost you $116.90
It will save you thousands.
correction...
all of that would cost you $176.41 (with USPS Priority Mail shipping -- $11.56)
all of that would cost you $176.41 (with USPS Priority Mail shipping -- $11.56)
Where are you getting $176.41? TF100 with XL option + Speed Stir is 116.90, plus shipping totals $128.46.
OOPS...
not sure what I did there...think I doubled up on the XL option and Speed stir..
this is correct:
View Cart
Qty Item Name Price Subtotal Delete
TF-100 Test Kit
Optional Items: Speedstir Magnetic Stirrer
Optional Items: XL Option
$113.90 $113.90
1 item(s) in cart
Subtotal:
$113.90
Shipping:
$11.56
New Total:
$125.4
not sure what I did there...think I doubled up on the XL option and Speed stir..
this is correct:
View Cart
Qty Item Name Price Subtotal Delete
TF-100 Test Kit
Optional Items: Speedstir Magnetic Stirrer
Optional Items: XL Option
$113.90 $113.90
1 item(s) in cart
Subtotal:
$113.90
Shipping:
$11.56
New Total:
$125.4