Liquid Chlorine Dosing - Storage

[Hwmeador]

I am installing a tank and Stenner pump to automate my chlorine dosing. Have been using TFP for about a year now and just want to automate that portion.

My question is what is the best option for putting liquid chlorine in the tank? The tank will be located outside with the pump/filter and in the heat. The tank is UV resistant but it will still be exposed to the heat. Is the best option to buy lower concentration that doesn’t degrade as much or buy the higher (12.5) and just fill the tank?

The tank volume is 15 gallons , so I am hoping it would last a couple of months. Or I could only fill it with a few weeks of volume at a time. Thoughts?

 

[pjt]

Thoughts?

Get a SWG.

For our climate, it's by far the easiest and most economical chlorination method. In the summer, your FC demand will be ~3/4 gallon of LC every day. There are upfront costs, but the benefits and cost savings over time are worth it.

 

[Hwmeador]

I understand but have decided on the liquid chlorine . Last summer I did not need the volume you referenced in order to maintain.

I don’t need to run the pump very long in my current configuration so I am counting on some energy savings over the SWG.

 

[an1vrsy]

Is the best option to buy lower concentration that doesn’t degrade as much or buy the higher (12.5) and just fill the tank?

Dosing with the tank, keep in mind, you will have to run the vsp to mix whatever the chlorine dosage is. I didn't see your run times. Your tank versus swg pump runtimes may be close to get the same FC levels.

The lower percentage chlorine will mean you'd have to use more of it. It will probably degrade the same percentage in the conditions you will have. Better to start off with 12.5%, in my opinion. Testing will be key to dial in your tank dosing. With all that said, +1 for swg.

 

[Mdragger88]

Calling @PoolStored …
He’s done both a stenner & then later a swg & may some insight for you.

 

[reggiehammond]

The heat will destroy 10-12.5% bleach quickly.
But I also think your money would be better spent on a SWCG.

I don't pay more than $30 a month for 24/7 filtration and chlorination.

 

[PoolStored]

Calling @PoolStored …
He’s done both a stenner & then later a swg & may some insight for you.

Yeah, odd paths we follow...

• Started my first year on pucks, until I was PoolStored for $1500 and found TFP.
• I then switched to LC. Was OK, got sick of pouring stuff in every day.
• Sooo...I switched to LC and Stenner. That was better, had it to the point that it would run every day for about an hour (had to adjust runtimes as the season changed). Worst part was lugging jugs and keeping the tank full. Not bad, it worked. I was lucky that I could put the tank in the garage and run a line to the equipment. Even in the garage I had some degradation.
• Then I got the SWCG after @Newdude, in his infinite wisdom, told me not to get one (as the stenner was working). Big mistake...telling me not to do something. Installed the SWCG in fall of 21.
• SWCG is MaGiC...and boring. It just works. I can't explain it. FC just doesn't change. It is weird. The only thing I do is change the % output up about every few weeks through solstice and down every few weeks through the fall.

At this point, a few things are true:
1) I have no interest in messing with lugging jugs again.
2) Sources for straight liquid chlorine have diminished in my area, would be hard for me to find it consistently through the year now (I've check every store I go into this spring).
3) Chlorine prices are nutz vs 2019/2020.
4) If you took my SWCG away from me, I would fill in the pool.
5) If I had any advice to my pre-PoolStored self...it would be "Get an SWCG in the first place, it will save you a bunch of time, hassle and money."

 

[newdude]

At this point, a few things are true

+1 to all points mentioned.

With a 34k gallon pool, 1 gallon of 10% is 2.9 FC for me. Even with a short Northeast season and gentler UV loss, I shudder to think how many jugs I'd be buying/lugging.

 

[trivetman]

Ive done both stenner and switched to swg last year. Definitely agree with the advice to go swg….but I will answer your question regardless

I had the stenner on a 5 gallon chlorine bucket which lasted about 7-10 days in the heat. I did not see chlorine degradation over that time span. If i had a larger tank, enough to last a couple months I suspect I would have seen a lot of degradation.

Dilution won’t help you as that means you’ll just need more volume of diluted chlorine so the tank won’t last as long. So…whats the point?

If you start to put more than a couple weeks in at a time, i would just pay attention to whether you’re using more than you think you should be.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Another option, if you want to get more complicated, is to dig out a hole, secure the walls against cave-in, and bury the tank. In the ground and out of the direct sun will keep the LC several degrees cooler. There have been threads about this in the past and user have gone as far as insulating the tank and enclosure to keep the temperature of the LC more even.

Of course, I have an SWG and love it as well but if you’re already set with liquid injection, then consider burying the tank.

 

[HermanTX]

To follow up to JN comments. There was a thread (could not find it) where the pool owner, dug a hole and buried the tank about 3/4. Although I do not think it was a 15gal tank but could have been. Then built a lean-to type of cover to shade it from any sun whatsoever. The pool owner also set up some sort of external tube so he could see the tank volume so that could be monitored.

I, like others, started with pucks, switched to LC - then I found TFP which really helped setting the best chemistry for the pool. Then seriously considered a stenner pump (there are a multitude of threads on the site if you search), had it all picked out, did calculations on injection, etc. Then had that ah-huh moment and bought a SWCG.

Home Depot LC has gone from $16, to $20 to now $36 for 4 1-gallon jugs. Wal-Mart still probably the best on a per gallon price at about $6 and we also have Pinch a Penny which sells 2.5 gallons containers which was $8, then upped to $10 and now $12. So happy I am not out trying to purchase LC every month.

 

[PoolStored]

There was a thread (could not find it) where the pool owner, dug a hole and buried the tank about 3/4.

Stenner installation with buried tank for AZ heat

I just completed this project today...I need to still upload my latest pictures but here was the status a week and a half ago. In the back you can see a failed start for the hole...I decided I wanted it closer to the action (electrical and plumbing). The tank is a standard 15 gallon one that...

www.troublefreepool.com

Only worry, in Ft. Worth, is rains might make it a water pit (gross algae?) unless you can find a location that is sheltered from rain.

 

[pjt]

I understand but have decided on the liquid chlorine.

Can you share why you're committed to LC? What advantage do you see compared to a SWG?

I don’t need to run the pump very long in my current configuration so I am counting on some energy savings over the SWG.

You have a good VSP. It shouldn't consume much electricity at low RPM. I operate my pump at 1,000 RPM 24/7, which uses around 75 watts. That equates to $6/month in electricity. I like the constant chlorination, skimming, circulation, and filtering.

 

[BoHpool]

I have a similar system. I use a ROLA-CHEM pump. I use more than 2 and less than 3 gallons of LC a day in my outdoor pool. I just switched to a 10 gallon bucket so I can go a couple of days without adding LC. My pool sparkles and the residents are very happy. You will need to clean the fitting into the pool return every few days. I assume it is a build up of salt from the LC. Our water here is much different than in north Texas so YMMV.

The management here does not want SWG system. I have asked.

 

[Hwmeador]

Can you share why you're committed to LC? What advantage do you see compared to a SWG?


You have a good VSP. It shouldn't consume much electricity at low RPM. I operate my pump at 1,000 RPM 24/7, which uses around 75 watts. That equates to $6/month in electricity. I like the constant chlorination, skimming, circulation, and filtering.

At this point I’m committed because the money is already spent on the tank and pump.

I like the simplicity of it and know it works. I’m not arguing that it is cheaper or better than a SWG . At this point I also don’t know how long we will be living here and don’t want to invest a lot. It looks like I could put a SWG in for approx $1500. At the current rate I use LC that is several years of consumption( obviously price dependent) . When I consider initial SWG cost, plus replacement cells and energy consumption for the SWG itself it only adds and and the buyback period moves out. In the long run. SWG is the way to go, I’m just not ready to make that step yet.

 

[newdude]

I like the simplicity of it and know it works

Fair enough.

@PoolStored and I had a long back and forth about his Stenner and he won me over. It worked GREAT for him (and it would for others too). The second I relented and told him he should keep it, he ran out and bought a SWG anyway.


Even when somebody sees the benefits of a SWG, that doesn't make the funds available to purchase one when we all have 100 things on that wish list. I replaced my cell and moved the following year. It probably wasn't a wise financial decision because somebody else has my almost new cell. Whattayagonnado?

 

[Mdragger88]

@Hwmeador do you have a pic of your pad/set up & where the tank will go? Many here have come up with nifty yet simple designs for shading their equipment. That won’t take care of the ambient summer heat but it would help a lot with degradation as well as protection for your other equipment.
My LC is in yellow refillable 2.5 gallon jugs stored under my deck in the shade & it stays fairly potent for some time (at least a few months). It starts out as 11% or a scootch more. I usually buy at the start of the season, possibly mid season, & then at the end of the season (to raise to slam level for closing) & I use whats left through the winter for my hot tub.
I just put it in
PoolMath as 10% & it’s always met my target.

 

[BoHpool]

I know you did not ask but here is my build thread LC feeder
I had 4 Rola-Chem and 2 Stenner pumps. I chose the Rola-Chem because of the easy of changing the dosing.
I have been very happy with my setup. I just need three more for the other pools.

 

[Hwmeador]

Here is my pad, plan is to put the tank just to the left of the filter.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

You know, I would just set it up and see how it goes. I think you are going to use enough LC during the season that it won’t really sit around for long. If the sun hits that area all day then might consider constructing a very simple shade structure to reflect away the sunlight. Maybe something simply made out of 2x4’s or PVC and then you add a little bit of aluminum coated foam insulation panels or buy one of those neat aluminized Mylar safety blankets that firefighter use to cover themselves if they get trapped in fire line.