Adding liquid chlorine when I have a broken pump

[sparcel]

My primary pool pump is broken, and while we don't need to swim until it is fixed, I don't want to get algae.

I use a peristaltic pump to add liquid chlorine DIRECTLY to my pool (not into the return piping). I would like to keep using the peristaltic pump, but if necessary I could instead pour in the chlorine around the perimeter each day.

What do people recommend?

 

[ajw22]

Stir the water with your pool brush in the area where the chlorine is added.

 

[PoolStored]

If you are "extra" like me, I put my sump pump in a bucket and put it in the pool. Add chlorine slowly over the sump. Leave the sump in and you will get some circulation.

If you put the sump under the peristaltic line, you could continue to use it.

 

[sparcel]

I guess the core of what I'm wondering is whether the chlorine, when added slowly by the peristaltic pump over three 15 minute periods throughout the day, will distribute well enough over the pool during a 24 hour period. I keep my levels at about 5ppm, and we don't swim much anyway so I don't mind not swimming until the pump is fixed. What is the downside of just letting the peristaltic pump do the work. (Note the chlorine in my storage bucket is already diluted down to about 6%.)

 

[Kaylee34]

You’ll still need some kind of circulation to make sure the chlorine is distributed throughout the pool. You don’t want it to just sit there in one spot. Many ways to mix depending on your pool size. Kayak paddle works like a champ. Brushing is good, run the robot if you have one, sump pump. You just need the water moving for a bit.

 

[sparcel]

New idea, I am trying using a "hose end" sprayer to pre-dilute the liquid chlorine (the minimum dilution is 16 to 1) while spraying it across the entire surface of the pool. My theory is that it should spread the diluted chlorine out enough that mixing should not be needed. I'm guessing I may get a better distribution than stirring the pool water or using a sump pump - though of course if I kept running a sump pump from the deepest spot it would keep mixing it. Depending on the amount being added, this takes at least 5-10 minutes to spray out 2-4 qts of the 10 or 12% liquid chlorine that I put in the hose-end sprayer bottle, so the sprayed solution has some time to seep in before the next droplets arrive.

Any opinions?

 

[PoolStored]

New idea, I am trying using a "hose end" sprayer to pre-dilute the liquid chlorine (the minimum dilution is 16 to 1) while spraying it across the entire surface of the pool. My theory is that it should spread the diluted chlorine out enough that mixing should not be needed. I'm guessing I may get a better distribution than stirring the pool water or using a sump pump - though of course if I kept running a sump pump from the deepest spot it would keep mixing it. Depending on the amount being added, this takes at least 5-10 minutes to spray out 2-4 qts of the 10 or 12% liquid chlorine that I put in the hose-end sprayer bottle, so the sprayed solution has some time to seep in before the next droplets arrive.

Any opinions?

Maaaaybe, or maybe not. That is A LOT of particulates you are spreading. Maybe not good for health, clothes, cloth furniture etc, especially with any wind. Me thinks you are overthinking a bit. Pools are actually pretty good buffering systems and chlorine is one of the easier chemicals to mix. I think if you do a cup/pint/quart/gallon at a time and just swirl with a brush or a skimmer pole with a skimmer net, you will be fine. Sump is to keep it mixing as you said.

 

[ajw22]

Any opinions?

What @PoolStored said.

Just pour the chlorine into the pool and stir it around with your pool brush.