clambert1273
Gold Supporter
- Jun 13, 2013
- 1,513
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
Opening my pool and want to do it real nice this time
- Thread starter monsterman
- Start date
Sunny Blues
LifeTime Supporter
You won’t always lose the same amount every day, and you are correct in that some days the chlorine level will match your target so you won’t need to add any. When your pool is balanced, letting chlorine fall from say 8 or 9 down to 4 or 5 is no big deal. You don’t have to hyper-watch it every day. Just let it go and test every few days. Or even once a week. Then you add chlorine to get it back up to target. That’s IF you run with a high CYA like I do. I like high CYA so I’m willing to pay for more bleach. But you can run your pool with 30-40 CYA and only need to keep your chlorine at 5 or 6, requiring less bleach. Hmmm, maybe you have to add more often tho? Idk. I only know what I do.
Trust me when you compare the total cost of bleach in a single season against the total cost of the chemicals you used to buy from a pool supply store for an e tire season it’s a huge difference. We used to spend over $1200-$1400 every season on just the chemicals alone. We now spend less than $200 on chemicals.
We get four gallons of 12.5% for $28 I think??? Sixteen gallons is only $112. One bucket of trichlor sticks used to cost us $178 and they never lasted the whole season. Even if we ever had to use more than 16 gallons of bleach it’s still cheaper.
A Smelly sock?-- LOL- but what is the name of the item he puts in the sock that is CYA only-- or as another moderator stated above is to alternate between stabilized and Non stabilized tabs depending on the levels- is this OK too?
Sunny Blues
LifeTime Supporter
Lmao yeah a smelly socks, but I don’t think the CYA cares. Lolol
We use granular stabilizer by Clorox with nothing but cyanuruc acid in it at 100%. The price on Amazon is same as inside Walmart and we have free shipping with them. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B084GPVPMM?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
It’s probably ok to use up left over dichlor to add some cya (we did that our first year using this site) but we threw away the trichlor. You will have to test cya more frequently to ensure it doesn’t go too high, as the pucks are notorious for causing, and that will require an extra purchase of the CYA reagent R-0013 refill. You dont get enough in the test kit for more than 2-4 tests. That’s usually enough tests for a season when you are not using tabs or pucks or other junk from the stores. The tabs and pucks give less control over CYA imho. We like having full control. Eventually you want to phase out using those by never buying them again. They are unnecessary and way overpriced.
wow thank you for this- and how much of the 4-pound bag do you think you use again depending on test results- but usually?
Sunny Blues
LifeTime Supporter
We have an 18,500 gallon pool. Our CYA was zero upon opening. We wanted 60 ppm and it took two of the bags to get that. Well it called for 7.4 or 7.6 lbs but we just added it all. Hee hee. Like I’ve said I don’t mind a tad higher CYA. If I wanted to be close to 50 ppm only I would have kept it to exactly 7 lbs.
I should note that we had 50-60 ppm at closing but opened to zero. That’s because in the Chicago area our pool uses up all the chlorine to combat problems under the cover during the winter and that requires taking the chlorine the CYA is protecting too, depleting the CYA. But it always opens up to crystal clear water because of that. It really works. If you have less harsh winters or less chances of anything getting into the water over winter, most of your CYA will still be there the next year and it won’t cost that much to bump it up the 10-20 ppm it might need.
Sunny Blues
LifeTime Supporter
Correction I just checked our receipt from last week, we paid $19.99 for 4 gallons of 12.5%. Thats only $80 per year. Plenty of room to buy more if we need more. We use a bit less than those who use 8-10% so it lasts longer and it’s a great price for such a high percentage.
clambert1273
Gold Supporter
- Jun 13, 2013
- 1,513
- Pool Size
- 12000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
I get my 12.5% exchanges from a pool store here. Check around you for a hasa retailer. I paid a deposit for a carton of 4 one gallon jugs. When empty I take them back & get a new set.
let me ask you this- I am opening my pool today- I am buying the liquid chlorine- at least 2 gallons of the 10%-- what else do I need - in case of numbers are out of whack in any way-- I have baking soda- and I will bu that CYA product-- and am waiting for the tf100 to arrive sometime next week after Monday. So can I at least test today with strips- I need to get some idea??
ngsm13
Bronze Supporter
- May 17, 2021
- 109
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Monte. The amount of time that you spend typing out long questions over and over again, would be much better spent browsing 'Pool School' here on the site.
I understand desire myself to ask someone, and wait. But really... Every single time you're asking a question that has already been answered, a hundred times. Every. Single. Time. And I read this ENTIRE thread.
This is not to poo-poo on you either. The people are here to help, I'm here to help. Heck, I've only been here a year and everything I know I learned here. I encourage your to check out Pool School on this site, and ask follow-up questions. It's the summary of decades of these questions, answered in brief ways to help people.
Also, they even created an APP to help us! Pool math helps you answer your own questions too, we can help on how to use it if you want also. It's a GREAT tool.
With a small amount of learning... You'll be a master and spend less money in the long run. As you will ONLY use what you need, and nothing else. Instead of just guessing and "throwing things in".
Cheers!
I understand desire myself to ask someone, and wait. But really... Every single time you're asking a question that has already been answered, a hundred times. Every. Single. Time. And I read this ENTIRE thread.
This is not to poo-poo on you either. The people are here to help, I'm here to help. Heck, I've only been here a year and everything I know I learned here. I encourage your to check out Pool School on this site, and ask follow-up questions. It's the summary of decades of these questions, answered in brief ways to help people.
Also, they even created an APP to help us! Pool math helps you answer your own questions too, we can help on how to use it if you want also. It's a GREAT tool.
With a small amount of learning... You'll be a master and spend less money in the long run. As you will ONLY use what you need, and nothing else. Instead of just guessing and "throwing things in".
Cheers!
ngsm13
Bronze Supporter
- May 17, 2021
- 109
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
The three most important parameters, are: Free Chlorine (FC), pH, and CYA.
The three product to contribute to this are: Liquid Chlorine, Stabilizer, and pH can either be lowered or increased to stay in range. pH is lowered by Muriatic Acid, and raised by Borax or Soda Ash.
All of this, including causes/effect are laid out super well in the Pool Math APP also. I just used it to answer those three questions above!
Doesn't baking soda also just raise pH? since I already have thatThe three most important parameters, are: Free Chlorine (FC), pH, and CYA.
The three product to contribute to this are: Liquid Chlorine, Stabilizer, and pH can either be lowered or increased to stay in range. pH is lowered by Muriatic Acid, and raised by Borax or Soda Ash.
All of this, including causes/effect are laid out super well in the Pool Math APP also. I just used it to answer those three questions above!
- Baking Soda = big TA change, small pH change
- Borax = big pH change, small TA change
- Soda Ash/Washing Soda = big pH change, big TA change. Probably more TA change than you want.
ngsm13
Bronze Supporter
- May 17, 2021
- 109
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Yes. Paint stores / aisles have it too.
Because you are averse to it, I reccomend using the half strength stuff. The label will say green or eco or low fumes. You'll need twice as much, but for now it's more user friendly. Once you get used to using it, switch to the full strength.
Thank u sir-- I just spoke with a lovely man- named Nate- yes Nate-- he asked me to call him- what an amazing person. I am going to buy for the time being some gallons of liquid chlorine and a separate floater for NON stabilized tabs- which he said at the present time I will not need until we get the test kit and get our accurate results. So the plan for today is to go out right now and buy the liquid chlorine ONLY and use my baking soda when needed- and buy the extra floating device and immediately open my pool and fill it up and clean it and vacuum it before all the chemical testing. And move forward one step at a time from there.
Just saying- he respects your knowledge a whole lot- he said you really know what you are talking about- so thank you.Thank u sir-- I just spoke with a lovely man- named Nate- yes Nate-- he asked me to call him- what an amazing person. I am going to buy for the time being some gallons of liquid chlorine and a separate floater for NON stabilized tabs- which he said at the present time I will not need until we get the test kit and get our accurate results. So the plan for today is to go out right now and buy the liquid chlorine ONLY and use my baking soda when needed- and buy the extra floating device and immediately open my pool and fill it up and clean it and vacuum it before all the chemical testing. And move forward one step at a time from there.