How long do you have to wait to swim safely after adding 2-4 gallons of bleach? Also, can adding bleach damage the pool liner?
Using Bleach for Chlorine
- Thread starter TooCoolForPools
- Start date
We usually say 30 mins of the pump being on. No damage until you exceed mustard algae slam level.
Realize though, that this is not a bleach thing. The same damage will occur if you add large amounts of any type of chlorine. Shock, hockey pucks, bleach... The chlorine inside them is all the same. The difference is all the other unwanted stuff in the other forms.
Bleach is in fact liquid chlorine. The very same stuff pool stores and pool care companies use. The only difference is the strength. So as long as your pool water test results are in order, you can swim! Desired FC levels are individual, based on the pool's CYA (Stabilizer) levels, to maintain a clean pool.
You do have one of the two recommended test kits and test your own water.....right? If not- get thee up to the link at the top of the page and start reading "Pool School"
And yes, if you put too much chlorine in a vinyl lined pool, above what is needed and above what your CYA and algae killing level (SLAM level) is, it might hurt the liner.
You do have one of the two recommended test kits and test your own water.....right? If not- get thee up to the link at the top of the page and start reading "Pool School"
And yes, if you put too much chlorine in a vinyl lined pool, above what is needed and above what your CYA and algae killing level (SLAM level) is, it might hurt the liner.
Bleach is the same as liquid chlorine only less strong, same active ingredient, sodium hypochlorite. LC is 10-12% and bleach 6-8.25%. Ideentical ingredients.
So about how much will I need to add to keep the chlorine level ~10 ppm? My CYA levels are fairly high, around 100, so I need to keep my FC pretty high as well. I have a ~24k gallon IG pool, and I have been using trichlor tabs for the past month or so. The pool calculator is telling me about 3 gallons of bleach.
I know this is not what you want to hear, but you really need to do a vry large drain and fill to get your CYA down. Probably at least 50%. That is assuming your CYA really is 100 and not more.
Welcome to TFP.
How are you testing your cya? If your testing it yourself, it could likely be way over 100 since the test only goes to 100.
How are you testing your cya? If your testing it yourself, it could likely be way over 100 since the test only goes to 100.
What Steve says. With your CYA so high it is going to take a LOT of bleach to clear it up or to keep it clear.Kim
You probably ought to recheck that CYA reading using the dilution method in Extended Test Kit Directions. Post 8, Step 9.
I took over my pool and found CYA was somewhere between 220 & 240 and we were under water restrictions so draining would have cost me hundreds of dollars. I managed to maintain the pool with that level, but it was not easy, nor do I recommend it to anyone. But it is safe to swim in really high FC levels as long as they are proportional to the CYA level. Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
If you have the opportunity to do a partial drain and refill, do it. It's so much easier with CYA down in the 50-60 zone. I know this from firsthand experience. Worlds easier.
I took over my pool and found CYA was somewhere between 220 & 240 and we were under water restrictions so draining would have cost me hundreds of dollars. I managed to maintain the pool with that level, but it was not easy, nor do I recommend it to anyone. But it is safe to swim in really high FC levels as long as they are proportional to the CYA level. Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
If you have the opportunity to do a partial drain and refill, do it. It's so much easier with CYA down in the 50-60 zone. I know this from firsthand experience. Worlds easier.
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