Question on Chlorine Amounts

[CMB04]

Hello Everyone!

Man, am I glad I found this place!!! I've been a pool owner for a little over 10 years and always went the pool store route with recommendations and chemical purchases. Never really had a lot of problems over the years and I thought I was a pool pro. That is until 2017. For whatever reason, we fought algae in the pool like never before and it continued into the pool opening this spring. After countless suggestions and wasted money, (still cant believe I bought all those bottles of "algaecide" over the years ) I found TFP earlier this year and I realized just how little I knew about proper pool maintenance.

Fast forward to today and our pool is in the best shape its ever been in, and now I really KNOW for sure that the pool is properly balanced. Always counted on the pool store guy and test strips .....

I'm on my second week of using only 10% liquid bleach as my chlorine source. In the past, it was a combo of Calcium hypo for "shocking" and trichlor tablets in the skimmer and floaters.

Here lies my question. As I'm just getting started with the liquid Chlorine method, how often should I expect to add chlorine to the pool? I know there are tons of different factors involved from the amount of sunlight, temperature, swimmer use, CYA levels, rain amounts, etc... that will use up chlorine. But, for a typical summer in hot SC, what should I be planning for? Wanting to make sure I'm stocked up on chlorine and have my expectations set for the amount of attention to give the pool this summer. So far, its been about every other day to keep the FC level between 4 and 6ppm. My pool does get a lot of sunlight and the kids have been using it about every other day.

Thanks again and I look forward to joining the site!

 

[kellyfair]

What’s your CYA?

With hotter temperatures and more use of the pool, you should probably plan to add chlorine daily. If you know you’re having a bunch of kids over you might want to bump the chlorine up a little bit before they get there and then again after they leave.

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Forgot to say welcome to the site!

 

[CMB04]

What’s your CYA?

Guess that number would help wouldnt it!

CYA is 30

 

[Texas Splash]

Welcome! A CYA of 30 is on the low side for summer, especially in the hotter parts of the country. So if your water is algae-free and you find you are losing more than 4 ppm of FC in 24 hrs, it may be time to increase the CYA to 40 to help protect the available FC. If you do that though, make sure to increase the FC as well as noted on the [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]. FYI - I add the required amount of bleach to my pool every evening when I clean the skimmer. Easy stuff.

 

[Steve_in_C]

You'd do well to invest in a Stenner pump. This one is $90 + $50 ship=$140. Stenner Model 85MPHP40 Pump, Single Head Fixed Output Pump, Item #85MFH7A1S | eBay You'd need an injector, ferrels, tubing, tubing caps, weighted strainer, and a plastic barrel locally off of Craigslist. At 30,000 and 4ppm of chlorine per day (likely your maximum demand), you'd need to inject 153 oz (about 1.2 gal) 10% bleach or 249 oz 6% (about 2 gallons). in order to inject that in a 4 hour period, the pump tube in the Stenner should be sized to pump in 1/2 gallon per hour. Stenner tube #3 will pump up to 40 gallons per day: that is the size you need. Stenners Single Head Fixed Output Injection Pump Buy the Stenner pump and put in a #3 tube. A digital lamp timer can cut the pump on and off so that it is automatic. You jet keep your tank full of bleach. Since you may put in in 2 gallons of bleach per day, get a 50 gallon plastic barrel as your bleach reservoir. You could have your automated system for $250 if you do it yourself.


I stop by the local neighborhood Walmart and order the 6% "cleaning bleach" for $1.77/gallon. I buy 50 gallons at the time. This way I don't have to run around to find it. The reason for 6%? I don't have to worry much about the dates. Concentrated bleach has a short half life. 6% is pretty stable.

 

[jeffchap]

Have you considered a saltwater chlorine generator? I'd never have a pool without one again.

 

[CMB04]

Have you considered a saltwater chlorine generator? I'd never have a pool without one again.

Actually yes, I was looking to put one in this year, but wanted to give the liquid chlorine method a try before I pulled the trigger on one.

I've read a few threads on here about the Pureline SWG sold by INYOpools as being a low cost entry level unit. Anybody have any history with one?

PureLine Pool Salt System 60,000 Gallons - PL7703 - INYOPools.com

 

[kellyfair]

Don’t know that model, but I know I never want to be without a SWG!

Definitely raise that CYA to 40, maybe even 50. It gets plenty hot in SC!