Chlorine Demand that just won't go away...
- Thread starter gerks9800
- Start date
I added 6 gals of bleach and waited two hours. My readings were FC 1, CC 11, TC 12. I read it before the 4 hrs were up because I was out of bleach. I have added 11 gals of bleach today and not much change. Just added another 6 gals and I will check it again in about an hour or so. Can anyone think of any reason why the FC isn't changing faster? Also, why is the CC going up...is that normal? Sorry if I am asking so many questions but I am learning all of this. Before I always let the pool stores just tell me what to do!
Thanks
Thanks
This is normal for your situation.
Ammonia in a pool is very VERY chlorine intensive to get rid of. As someone mentioned before it takes about 10 ppm Chlorine to get rid of 1 ppm Ammonia. So this behavior is to be expected. What will happen is a TON of chlorine will be used very quickly, and then just as quickly will stabilize out once you have put in enough to counteract all the PPM of ammonia that is in there.
For example, if you had 15 PPM of ammonia, it would take 150 (<-- see the zero on the end there) ppm of chlorine to get rid of it, and then even mroe chlorine to get rid of the neutralized ammonia that is now combined with the chlorine (CC). We dont know exactly how much ammonia you have so we are just telling you to keep feeding your ammonia monster chlorine on a frequent and regular basis (every hour, or couple of hours) until its dead. Then things will settle down dramatically.
Ammonia in a pool is very VERY chlorine intensive to get rid of. As someone mentioned before it takes about 10 ppm Chlorine to get rid of 1 ppm Ammonia. So this behavior is to be expected. What will happen is a TON of chlorine will be used very quickly, and then just as quickly will stabilize out once you have put in enough to counteract all the PPM of ammonia that is in there.
For example, if you had 15 PPM of ammonia, it would take 150 (<-- see the zero on the end there) ppm of chlorine to get rid of it, and then even mroe chlorine to get rid of the neutralized ammonia that is now combined with the chlorine (CC). We dont know exactly how much ammonia you have so we are just telling you to keep feeding your ammonia monster chlorine on a frequent and regular basis (every hour, or couple of hours) until its dead. Then things will settle down dramatically.
The FC did change. But it was quickly turned into CC by all that ammonia. Keep dumping bleach in until you can get that FC number to stick. The CC's will go down as you keep the FC level up and the UV radiation from the sun hits it.
So I should NOT wait the hour in between? Just keep adding bleach until I get a reading?
So what you are telling me to do is take a test right after I put the bleach in and then re-test in 30 min. Maybe this has been one of my problems. I have been adding bleach and then waiting an hour to test.
No you should pour the bleach in, then test in 30 minutes (with the pump running the whole time). That gives time for bleach to circulate so you can then add more. No need to test right after adding if you use the Pool Calculator to estimate the dose to get up to 13 FC
You have a BIG MONSTER on your hands in the way of ammonia. Clear your grocery store of bleach and clear the next store too. It's too bad you spent $400 on pool store chemicals. That would have bought a whole lotta bleach. Keep at it. You're just going to have to hit it hard until you get a break through. Good luck and...
(I had to cuz no one else was asking)
(I had to cuz no one else was asking)
Just put the last of the bleach I had in. It better work this time because I have already bought 26 gallons today. A little late to go out and get more now. Should I buy an ammonia test kit?? Can I get that at the fish store?
You can buy one at the pet store.
As with a baq pool converting to chlorine... the old saying is, when you think you have enough chlorine/bleach, double the amount you have in your cart because you're going to need it.
As with a baq pool converting to chlorine... the old saying is, when you think you have enough chlorine/bleach, double the amount you have in your cart because you're going to need it.
Had a pool yesterday, ammonia test showed .75 ammonia, less than 1ppm. Should not have been that big a deal - but it took 16 gallons, testing and adding every 30 minutes, to get FC to hold. I was there for 3 hours before it began to hold. Got it to 12 and it was 9 this afternoon, pool a cloudy blue.
Some pet stores will do free ammonia tests. You can call them and ask, or just take a water sample with yougerks9800 said:
Or, you can use the $ to buy more bleach/liquid chlorine instead of buying an ammonia test kit.
As far as the chlorine goes, it will take as much as it takes to burn off the ammonia.
Well have added 6 gallons every half an hour for last three hours. FC 1, CC 12.5, TC 11.5. I have to stop for the night. Will this harm anything waiting until the morning and starting all over again? I just can't understand why after 38 gallons of bleach something hasn't started to change. I totally get what you guys are saying, just didn't think it would take this long. Went out at 8 pm and bought 50 more gallons of bleach. Let's hope it works tomorrow, we're going broke.
I need to put some water in the pool.....should I wait until I get a good FC reading or fill then start again with bleach and FC readings?
I need to put some water in the pool.....should I wait until I get a good FC reading or fill then start again with bleach and FC readings?
I agree with Butterfly (for once :tongue: ), it might help to get the water tested for ammonia (and see how much further you have to go). Even if the fish store won't do it for free, I think the test kits are not too expensive.
The 38 bottles would have neutralized 8 ppm of ammonia, assuming all of it was used on the ammonia (which is probably not the case since sun and other organics would have used some too).
The 38 bottles would have neutralized 8 ppm of ammonia, assuming all of it was used on the ammonia (which is probably not the case since sun and other organics would have used some too).
I would measure, dose then fill.gerks9800 said:
Well then that's my job for tomorrow. Thanks for all you help. Will let you know what happens.
WE ARE FINALLY GETTING SOMEWHERE!!! At 7 am I tested and we were still at FC 1, CC 3.5, TC 4.5. At 8:45 we were at FC 1. I added 5.5 gal of bleach both times. 9:45 reading was FC 6.5, CC 1.5 and TC 8. I went out and bought ammonia test and it reads between .25-.05. When I had it done last week it was dark dark green, off the charts!!!
This has been a real pain in the butt, but it is finally working! Let's hope I can keep the FC up. I just added another 2.5 gal per pool calculator and will see what it reads in one hour. Trying to get it to that magic 12 number.
Thanks for all your help!
This has been a real pain in the butt, but it is finally working! Let's hope I can keep the FC up. I just added another 2.5 gal per pool calculator and will see what it reads in one hour. Trying to get it to that magic 12 number.
Thanks for all your help!
We have an FC reading of 12.5, CC 1, TC 13.5. FINALLY!!!
So now do I just check it every few hours to make sure it stays at the 12.5? Probably shouldn't add any water just yet?
So now do I just check it every few hours to make sure it stays at the 12.5? Probably shouldn't add any water just yet?