Questions about Dichlor Pool Shock

[melaniebaker2012]

My questions are about Dichlor (Sodium Dichloro-s-triazinetrione) pool shock.

- Since this type of shock has a built in stabilizer can I add it to my pool water while the sun is still out?

- Can I cover my pool with a solar cover after I add this type of shock to my pool water? And if not, how long should I wait before I put the solar cover back on?

 

[jblizzle]

You can add Dichlor whenever you want ... IF ... you understand everything it is adding your pool and it actually needs it.
You can put your cover on at any time. Although it is good to expose your water to the sun occasionally to burn off the CC.

I might ask though, what are you trying to accomplish in your pool water? Is this a fresh start up and you are following the seasonal pool guide? Or are you trying to deal with algae?

Have you found and read Pool School? Start with ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

 

[IceShadow]

Hello, and welcome to the forum!

The advice you are going to get here is different from what most in the "pool industry" give, as here they believe in doing your own testing so you are confident in the accuracy of the test results and in maintaining a relationship between the free chlorine in your pool and the stabilizer/CYA.

Dichlor does have stabilizer in it. If you already have a lot of stabilizer in your pool, it can push stabilizer levels even higher. Many people here are having issues because their stabilizer is so high that the chlorine isn't being allowed to do its work and they end up having to drain some or all of their water to get rid of it. So: here it is highly recommended to chlorinate with liquid chlorine only, unless you know your CYA levels via your own tests and figure out the effects of adding dichlor/trichlor to the pool.

Also, they don't practice "Shocking" as a one-time event here, like standard methodology would entail. Here, they recommend keeping your chlorine at an elevated level for a period of time if you are having trouble, to ensure all algae is dead, and then letting the chlorine level come down to something lower (but still typically something over what the industry would suggest, depending on your CYA levels).

So: answers to your question will be difficult to give here, as we recommend a different method of pool management. We recommend you buy your own test kit, a Taylor K-2006c or a TF-100 kit, and test the water yourself and maintain it using results from those tests instead of just dumping shock in the water every so often.

 

[melaniebaker2012]

You can add Dichlor whenever you want ... IF ... you understand everything it is adding your pool and it actually needs it.
You can put your cover on at any time. Although it is good to expose your water to the sun occasionally to burn off the CC.

I might ask though, what are you trying to accomplish in your pool water? Is this a fresh start up and you are following the seasonal pool guide? Or are you trying to deal with algae?

Have you found and read Pool School? Start with ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

I'm not really trying to accomplish anything. This is just the first time using this type of shock. I don't have algae and my chlorine level is good, I'm just adding shock for weekly maintenance. I use 3" chlorine tablets in a floater plus I add algaecide and shock weekly.

 

[Richard320]

I'm not really trying to accomplish anything. This is just the first time using this type of shock. I don't have algae and my chlorine level is good, I'm just adding shock for weekly maintenance. I use 3" chlorine tablets in a floater plus I add algaecide and shock weekly.

Oh, dear.....

You should probably make time to watch this. It's only about 2 minutes

 

[IceShadow]

I'm not really trying to accomplish anything. This is just the first time using this type of shock. I don't have algae and my chlorine level is good, I'm just adding shock for weekly maintenance. I use 3" chlorine tablets in a floater plus I add algaecide and shock weekly.

They have a very different style of chemical maintenance that they preach here.

The stuff that you’re adding probably isn’t needed and some of it may cause problems down the line. Best case, you’re only paying a bunch of money for stuff you really don’t need. Worst case, the algicide could have copper in it that stains your pool and turns blonde hair green.

So: the answers you get here are going to be very different from other places since they have a different method of chemical balance that they follow here.

 

[Richard320]

They have a very different style of chemical maintenance that they preach here.

It's not "they," it's "we." I consider you one of us already, @IceShadow

 

[melaniebaker2012]

Hello, and welcome to the forum!

The advice you are going to get here is different from what most in the "pool industry" give, as here they believe in doing your own testing so you are confident in the accuracy of the test results and in maintaining a relationship between the free chlorine in your pool and the stabilizer/CYA.

Dichlor does have stabilizer in it. If you already have a lot of stabilizer in your pool, it can push stabilizer levels even higher. Many people here are having issues because their stabilizer is so high that the chlorine isn't being allowed to do its work and they end up having to drain some or all of their water to get rid of it. So: here it is highly recommended to chlorinate with liquid chlorine only, unless you know your CYA levels via your own tests and figure out the effects of adding dichlor/trichlor to the pool.

Also, they don't practice "Shocking" as a one-time event here, like standard methodology would entail. Here, they recommend keeping your chlorine at an elevated level for a period of time if you are having trouble, to ensure all algae is dead, and then letting the chlorine level come down to something lower (but still typically something over what the industry would suggest, depending on your CYA levels).

So: answers to your question will be difficult to give here, as we recommend a different method of pool management. We recommend you buy your own test kit, a Taylor K-2006c or a TF-100 kit, and test the water yourself and maintain it using results from those tests instead of just dumping shock in the water every so often.

I never add stabilizer to my pool water. The only stabilizer in my pool water comes from the chlorine tablets that contain stabilizer. Also, I do test my own water and balance it with chemicals myself. I don't randomly add shock every so often. I use chlorine tablets in a floater plus I add algaecide and shock weekly. I'm just not familiar with dichlor shock (I usually use calcium hypochlorite shock) and I wanted to get answers to my questions before trying it out.

 

[Richard320]

I never add stabilizer to my pool water. The only stabilizer in my pool water comes from the chlorine tablets that contain stabilizer. Also, I do test my own water and balance it with chemicals myself. I don't randomly add shock every so often. I use chlorine tablets in a floater plus I add algaecide and shock weekly. I'm just not familiar with dichlor shock (I usually use calcium hypochlorite shock) and I wanted to get answers to my questions before trying it out.

Dichlor is very similar to trichlor, which is in pucks. It just dissolves a lot faster. Like trichlor, it adds stabilizer and it is very acidic. If you can use pucks, you can use trichlor. Whether or not it is wise is a different question.

Down near the bottom of PoolMath is Effects Of Adding Chemicals. If you input your pool volume up top, it will tell you how much each pound of dichlor will add of each. The pH calculation will only be correct within a very narrow set of parameters.

 

[jblizzle]

Umm ... besides testing your own water (which test kit), just about everything are doing is NOT the way we teach pool maintenance. Given your location and season, you can likely get by with using the tablets, but I think the weekly shock with Dichlor is going to get you in trouble.

So are you tracking your CYA increases and ensuring that your FC stays above the minimum listed in the FC/CYA Levels at all times?

We never "add algaecide and shock weekly" that to use sounds like "randomly adding shock every so often" ... there is just no need to do it.

 

[melaniebaker2012]

I only added algaecide and shock weekly because that is what HTH recommended.

How do you teach pool maintenance?

 

[jblizzle]

Basically, only add what the pool needs based on accurate test results.

Check out Pool School, starting with ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry.

Given your pool size, you might consider following this: Guide for Seasonal/Temporary Pools - Trouble Free Pool

 

[jimbethesda]

I only added algaecide and shock weekly because that is what HTH recommended.

Probably because HTH sells “shock” and other potions. This site is a non-profit run by volunteers. It’s really easy to keep your pool safe and free of algae. You just need enough chlorine. How much? 7.5% of the CYA (stabilizer) already in your pool. Look at this chart:

The Free Chlorine and Cyanuric Acid Relationship

Managing your cyanuric acid and Free Chlorine levels is key to stabilizing your pool. Learn how these two items affect each other.

www.troublefreepool.com

If you make sure your chlorine never falls below the minimum level, you will never need to shock or put other potions in your pool.

Since you use the pucks with stabilizer built in, your CYA is likely very high...too high. The pool store model is not to tell you about this relationship. They prefer to sell you expensive pucks, then other potions to keep your algae in check (or sort of). But you can’t see all the bacteria and other yucky stuff living in your pool because your chlorine is way too low.

This site (and backed up by science) recommends only putting in what you need based on your own test results by a good test kit (not pool store results or test strips).

The result is less $$ and a cleaner and safer pool. You’ll probably also spend less time overall on your pool, but the one negative is you will have to “feed” your pool liquid chlorine every day or switch to a salt chlorine generator.

 

[IceShadow]

It's not "they," it's "we." I consider you one of us already, @IceShadow

I didn’t want to presume. ^.^

 

[LoneWolfArcher]

I only added algaecide and shock weekly because that is what HTH recommended.

How do you teach pool maintenance?

HTH sells pool chemicals. So what do you think their motivation for giving advice is? You having a trouble free pool? Or them selling you more and more chemicals?

I did the "HTH" method last year. Ended up with copper cynaurate staining, as well as cooper staining. Adding algaecide with copper, and then "shocking" your pool, can result in this. And adding copper with high cyanauric acid, like you get with chlorine pucks over time, can create copper cyanaurate. You can tell when you have it because things wills start getting stained purple.

Ditch HTH. Ditch the algaecide. Ditch the shock. Ditch the pucks.

Listen to the advice you get here. First by getting a real test kit, second by switching to only liquid chlorine (bleach). I prefer 12.5% strength pool bleach that I get from a pool store for $3.49/gallon.

Trust me on this, you'll be glad you did. My pool maintenance this year has been so much easier than last year.