How often do you adjust your FC levels and how much?

[achenx75]

I just wanted to get a general consensus on how much chlorine and how often people are putting into their pools.

Currently, I top off my 26k gallon pool with 1 gallon of 10% liquid chlorine every 3 days. On the 3rd night, FC is usually around 2. My pump runs a bit less than 10 hours a day. Also in NJ.

Does this seem normal? A gallon of liquid chlorine is about $4.50 at Home Depot so although it isn't stupid expensive, it does take a chunk out of my wallet. Last owner installed a chlorine feeder and I'm tempted to use tabs but I got this pool at 110 CYA and had to drain to SLAM it so I'm terrified of raising CYA lol.

 

[pjt]

What's your CYA level?

Every pool is different. Most people add chlorine daily during the summer. Do what it takes to always keep your FC at or above the target FC for your CYA level: Chlorine / CYA Chart

 

[Texas Splash]

My climate and size pool is different than yours. But in the blazing summer, with a CYA of 60 down here, my pool would eat 1/2 gallon of chlorine per day (about 2.5 ppm). I would always feed the pool each evening after work to keep a steady FC level around 6-7) as opposed to having big gaps with a potential for the FC to fall too low. In the winter when my water is cold it's different and I don't mind going days between adding chlorine, but in the summer heat I don't take a chance of getting anywhere close to the minimum FC level noted on the FC/CYA Levels.

 

[jeffchap]

What is your current CYA? 2 ppm FC is very low. Any time you drop below the minimum for your CYA, you run the risk of algae.

1 gallon of LC in your pool will boost your FC by almost 4 ppm. So I'm guessing that each time you add you are achieving 6 ppm, then over the next 3 days it drops to 2. That's very little FC lost per day, so that much is good.

If you're unable to add daily to stay above the minimum, I would suggest adding an extra half gallon one time to raise your FC to 8, then continue to add your normal gallon every 3 days or anytime the FC drops to 4. Of course, this is all dependent upon your current cya. But I'm assuming you are at at least 30 ppm.

 

[Toxophilite]

You are much cheaper with the liquid than tabs. Your chlorine loss appears to be on the low side, so congrats. It is what it costs and there's no way around that. I personally don't sacrifice any more chlorine to the sun than necessary by exposing at over concentration till it needs more, since it degrades at an exposure amount more than over certain time, so I add daily in the morning and will even touch up some days if home before eve.

 

[bertschb]

I just wanted to get a general consensus on how much chlorine and how often people are putting into their pools.

If I didn't have a salt water chlorine generator, I'd be adding liquid chlorine daily so as not to fall below the minimum. Heck, I wouldn't want to fall below the recommended level - which is another good reason to have a salt water chlorine generator. It maintains your chlorine level wherever you want it rather than having your chlorine level spike and then drop, spike and then drop, etc when adding chlorine manually. This is especially true if you wait days between adding chlorine. That creates bigger spikes and drops.