Going broke using bleach, HELP!

[kerig01]

Okay, I'm fully converted to LC; no more tabs... but wow this is getting expensive. My current stats are:

20,000 in ground, plaster pool, 3 years old.
PH 7.5
FC 2.5 to 7 (this is my question, details coming below)
TA 130
CYA 140 (yes I know this is horrible but I cant drain and refill yet. I need to wait a few more months)

So with no tabs anymore I'm using bleach at 7.1% I bought from WalMart. My issue is every day I'm putting enough to get up to about 7 in FC but it drops down to around 2.5 in 24 hours! To get back to 7 with my crazy CYA it takes almost 1.5 gallons AKA $7 bucks a day! Needless to say I can't drop that kind of cash / LC into my pool on the daily. Is there anything I can do until I get the CYA down to not use so much? Should I keep using the tabs until I can drain? Any other ideas?

Also, can someone please assure me that once I do get my CYA in check for next season I'm not going to need 1.5 gallons of bleach a day all swimming season?

 

[Texas Splash]

Unfortunately you are in a bad position until you lower the CYA. Tabs would just make things worse. You probably have a bit of algae going on as well with an FC that low. A CYA close to 150 requires too much chlorine. As FYI, my 18K pool would take 1/2 gallon of 10% chlorine each day with a summer CYA of 60-70. The sooner you can exchange water the better I'm afraid.

 

[markayash]

Like pat said probably cheaper to drain half the water ( or more ) and bring your stabilizer down assuming your in a safe location and don't have to worry about it floating. I have been there before and even with that I was having to SLAM mine 3 or 4 times a year.

 

[DorsalSpine]

Would adding a SWG help? A salt water generator seems to be pretty popular for you long swim season.

 

[Newdude]

Your minimum FC (7.5%) of 140 CYA is 10.5. Many of us prefer 10% for some wiggle room. You’re leaving the door wide open for algae at 2.5 - 7 FC and the daily loss is almost certainly the easily stages of a bloom.

You should Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to know for sure.

Also, HD / Lowe’s / Ace hardware might have 10% ‘liquid shock’ or ‘chlorinating liquid’ still

 

[markayash]

Would adding a SWG help? A salt water generator seems to be pretty popular for you long swim season.

That's what I did and it makes life so much easier. I was out of town for 2 1/2 weeks and came back to a clear pool
They also recommend keeping your CYA around 70 or 80 with a SWG so may not have to dump as much water. Will see what your fellow Texan Pat thinks.

 

[Newdude]

+ 3 for SWG. Any day of the week. I’m a month + from my build and mine has been sitting in the garage since April (?). I feel *that* strongly about them.

 

[pmahosky]

I also live in Leander and have a 13,000 gallon pool that was installed in May. I add 40-50 ounces of 10% bleach (Lowes) every morning (less when I have the 12% from Leslie's) to go from an FC of 4.5-5 to 6.5 - 7.0. My CYA is 40. That would equate to about 70 ounces per day for a 20,000 gallon pool for 10% bleach and more for 7.1% bleach......but not 1.5 gallons a day.

 

[BowserB]

Yes, your CYA is a problem. Does your local Walmart have a pool section? I've bought 10% chlorine at Katy Walmart for a long time. Don't get your chlorine from the cleaning and laundry supplies aisles. All that said, prices and availability of liquid chlorine drove me finally to a salt water chlorine generator. Might be worth a look for you too.

 

[kerig01]

How hard is it to install one of these inteliclor 40000 devices to my existing pentair system? Looks like for $1,500 I could convert over. The only “chlorine” equipment is just the tab shoot. I guess remove that and instal the swg in the same spot?

 

[mkolb]

Okay, I'm fully converted to LC; no more tabs... but wow this is getting expensive. My current stats are:

20,000 in ground, plaster pool, 3 years old.
PH 7.5
FC 2.5 to 7 (this is my question, details coming below)
TA 130
CYA 140 (yes I know this is horrible but I cant drain and refill yet. I need to wait a few more months)

So with no tabs anymore I'm using bleach at 7.1% I bought from WalMart. My issue is every day I'm putting enough to get up to about 7 in FC but it drops down to around 2.5 in 24 hours! To get back to 7 with my crazy CYA it takes almost 1.5 gallons AKA $7 bucks a day! Needless to say I can't drop that kind of cash / LC into my pool on the daily. Is there anything I can do until I get the CYA down to not use so much? Should I keep using the tabs until I can drain? Any other ideas?

Also, can someone please assure me that once I do get my CYA in check for next season I'm not going to need 1.5 gallons of bleach a day all swimming season?

You are still going to use quite a bit of liquid chlorine.. I keep my CYA around 50; FC around 8-9 PPM; which allows it to drift down each day.. Putting in about 1/2 gallon of 12.5% in daily to maintain.. Ends up costing me about $2/day..

 

[wireform]

Yes you are on the right track with SWCG but initially it won't help because I'm pretty sure you already have something growing so you will need a slam too. You need to do Exchange no drain bring it down to a manageable CYA otherwise again it'll consume lots of chlorine making it very costly. Once water is algae free bring the CYA up for it.