How much liquid chlorine per day is Normal?

[bevcardinal]

Moved from here.

Hello! I am having the same issue. I have been using liquid Chlorine for 2 years now, no pucks, have had no algae (yay!!! use to be weekly due to too high CYA and listening to Leslie's routine $$$) only had to slam once, but I feel like I am still doing something wrong with having to use so much chlorine daily. I am using 96 to 128 oz a day of chlorine. I am in FTW TX and my pool is in full sun all day. Is my CYA too low? If so won't I then be using more chlorine daily to keep the daily minimum if I increase the CYA? Should I also increase my CH since it's a bit on the low side? Thanks!

18,800 gal in ground plaster pool, non swg
FC: 2-3 daily
CC: 0
pH: 7.8
TA: 90
CH: 240
CYA: 40
Temp: Normally the temperature can rise to 90F in the evenings, but I do run my chiller overnight once or twice a week and it will be around 80F in the am and 86F in the pm.

 

[Texas Splash]

"bev", we need more pool details to answer your questions. Can you update your signature please? See mine as an example. That will dictate if you need calcium. As for the chlorine loss, we like to keep it under 4 ppm every 24 hrs unless you have a large party or something. If in doubt, perform an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to ensure you don't have an algae problem. But I can tell from your current CF reading that you are low. Always refer to the FC/CYA Levels. If I were you, I'd increase the FC to about 5-7 right away and keep it nice and strong through the evening.

As for the CYA, in our areas it's common to have a higher CYA once you know for sure there is no algae - hence the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. So if algae is ruled-out, then you can increase your CYA. I'm salt now, but before that I was easily a CYA of 60. Yes, you have to maintain a higher FC level, but it holds better with the CYA protection for the free chlorine. Once you are sure about no algae, I would increase the CYA to at least 50 this time of year. It's HOT. Woo.

 

[bevcardinal]

"bev", we need more pool details to answer your questions. Can you update your signature please? See mine as an example. That will dictate if you need calcium. As for the chlorine loss, we like to keep it under 4 ppm every 24 hrs unless you have a large party or something. If in doubt, perform an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to ensure you don't have an algae problem. But I can tell from your current CF reading that you are low. Always refer to the FC/CYA Levels. If I were you, I'd increase the FC to about 5-7 right away and keep it nice and strong through the evening.

As for the CYA, in our areas it's common to have a higher CYA once you know for sure there is no algae - hence the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. So if algae is ruled-out, then you can increase your CYA. I'm salt now, but before that I was easily a CYA of 60. Yes, you have to maintain a higher FC level, but it holds better with the CYA protection for the free chlorine. Once you are sure about no algae, I would increase the CYA to at least 50 this time of year. It's HOT. Woo.

is this what you need?
18,880 gal, plaster, 2.0 hp variable speed pump, 4 cartridge filter, 3900 sport polaris cleaner, Jandy pro series JE heat pump
FTW, TX . pool in full sun

 

[Texas Splash]

Great! So your CH is on the low end, but still okay and right on the borderline of acceptable. If your local water is hard, I would just leave it and let the refills increase the CH. Or you can add some cal-hypo sanitizer a couple times. For now, I'd focus on increasing the FC for the rest of the day and do that Overnight Chlorine Loss Test if you can. If you pass the OCLT, then increase the CYA to at least 50 and that should help the FC hold better. Just remember to keep the FC a little higher.

 

[jiangu1]

I just did a post about my pool under AZ full sun . My CYA is 45-50. My FC will drop to 5 when I measure after sunset, then I add 24 oz of 10% bleach to raise it to ~ 7, the OCLT is 0 (i.e. still ~ 7 in the morning), and then my FC drops back to 5 after a full day. Your FC is definitely too low. I found when my FC drops below the recommended minimum of 4, I start to have CC. If you can test you FC at night before and after adding bleach, then morning, then in the evening, you will have better idea what is going on. I suspect that you didn't add your 1Gallon bleach in one time, instead small amount overtime, which can be consumed by growing algae due to your low FC level? Your pool is larger, but 36-48oz per day should be enough.