Chlorine in summer

[harless.amanda]

Hi everyone we moved into a house with a pool two years ago and I’m determined to maintain this myself. We live in the Phoenix area so it’s hotter than heck in the summer and it’s always a struggle to keep the chlorine levels up. Do you have any tips?

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
First you need your own proper test kit. See Test Kits Compared.
I suggest the TF100. A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.
Once you have reliable test data, you follow the Recommended Levels for your pool type.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry

 

[Sunnydaze]

Cya and shade are about the only things that will help chlorine loss due to sunlight. I'm in chandler. I recently increased my cya to 60ppm and it saved me about 1ppm of chlorine per day. I wouldn't go any higher. Umbrellas shading the pool will help too.

 

[harless.amanda]

Cya and shade are about the only things that will help chlorine loss due to sunlight. I'm in chandler. I recently increased my cya to 60ppm and it saved me about 1ppm of chlorine per day. I wouldn't go any higher. Umbrellas shading the pool will help too.

Thanks so much!

 

[jimbethesda]

Hi everyone we moved into a house with a pool two years ago and I’m determined to maintain this myself. We live in the Phoenix area so it’s hotter than heck in the summer and it’s always a struggle to keep the chlorine levels up. Do you have any tips?

How do you currently chlorinate your pool that it is hard to keep the levels up?

 

[harless.amanda]

How do you currently chlorinate your pool that it is hard to keep the levels up?

We use chlorine tabs. They do fine until it starts to get really hot. Then I have to add additional quite a bit. Last summer I was using a granular product that the pool store recommended to add it. But we had to use so much.

 

[Wally oasis]

Your CYA levels may be way too high. This will make your chlorine ineffective.
You'll need to test for your CYA level. I only use liquid chlorine as the tabs will continually increase the CYA levels until you drain the pool to get ride of them.

 

[Sunnydaze]

We use chlorine tabs. They do fine until it starts to get really hot. Then I have to add additional quite a bit. Last summer I was using a granular product that the pool store recommended to add it. But we had to use so much.

Get a good test kit as recommended in post #2. If you've only been using tabs, it's very likely your cya is too high.

Using liquid chlorine is your best bet. It needs to be added daily but you will not be adding unnecessary chemicals to your pool as you are now. If you're testing daily, you won't need to guess at how much chlorine you need to add. You will know precisely how much to add each day.

 

[harless.amanda]

Your CYA levels may be way too high. This will make your chlorine ineffective.
You'll need to test for your CYA level. I only use liquid chlorine as the tabs will continually increase the CYA levels until you drain the pool to get ride of them.

I actually tested CYA for the first time today and it’s off the charts. I was going to go the pool store tomorrow to see what I can do. From what I’m reading it seems the only option is draining and replacing water. Which stinks because I just did that a little over a year ago.

 

[Wally oasis]

Yeah I know what you mean. I had a pool service company just adding tabs once a week. The pool was getting algae on the walls. I got a good test kit and found the CYA off the charts. The only way to fix it is to drain the pool.

 

[clambert1273]

Hi! I'm in Gilbert too... glad you found TFP! I can guarantee if you follow the methods here you will not only keep chlorine but your water will feel good & sparkle.. we bought our house here in feb 2020 and after we moved in realized how awful they kept the pool... I spent last summer repIacing equipment, and fixing the water (it was awful), that was when I decided I wanted a saltwater chlorine generator & that was the best thing we did living here... a lot of people in AZ live by the "must drain pool every year" mantra someone told me once it was bad having "old" water lol I almost spit my drink in their face laughing... we can certainly help you get control & stay in control First step: get good test kit Next stop using pucks & powder chlorine use liquid chlorine Pool Werx has good supply of HASA chlorine here. That's where I go to buy liquid chlorine, they don't try to sell me anything I don't want just ask me how im doing & how the pool is

 

[clambert1273]

I actually tested CYA for the first time today and it’s off the charts. I was going to go the pool store tomorrow to see what I can do. From what I’m reading it seems the only option is draining and replacing water. Which stinks because I just did that a little over a year ago.

Yup you will have to lucky for us, filling doesn't cost a bundle, I drained last yr when we bought it & it got drained this year because we are renovating it but otherwise this will be my last drain unless something drastic happens

 

[harless.amanda]

Hi! I'm in Gilbert too... glad you found TFP! I can guarantee if you follow the methods here you will not only keep chlorine but your water will feel good & sparkle.. we bought our house here in feb 2020 and after we moved in realized how awful they kept the pool... I spent last summer repIacing equipment, and fixing the water (it was awful), that was when I decided I wanted a saltwater chlorine generator & that was the best thing we did living here... a lot of people in AZ live by the "must drain pool every year" mantra someone told me once it was bad having "old" water lol I almost spit my drink in their face laughing... we can certainly help you get control & stay in control First step: get good test kit Next stop using pucks & powder chlorine use liquid chlorine Pool Werx has good supply of HASA chlorine here. That's where I go to buy liquid chlorine, they don't try to sell me anything I don't want just ask me how im doing & how the pool is

Thanks so much. There’s a pool werx down the street from me. I just got a Taylor K-2006C test kit. Do you think that’s a good one?

 

[clambert1273]

Thanks so much. There’s a pool werx down the street from me. I just got a Taylor K-2006C test kit. Do you think that’s a good one?

Absolutely good!!!