Is my diluted dichlor still a viable source of CYA?

[owkaye]

A crack in the lid of my half-full dichlor bucket allowed rainwater to seep in all winter. Now the bucket is full of yellow liquid and large chunks of white semi-floating material. It looks like the dichlor granules have gotten stuck together and some (or all?) of the chlorine content has been washed out of the granules and into the yellow liquid.

The liquid in the bucket still has an intense smell of chlorine, so I think it can still be used as a sanitizer. But is there any CYA left in the former dichlor granules that have bonded together to form the large white semi-floating chunks ... or in the yellow liquid? Or is all the CYA gone now?

 

[Richard320]

The chlorine will have dissipated some. The CYA and the acidity will still be there. It's no different than adding it to the pool.

 

[owkaye]

Thanks Richard320. Do you think the CYA and acidity is still in the white material? Or is it more likely that the CYA is all in the yellow liquid now?

The reason I ask is because if the CYA is still in the white material I can probably remove those white chunks from the yellow liquid, dry it out, and crush it up. Then I can measure it more effectively/accurately, just like I did before it got waterlogged.

 

[Richard320]

Thanks Richard320. Do you think the CYA and acidity is still in the white material? Or is it more likely that the CYA is all in the yellow liquid now?

The reason I ask is because if the CYA is still in the white material I can probably remove those white chunks from the yellow liquid, dry it out, and crush it up. Then I can measure it more effectively/accurately, just like I did before it got waterlogged.

The white stuff is just clumped powder. The water in the bucket has reached the saturation point where no more can dissolve. I have no idea at all how you can figure out how much is left or how strong it is.

 

[owkaye]

I have no idea at all how you can figure out how much is left or how strong it is.

Me either. I'm just hoping to figure out a way to measure a consistent amount each time I need some more for my pool. Then I will be able to calculate my CYA increases rather than run the CYA test. So unless someone has a better idea, maybe I will try removing the chunks, crushing them up, and putting them back into the liquid. Then I can just "mix it up" thoroughly each time I extract some, and I should be able to extract the same ratio of powder to liquid each time.

But first I need to move it to a bucket with a new lid that seals tightly and won't leak.

 

[kcindc]

The liquid in the bucket still has an intense smell of chlorine, so I think it can still be used as a sanitizer.

That intense smell isn't chlorine you smell, but of chloramines. It means chlorine (FC) has combined with something else to form CCs. I'm sure you have a lot of usable chlorine, but as Richard stated, it is impossible to know how much is left.

Whenever you go to a public pool and smell that smell, it means there isn't enough chlorine. CCs are burned off either by sunlight (UV rays) or more chlorine.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Me either. I'm just hoping to figure out a way to measure a consistent amount each time I need some more for my pool. Then I will be able to calculate my CYA increases rather than run the CYA test. So unless someone has a better idea, maybe I will try removing the chunks, crushing them up, and putting them back into the liquid. Then I can just "mix it up" thoroughly each time I extract some, and I should be able to extract the same ratio of powder to liquid each time.

But first I need to move it to a bucket with a new lid that seals tightly and won't leak.

ABSOLUTELY DO NOT PUT A NEW LID ON IT! The bucket will explode or build up dangerous levels of pressurized chlorine gas.

The only course of action here is to dispose of the dichlor. When dichlor gets wet, the low pH coupled with the dichlor produces chlorine gas. Chlorine gas is dangerous and toxic. It can very quickly oxidize and corrode everything it comes in contact with.

Dispose of the chemical.

 

[Richard320]

ABSOLUTELY DO NOT PUT A NEW LID ON IT! The bucket will explode or build up dangerous levels of pressurized chlorine gas.

The only course of action here is to dispose of the dichlor. When dichlor gets wet, the low pH coupled with the dichlor produces chlorine gas. Chlorine gas is dangerous and toxic. It can very quickly oxidize and corrode everything it comes in contact with.

Dispose of the chemical.

I agree. With no way to know what's left, it's junk anyway, and dangerous, to boot. Probably make great weed killer.

 

[owkaye]

When dichlor gets wet, the low pH coupled with the dichlor produces chlorine gas.

Then the chlorine gas escapes into the air, and the CYA remains in the bucket -- either in the yellow liquid or in the large white chunks -- correct?

Dispose of the chemical.

There could be several year's worth of CYA left in that bucket, and I don't see any reason to waste it . If chlorine off-gassing is the biggest issue here, a common sense solution would be to leave it in its existing container with the cracked top, then cover it (loosely but securely) with something else so the rain cannot get into it any more, then store it away from humans and other animals so they don't accidentally breathe the chlorine gas that will continue to escape over time.

 

[domct203]

Then the chlorine gas escapes into the air, and the CYA remains in the bucket -- either in the yellow liquid or in the large white chunks -- correct?


There could be several year's worth of CYA left in that bucket, and I don't see any reason to waste it . If chlorine off-gassing is the biggest issue here, a common sense solution would be to leave it in its existing container with the cracked top, then cover it (loosely but securely) with something else so the rain cannot get into it any more, then store it away from humans and other animals so they don't accidentally breathe the chlorine gas that will continue to escape over time.

To me, the common sense solution is to properly dispose of it, the original chemical is compromised. I wouldn't want the headache of being responsible for someone becoming ill for what amounts to $10 worth of chemicals.

 

[pooldv]

Our advice to you is to contact your city waste department to discuss options for safe disposal.

I am closing this thread. Feel free to PM if you want me to open for another post.