Looking for some Help on Chlorine Level and adjustment

[kennyr35]

First time poster and first time pool owner. I setup my pool on 6/6/21. It was filled and covered on 6/7. I tested the water and all my levels were within range. I have been running the pump since 6/7 for about 7 hours per day.
On 6/10 (yesterday) at about 3PM CST I put a 3 inch chlorine tab in a floater. This morning (8AM CST) I checked the water and all the levels are within range, but Free Chlorine is still very low (0-0.5). I put a second tab in the floater and checked the water at 2PM CST and the free chrloine level still has not changed. Am I doing something wrong or does it take this long for the chlorine level to rise? Any and all advice would be appreciated.

Current readings based on my test strips
pH: 7.2-7.8
FC: 0-0.5
Alkalinity: 80
Stabilizer: 30-50

Current Chemicals on Hand:
3 Inch Chlorine Tabs
10lb bag - pH Increaser
5lb bag - pH Decreaser
6 x1 lb Chlorine Free Pool Shock

I should be getting Stabilizer later today and Alkalinity Increaser sometime next week

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
You may want to consider following Seasonal Pools
As you will see in the article, we suggest you get a simple drop test kit from Home Depot or Walmart to manage your pH and TC. Then use stabilizer to get about 30-40 ppm CYA in the water, then use liquid chlorine added every day to maintain a FC of 3-5 ppm. No tablets. No alkalinity increaser (baking soda).
It is very unlikely you will need the pH Increaser (either soda ash or borax) and you do not need the Chlorine Free Pool Shock.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[kennyr35]

Thanks for the reply, is there a link you can link me to, to what sort of Liquid Chlorine I should be purchasing?

 

[mknauss]

Thanks for the reply, is there a link you can link me to, to what sort of Liquid Chlorine I should be purchasing?

https://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/pools-accessories/pro-clor-liquid-pool-shock-1-gal/pc160003/p-1444426383664-c-10137.htm?tid=-2820232341344878903&ipos=1

 

[IceShadow]

If you guys have a Woodman's nearby, you can see if they have chlorine - the one in Waukesha up here does. Blain's Farm and Fleet does up here too, if you have one of those near you.

Basically "Liquid Chlroine" "Liquid Shock" "Liquid Chlorinator" are all the same thing. Plain bleach can work too, as it's the same thing at a lower concentration, but it's hard to find it without any added scents, splashless, or "fabric protection" technology and those things aren't good for pools.

 

[kennyr35]

If you guys have a Woodman's nearby, you can see if they have chlorine - the one in Waukesha up here does. Blain's Farm and Fleet does up here too, if you have one of those near you.

Basically "Liquid Chlroine" "Liquid Shock" "Liquid Chlorinator" are all the same thing. Plain bleach can work too, as it's the same thing at a lower concentration, but it's hard to find it without any added scents, splashless, or "fabric protection" technology and those things aren't good for pools.

Thanks, that is exactly what I needed to know.

 

[kennyr35]

A couple more questions, once I add the stabilizer, how long will it take to get to 30-40? Also, once the stabilizer levels are set, how long should it take when adding the liquid chlorine for the level to get to 3-5 ppm?

 

[mknauss]

When you add dry stabilizer use what we call the sock method. In your case, put the dry stabilizer in a thin sock and hang in the water. When mushy, squeeze the sock until it is full dissolved. Once in the water, it is at the level you added. When you add liquid chlorine, it is in the water immediately if you mix the water a little.

Your test equipment will not test CYA, nor FC. But that is OK, as your pool water volume is small. If the pool turns cloudy or has other issues, you drain it, clean it, refill it, and start over. Be sure to read the article I linked to.