Chlorine just won't go up!

[RESISTENCIA13]

Hi!

I need help. Just replaster my pool and balancing my water. It has been three days, i already added 3 gallons of liquid chlorine and my FC still 0. Can someone advise? Water results are as follows:
Water temperature 65
FC 0
CC 0
PH 7.2
TA 60
CH 150
CYA 40

Still working on getting CH to 200 per pool company recommendatio for first 2 weeks after plaster.

 

[mknauss]

3 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine added 10ppm FC. Was that added all at one 3 days ago? Was the CYA already in the water then?
Add liquid chlorine to maintain FC based on
FC/CYA Levels daily.

 

[duraleigh]

Check your chlorine every day and add enough to get it to 4-6 ppm......regardless how much it takes

Calcium (CH) can be fixed next week or so, there is no rush, but there is a rush on maintaining your chlorine

 

[RESISTENCIA13]

3 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine added 10ppm FC. Was that added all at one 3 days ago? Was the CYA already in the water then?
Add liquid chlorine to maintain FC based on
FC/CYA Levels daily.

Hi!

1 gallon when the pool was startedup ( no CYA on water yet). 1 Gallon after 24 hours along with CYA in the am. 1 gallon in PM after checking and seeing FC as 0. Today tested and FC 0.

 

[mknauss]

Add liquid chlorine to maintain FC based on
FC/CYA Levels daily.

 

[JamesW]

What test kit do you have?

Test Kits Compared

SLAM Process





Pool Care Basics

PoolMath

Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

 

[trivetman]

Cya takes a while to dissolve. Is it effectively in the water yer? Maybe the fc is burning off super quick.

After you add your next gallon, wait 20 min for it to mix and then test. Did fc go up by the amount you expected? If not, your chlorine may be well under 10% despite the label.

It would be wierd for this to be algae on a fresh fill with new plaster.

Regardless you probably will need to be putting in a gallon or so every day but usually theres some residual left the next day. Not down to 0

 

[Lilypad]

Check the date on the chlorine bottles. Is it fresh?

See example from another TFP member:

• Home Depot HDX Chlorine Date Decoder - 21 027 = year 2021 and 27 days in so January 27th 2021.

 

[RESISTENCIA13]

What test kit do you have?

Test Kits Compared

SLAM Process





Pool Care Basics

PoolMath

Overnight Chlorine Loss Test

TF-100

 

[RESISTENCIA13]

Check your chlorine every day and add enough to get it to 4-6 ppm......regardless how much it takes

Calcium (CH) can be fixed next week or so, there is no rush, but there is a rush on maintaining your chlorine

Why 4-6PPM? Pool company schedule for plaster for 1st week wants me to keep 1ppm.

 

[RESISTENCIA13]

Check the date on the chlorine bottles. Is it fresh?

See example from another TFP member:

• Home Depot HDX Chlorine Date Decoder - 21 027 = year 2021 and 27 days in so January 27th 2021.

My is from 9/2022. So not too old. I think.

 

[trivetman]

Months old is very old. If it was stored at cool temps it is probably fine. If it was stored outside in the heat it is probably nothing but salt water

Chlorine degradation due to heat over time

You guys have probably seen this. Nice chart showing 12% chlorine degradation over time due to heat. [attachment=0:1ujby6e6]ChlorineDegradationHeatTime.JPG[/attachment:1ujby6e6]

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[RESISTENCIA13]

We are in NJ where weather is cold. Pool store does not have outside storage. So I will hope it was inside. Last night a poured another gallon and this morning I finally detected FC at 0.5 PPM. I will check again this afternoon to see if it holds. Thanks

 

[trivetman]

the 1 gallon pour should be giving you a 3.0ppm boost. The chlorine is always consumed but overnight loss should be at most 1.0ppm. If you are losing all (or most) of it by the morning, one of 3 things is happening

1). The chlorine is not nearly as strong as the label.
2). Something is wrong with your testing
3) youve got something growing in the water using up the chlorine.

Have you tried testing immediately after adding the chlorine? What are you using to test?

 

[RESISTENCIA13]

Hi!

I tested with 2 different test kit. Same results. Pool was just replaster (brand new water in it). I am thinking Chlorine strenght as well. Have no tested right after pouring as results would not be accurate if water has not turnover would it?

 

[IceShadow]

Hi!

I tested with 2 different test kit. Same results. Pool was just replaster (brand new water in it). I am thinking Chlorine strenght as well. Have no tested right after pouring as results would not be accurate if water has not turnover would it?

After about 15 minutes with the pump running it's going to be pretty thoroughly mixed into the pool.

 

[trivetman]

Give it 20 minutes with the pump on. If you have a variable speed, maybe turn it up for a bit. It’s surprising how quick it will mix.

You can also take two samples - one from where you pour it and the other from the opposite side of the pool - i bet after 20 minutes the results will be the same from both samples and that will prove its mixed enough.

 

[reggiehammond]

Why 4-6PPM? Pool company schedule for plaster for 1st week wants me to keep 1ppm.

The entirety of the TFP method is predicated on acknowledging the relationship between FC and CYA. The pool companies, the industry at large, and the plaster companies ignore that relationship. You're more than fine to follow the FC/CYA recommendations found here:

The Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid Relationship

Managing your cyanuric acid and Free Chlorine levels is key to stabilizing your pool. Learn how these two items affect each other.

www.troublefreepool.com

If you allow FC to stay under target levels, you will end up with algae which will necessitate following the SLAM method. It's critically important to get your FC up as soon as you can, and maintain the proper levels.

 

[RESISTENCIA13]

The entirety of the TFP method is predicated on acknowledging the relationship between FC and CYA. The pool companies, the industry at large, and the plaster companies ignore that relationship. You're more than fine to follow the FC/CYA recommendations found here:

The Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid Relationship

Managing your cyanuric acid and Free Chlorine levels is key to stabilizing your pool. Learn how these two items affect each other.

www.troublefreepool.com

If you allow FC to stay under target levels, you will end up with algae which will necessitate following the SLAM method. It's critically important to get your FC up as soon as you can, and maintain the proper levels.

I understand this concept. I followed the TFP method for the past 10 years. Reason I questioned is since the pool has been replaster and pool company advised to keep FC 1PPM. I want to make sure I do not do anything that will damage the plaster. Anyways, I just tested again. All chemicals in range, but FC dropped from 0.5ppm this morning to 0 ppm now. I guess the FC .5 PPM drop is normal for day time due to sun?

 

[Lilypad]

A simple way is to buy some chlorine that is date checked and known to be fresh.
Add to pool, mix and test. Definitely do as @reggiehammond mentions….get
your FC level up as soon as you can and within specs for the new plaster. Let us know how it goes