Pool looks great but won't hold chlorine

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Fieldsdj

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Jun 24, 2014
16
Navarre, Florida
Hey guys. I'm having a chlorine issue with my pool and I hope it's not algae starting to grow. My pool looks great but I'm having trouble keeping it at my target level of 5ppm. My level was at 5ppm last night and by 11am today it was down to 1ppm. Added bleach to get the level back to 5ppm and by 8pm it was down to 2.5ppm. Is this normal? Is it normal to add a full 96oz jug of bleach every day? Will doing a SLAM help? Here are my current numbers:

FC=2.5
pH=7.4
TA=160
CH=110
CYA=40
Temp=90

I am currently using bleach but I did have a tri-chlore floater in there for about 2 weeks while I was on vacation. I also added about 60oz of muriatic acid today to bring the pH down from 8.0 to 7.4. I'm trying to get my TA down to about 100.
 
So last night FC was 7 and I checked again at 5:30 this morning and it was the same. From what I understand, this is a good thing and means I have nothing organic using up my chlorine. That being the case, the only other thing it can be is the sun...correct? My CYA is at 40 right now. Would bumping that to 50 help? I've also been reading that adding borax can help with chlorine consumption. Would it be enough to be worth the added cost and work?
 
Going to a CYA of 50 could help. Not sure if the borates would be worth it. I've never went that route.
Second thought. How much sun does your pool get ? My CYA level is 40 also and I target FC of 7. That gives more wiggle room for FC loss. I lose about 2-3 ppm a day. Pool gets 10-11 hours of full sun.
 
How warm is your water? Warmer water uses up chlorine faster than say.... cooler water. I see you're in Florida.
 
Fieldsdj said:
So last night FC was 7 and I checked again at 5:30 this morning and it was the same. From what I understand, this is a good thing and means I have nothing organic using up my chlorine. That being the case, the only other thing it can be is the sun...correct? My CYA is at 40 right now. Would bumping that to 50 help? I've also been reading that adding borax can help with chlorine consumption. Would it be enough to be worth the added cost and work?
Click to expand...
In the hot Florida sun you will see more chlorine usage than other places. Raising th eCYA to 50 will help. But, before you do that is your current CYA reading recent or from before you used the floater for vacation? If the reading is from before, check your CYA again. If 40 is a recent number you can put the floater back in and let the CYA slowly come up to 50.

You ask the question "Is it normal to add a full 96oz jug of bleach every day?" which begs a question in response, what is the chlorine % of the bottle. You will use more bottles of 5.25% than you will 8.25%. What is normal for my pool will not be normal for yours. Environmental factors play a big part of what is normal for your pool. Hours and intensity of sunlight, water temperature, organics getting into the pool and swimmer load are just some of the factors that will affect chlorine usage.

Be very careful, because at the 2.5 FC level you are below the minimum 3 FC you need for 40 CYA. If you raise it to 50 CYA your minimum goes up to 5.

Maybe you should consider some automation of chlorine dispensing, SWCG, Liquidator or Stenner pump. All provide a nice level addition of chlorine as the pump runs.
 
pwrstrk

Going to a CYA of 50 could help. Not sure if the borates would be worth it. I've never went that route.
Second thought. How much sun does your pool get ? My CYA level is 40 also and I target FC of 7. That gives more wiggle room for FC loss. I lose about 2-3 ppm a day. Pool gets 10-11 hours of full sun.
Click to expand...

My pool is in direct sunlight, no shade at all. I'd say 10-11 hours just like yours. I might try the borates, sounds like it has some good benefits for some. I'll raise my target as well, I like the idea of more wiggle room. Thanks.

Casey

How warm is your water? Warmer water uses up chlorine faster than say.... cooler water. I see you're in Florida.
Click to expand...

My water sits between 90 and 93 so I'd say that could be part of the issue. I plan on getting a fountain or something to try and get the temp down so we'll see if that helps.

tim5055

In the hot Florida sun you will see more chlorine usage than other places. Raising th eCYA to 50 will help. But, before you do that is your current CYA reading recent or from before you used the floater for vacation? If the reading is from before, check your CYA again. If 40 is a recent number you can put the floater back in and let the CYA slowly come up to 50.

You ask the question "Is it normal to add a full 96oz jug of bleach every day?" which begs a question in response, what is the chlorine % of the bottle. You will use more bottles of 5.25% than you will 8.25%. What is normal for my pool will not be normal for yours. Environmental factors play a big part of what is normal for your pool. Hours and intensity of sunlight, water temperature, organics getting into the pool and swimmer load are just some of the factors that will affect chlorine usage.

Be very careful, because at the 2.5 FC level you are below the minimum 3 FC you need for 40 CYA. If you raise it to 50 CYA your minimum goes up to 5.

Maybe you should consider some automation of chlorine dispensing, SWCG, Liquidator or Stenner pump. All provide a nice level addition of chlorine as the pump runs.
Click to expand...

Very good questions, thanks tim5055. I'll check my CYA again...that reading was from right before vacation. I'm using 8.25% bleach at around $4 a bottle. I wonder, would the cheap Wal-Mart brand bleach be just as good?

As far as environmental factors goes, the pool gets lots of direct sunlight which makes the temp in the 90's. I have 5 kids so they are in the pool a couple hours a day at least. I get lots of bugs in the pool so I keep the pump on almost all the time.

I can see where all of these factors could cause my pool to just burn more chlorine. I'll look into automation for sure. I didn't even know that option existed. Do you or anyone else have any recommendations on automation of chlorine dispensing?
 
Fieldsdj said:
Very good questions, thanks tim5055. I'll check my CYA again...that reading was from right before vacation. I'm using 8.25% bleach at around $4 a bottle. I wonder, would the cheap Wal-Mart brand bleach be just as good?

As far as environmental factors goes, the pool gets lots of direct sunlight which makes the temp in the 90's. I have 5 kids so they are in the pool a couple hours a day at least. I get lots of bugs in the pool so I keep the pump on almost all the time.

I can see where all of these factors could cause my pool to just burn more chlorine. I'll look into automation for sure. I didn't even know that option existed. Do you or anyone else have any recommendations on automation of chlorine dispensing?
Click to expand...
All of the things you are talking about will increase your chlorine consumption.

The WalMart GreatValu is 8.25% also and is only $2.99. This is what I generally use. But I keep an eye on Target and a few other stores that I know have 8.25% because I sometimes pick it up cheaper. I keep saying I need to look at Aldi as I think theirs is less expensive.

HERE is my Stenner install. Obviously human nature causes me to say what I decided to do is best, but honesty requires me to say all of the systems have their pluses and minuses.
 

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Fieldsdj said:
So last night FC was 7 and I checked again at 5:30 this morning and it was the same.
Click to expand...

To do a proper OCLT, you need to raise your FC to shock levels, as if you were SLAMing your pool.
Having run below the minimum for your cya, makes this a really important step for you.

Re-check your cya level 1st, so you know where it is at.
Read this 1st. http://www.troublefreepool.com/thre...Kit-Directions?p=203524&viewfull=1#post203524

Also, you definitely need to be shooting for a higher FC target when you dose each day so you have more headroom. Plus it is a good idea to dose after sundown, as that gives the Cl maximum sanitizing power while the sun is down, and unable to consume any of it.

A fountain, or other external areation source would definitely help to lower your water temp, but keep in mind that with this, comes pH rise, which requires the use of more ma.

For getting your TA down, follow this. http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/129-how-to-lower-lowering-total-alkalinity
Basically lower with ma to target, then aerate to bring pH up, then hit it with ma again. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
 
I would definitely look into a way to cool your water and even run the pump at night to help in cooling it. I can't even get my pool to stay at 80 degrees this year without the temps doing a nose dive on me! We're at 50 degrees night time air. lol
 
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