AA Treatment- Polyquat question

[Caracat]

From the AA instructions on this forum:

"Take your chlorine down to 0 and PH down to 7.2, if there is chlorine in the water it won't hurt, it will just eat up the ascorbic acid, so you will need more to get rid of the stains. You can add poyquat 60 per directions on the bottle to avoid getting algae while the chlorine is low."

I am planning an AA treatment for iron stains after I return from a 5-day trip. I plan on having our pet sitter NOT add chlorine or anything else to the pool while we are gone so the chlorine can drop down in my absence. My question: Should I go ahead and add the Polyquat before I leave town or wait til I return when the chlorine level is very low?

Thanks!
Caracat

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I would not stop adding chlorine. If you get an algae bloom while you’re gone, you’re going to need to SLAM and that will completely undo the stain treatment. The polyquat 60 will not prevent an algae bloom in the absence of chlorine. Simply wait until you get back and attend to the stain removal process when you have time to focus on it.

 

[revitup]

The polyquat 60 will not prevent an algae bloom? I thought that was the whole reason for using it?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The polyquat 60 will not prevent an algae bloom? I thought that was the whole reason for using it?

The polyquat 60 is there to help hold down any algae growth that might happen while working through the stain removal process. That process should be executed as quickly as possible with no delays. Every hour a pool sits with zero free chlorine in the water is an hour tempting fate. Once algae starts growing, polyquat-60 will not stop it, just merely slow it down.

Leaving a pool with no chlorine in it for 5 days and some algaecide in it is a recipe for disaster. I would urge the OP to work on the stains at a later date when it’s more convenient to be by the pool and when water temps are colder to naturally reduce the chances of algae growth. Stains are not critical, simply aesthetic. Lack of chlorine is a critical sanitation problem.

 

[Caracat]

Leaving a pool with no chlorine in it for 5 days and some algaecide in it is a recipe for disaster. I would urge the OP to work on the stains at a later date when it’s more convenient to be by the pool and when water temps are colder to naturally reduce the chances of algae growth. Stains are not critical, simply aesthetic. Lack of chlorine is a critical sanitation problem.

Thanks for your reply. I would not be leaving the pool with no chlorine in it. I normally keep my FC at 7-8, as is appropriate for my CYA level of 45. I'd increase it to about 12 just before leaving and let it drop naturally. I lose 1.5 to 2 PPM per day this time of year, so I should return to a pool with 2-4 FC remaining. Time IS of the essence and stains matter, as we are putting our home on the market. I need to get the stains out and the chemistry back to normal asap. I was hoping to use those 5 days of nobody home and nobody swimming to my advantage so I'd be able to start the AA within a couple days of getting back. I wondered if adding the Polyquat 60 beforehand would keep algae at bay AS the FC level dropped to 2-4, or if it would make more sense to add it AFTER I return when the levels are low, but not at zero.