Got pool dialed in, but going on vacation

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I was looking at pucks on PoolSupplyWorld.com & it shows these are 8 oz each by weight. Now when it use Pool Math, the Effects of adding chemicals section, it shows that 8 oz TriChlor will:
raise FC by 2.9, raise CYA by 1.8, lower pH by 0.15, and raise Salt by 2.4

I assume this means these r the net results when the pucks r completely dissolved? If not, what are these results telling me?

I don't have a salt pool. Is it okay pucks to add salt then?

- - - Updated - - -

I had started a new thread, but a moderator reminded me of this and merged it back as u stated Abigail.
 
Bodarville, the 5-6 pucks u stated to use, r u saying that is the adjusted amount for my 19k gal pool?

Why do I want to bring it to shock level before using pucks? I wouldn't just throw the full floater in?

I only have one floater and I'm not sure how many pucks it can hold (maybe 3?). If I really need up to 6 pucks, perhaps I need a second floater. I am not sure/don't understand why 1 full floater wouldn't work, especially if I brought chlorine up to shock level.

No inline chlorinator, at least never seen this (I actually don't even know what it is/looks like).

Reading about shocking, it sounds like I am to bring my pH down to 7.2 before shocking for greater efficacy (per a separate thread I was reading by Chem Geek). Is this necessary if each puck will lower my pH 0.15?
 
bbrock said:
I was looking at pucks on PoolSupplyWorld.com & it shows these are 8 oz each by weight. Now when it use Pool Math, the Effects of adding chemicals section, it shows that 8 oz TriChlor will:
raise FC by 2.9, raise CYA by 1.8, lower pH by 0.15, and raise Salt by 2.4

I assume this means these r the net results when the pucks r completely dissolved? If not, what are these results telling me?

I don't have a salt pool. Is it okay pucks to add salt then?
Click to expand...

Yes, those are net results.
All sources of chlorine add salt, don't worry about it.
 
So looks like I have a neighbor who us willing to come by. We may be gone 8 days. I think I may be pushing it if I want him to come by daily, so I was thinking perhaps having him stop by on day 4 & 6. Since he could come by, I will not be using pucks, rather I was thinking of just bringing to shock level of 18 (latest CYA thus past Mon. was 45). I was thinking of planning it like this, for example. If we leave on a Sun., I would raise to 18, and I would ask him to come by to Wed., Fri., & Sun. Each time he will dump in 1 gal of 10% bleach, which Pool Math shows will raise my FC by 5.3.

After the 1st shorter vacation I took (only gone 3 days), I measured my FC on day 4 and it was 9 (started at my shock level of 20 as my CYA at that time was 50). Air & water temp are slightly warmer than they were 6/28, when we left for 1st vaca. But, I am still thinking my plan could work. Will anyone share ur opinions? Tx.
 
bbrock said:
So looks like I have a neighbor who us willing to come by. We may be gone 8 days. I think I may be pushing it if I want him to come by daily, so I was thinking perhaps having him stop by on day 4 & 6. Since he could come by, I will not be using pucks, rather I was thinking of just bringing to shock level of 18 (latest CYA thus past Mon. was 45). I was thinking of planning it like this, for example. If we leave on a Sun., I would raise to 18, and I would ask him to come by to Wed., Fri., & Sun. Each time he will dump in 1 gal of 10% bleach, which Pool Math shows will raise my FC by 5.3.

After the 1st shorter vacation I took (only gone 3 days), I measured my FC on day 4 and it was 9 (started at my shock level of 20 as my CYA at that time was 50). Air & water temp are slightly warmer than they were 6/28, when we left for 1st vaca. But, I am still thinking my plan could work. Will anyone share ur opinions? Tx.
Click to expand...
Seems like a good plan. Leave bottles somewhere where he can see them easily, but label them Wed., Fri., & Sun.
 
bdex said:
I have picked up chlorine sticks in the past and my dad uses them as his primary sanitation. Last for 2 weeks or so in the skimmer and work great. Add 2 go on holiday.
Click to expand...
Two problems with this theory

*The sticks add CYA

*The sticks damage the skimmer when put in there

The OP has just had to drain/refill to reduce CYA and doesn't want to add it back
 
tim5055 said:
Two problems with this theory

*The sticks add CYA

*The sticks damage the skimmer when put in there

The OP has just had to drain/refill to reduce CYA and doesn't want to add it back
Click to expand...

Their cya is 45, using a couple sticks or pucks to cover a vacation is not going to raise the cya that much, if any.

Again, once or twice a year will not eat the skimmer. My dad has an AG pool and has used the pucks/sticks in the skimmer for 15 years, had to replace one skimmer basket due to becoming brittle.

I have a SWG so I run my cya at 70-80 anyhow, but the couple times a year we are gone I throw stick in just incase SWG goes sideways while we are gone. We also have no one to come check our pool. Raises my FC over what I normally line to have 7-8 but hey.
 
I wanted to discuss people's suggestions to bring the pool up to shock level and then cover it. I am in the marketplace for a solar cover. But, from what I read, if you superchlorinate the pool, it is suggested to remove the solar cover. Before going on vacation, when you all are suggesting to cover the pool, does that include using a solar cover? Or, just an opaque cover?

I am bringing this up b/c got some more vacas planned this summer. I am hoping to have the same neighbor from last summer come by, but if he can't I may see if I can find a pool boy/service company to come by a couple days when we are gone. I can't imagine leaving the pool covered even with a solar cover and expecting/asking my neighbor to uncover it and chlorinate as I need him to, and then covering it back up. Probably easier for him to just leave it uncovered and add chlorine. Yes, I would get more evaporation during this time, but I also don't want to make things to complicated for my neighbor.
 

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The whole purpose for leaving the pool uncovered is to allow nitrogen to out gas from the pool. Nitrogen is a byproduct of the oxidation process, and is an end result when cleaning up chloramines.

If the pool is clean, like most of ours are, there are no chloramines being produced and very little nitrogen to out gas, so no need to let the pool "breathe."

That being said, I wouldn't leave the cover on all summer, but you'll be fine for a week's vacation.
 
Tx Smykowski. When you say I would be okay for a week or so, do you mean even with a solar cover? Just not sure if people are referring to solar covers or opaque winter type covers.

I thought the reason it was suggested to leave the solar cover off when the chlorine is high (which would be when/if I raise the pool to shock level prior to vacation) is b/c the high chlorine can expedite the degradation of the solar cover.
 
Rt on Smykowski, tx. How long have your trips been doing this idea? I am trying to figure out how long a FC level of 20 would last with a solar cover on.

Last summer, I brought the pool up to shock level the night before our departure, then had a neighbor come by on day 3 to dump a gal. of 10% chlorine in. Then, I had him come by 2 days later to do the same. This is when temps, if I recall correctly, were in the 90s. Differences b/w then and now are that I use 12.5% chlorine, I would be using a solar cover, and right now temps aren't in the 90s.
 
Tx Smykowski.

In the summer, the higher the FC, the greater consumption. In the height of the summer, you say you have lost 1 ppm FC per day, which was with the cover on. Even when you have brought your pool up to shock level with the cover on, you still only lose about 1 ppm FC per day? I would infer that more FC would get consumed even with a solar cover. My FC consumption at shock level 20 is much greater than when it is between the maintenance range of 4-8.
 
I recommend to leave the pool covered with a solar cover and let the neighbor add chlorine. The cover does not need to be removed to add the chlorine, just peel back the cover near a return jet and pour slowly near the jet while the pump is on. If you do it this way, there would not be a need to raise it to shock level, maybe half way to be safe.

I would expect the pool to use more chlorine when at shock level compared to normal levels. How much more with the cover on, I'm not going to guess on that one. You might want to do a trial run now at the FC level you want to test and see how the pool behaves.
 
Tx you Smykowski and ping. Good idea to do a trial run with the cover on.

So, cover arrived from solarcovers.com, made some initial liberal cuts, waited about 3 days as instructed, and then made some final cutting yesterday. Works well. Solar still on for 6 hr/day, but I may adjust that as today we are having a 91 degree day and I checked the water temp which is already at 83 degrees. I am probably going to cut the cover width wise to make it more manageable. I may do this great idea from Mas985 for a homemade solar cover roller (http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/57594-DIY-Solar-Cover-Roller). My pool has a raised step around half of it, it is kidney bean shaped, and so is not conducive for using a solar cover reel.

One question, after the cutting, I still notice that my solar cover is not exactly flat on the water. For the most part, it is. But, in some areas it is bunched up. Is it supposed to be? And if so, how do I make it more flat? What do I do, or what did I do wrong? Here are pics:

17324717992_490e9a2e36.jpg


17324732552_71521081b8.jpg
 

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