Dont go on vacation if you have a pool

[ianwelch001]

Went on vacation for 5 days. It was in the 90s here in NY and came home to algea starting.
Since I wouldn't be home to add loquid chlorine everyday, I filled up a frog pod with regular 1" tabs and put it on the highest setting. This method the chlorine went from day1 2.9ppm
Day2 2.4ppm
Day3 1 4pp.
Day 4 and 5 were at 0ppm

I used my water guru to monitor it while I was away. Just helps to know whether there is chlorine or not

Came home and checked today and had some green algea forming in the corners. Put 3 gallons of liquid chlorine in and brushed the pool.
We also had a windstorm so lots of leaves and pebbles and mulch.

I was really hoping the frog system with 1" normal tabs would be enough to hold me over for the time I was gone but guess not.

Went through 2lbs of chlorine tabs in 3 days then had nothing left for the other 2 days. And of course my CYA went up which I was okay with. I was low in the 20s anyway now I'm between 50 and 60 according to my taylor kit

 

[cwswifty]

You should rename your post to "If you have a pool, have a good plan before going on vacation." If you were at 2.9 FC on day #1 you were destined to fail. What level of CYA were you at?

 

[Donldson]

I went on vacation for 5 days this past week. Air was in the 90's, pool water was 90. Brought the water to SLAM level and added enough 3 inch tablets to a floater to account for 2 ppm FC loss per day. Came home to a perfectly clear pool, sitting at about 4 ppm FC which is adequate for my 40 ppm CYA. It would be better if we left the cover on, but didn't feel like letting the water hit 100 degrees.

I'd suggest the problem is the use of the pool frog and not following the FC/CYA Levels.

 

[ianwelch001]

You should rename your post to "If you have a pool, have a good plan before going on vacation." If you were at 2.9 FC on day #1 you were destined to fail. What level of CYA were you at?

Well that was day 1 on vacation. I was over 6ppm FC the day I left. My cya was between 20 and 30 when I left. Hard to use that black dot sight

 

[ianwelch001]

I went on vacation for 5 days this past week. Air was in the 90's, pool water was 90. Brought the water to SLAM level and added enough 3 inch tablets to a floater to account for 2 ppm FC loss per day. Came home to a perfectly clear pool, sitting at about 4 ppm FC which is adequate for my 40 ppm CYA. It would be better if we left the cover on, but didn't feel like letting the water hit 100 degrees.

I'd suggest the problem is the use of the pool frog and not following the FC/CYA Levels.

The pool came with the frog system. I haven't used it at all this year. Just do the liquid chlorine daily to keep it at the right number depending on my CYA.
I was only using it to add chlorine on the days I wasnt going to be here and I don't use the frog pods, I use 1" trichlor tabs. I just cut the top off and load it that way

 

[Donldson]

Ok good, but you still massively underchlorinated your water. You left with 6 ppm FC and particularly low CYA so it was destined to burn off quickly. 2 pounds of trichlor in your pool only adds 6 ppm FC (and 4 ppm CYA, so that 40 ppm increase you're reporting is particularly curious) and this time of year you should expect 2-4 ppm loss. I'd expect easly 4 ppm for a pool with only 20 CYA and especially during a heat wave.

Yes, you can go on vacation but not without a bit of planning.

Either way, what's done is done. Don't just pour some chlorine in after seeing algae and call it a day, follow the SLAM Process.

 

[Newdude]

I was only using it to add chlorine on the days I wasnt going to be here and I don't use the frog pods, I use 1" trichlor tabs.

Each puck raises your CYA, also raising your FC targets.

FC/CYA Levels
Pool Care Basics

 

[Sunnydaze]

I've gone on week long vacations with my pool in a phoenix summer and it was fine.

I run the FC up to SLAM level and float a few pucks while I'm gone. I just ensure there's some room in my CYA level to accommodate the pucks.

 

[ianwelch001]

The problem with slamming I had was this was a guy's trip and my wife and daughter would be in the pool so I didn't wanted the chlorine level to be too high incase they wanted to get in the day I left

 

[Newdude]

Slam FC is safe per your CYA. It's less harsh than tap water. The only caveat is that you need to see well enough to rescue a disabled swimmer.