Wally World Pool Essentials

[LaurenB]

This season I’ve been solely using Pool Essentials 10% from Walmart. I’ve probably used 20-30 gallons so far this season, at least. According to pool math, 1 gallon of 10% should raise my FC by 4.4. Consistently, it has only been raising my FC by 3 or maybe 3.5. This has led to me thinking I have algae, or in the beginning ammonia, and most recently I’ve been convinced my pool must be more gallons than originally thought. I check the date on the gallons I buy and get fairly recent dates. I’ve passed SLAM twice. Stored in a cool dark place.

Anyway, I bought a 121oz jug of store brand bleach (7.5%) just to experiment some more. It should have raised me 3.5, and instead raised me 4.5 Has anyone else experienced this recently?

 

[Texas Splash]

The Essentials 10% should've added more FC than the weak laundry bleach. Was the water circulation the same in each scenario? Water pulled from same location, etc? I've used the 10% a couple times this year in a pinch and it seemed to work as expected.

By the way, what is your current CYA?

If you still have concerns about organics, just do another Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.

 

[drsipe]

As far as the Wally World Pool Essentials, there is no telling how it was handled before you purchased it. It could have spent too much time in a hot trailer being transported, or as in our area, our Wally World started using shipping containers for their inventory overflow. I have seen them pull a pallet of Pool Essentials out of one of the containers. The temperature in the containers has to be over 100 degrees. I have used Pool Essentials and even though the label says 10%, and I'm sure it's 10% when it was packaged, by the time I get it, I doubt that it is 10%. I think I saw a way to test the percentage on TFP How can I test bleach for myself to confirm the concentration of Sodium Hypochlorite?

 

[Homebrewale]

I'm more confident in the strength of chlorine at Walmart here than at Home Depot or Lowes. Walmart sells it from inside the store. Home Depot has it on a shelf in the sun in their garden section. Lowes has it on a shelf in the shade in their garden section.

 

[drsipe]

I'm more confident in the strength of chlorine at Walmart here than at Home Depot or Lowes. Home Depot sells it from inside the store. Home Depot has it on a shelf in the sun in their garden section. Lowes has it on a shelf in the shade in their garden section.

I thinks some of this depends on the store, whether it's Wally World, Home Depot, or Lowes. I don't believe that proper handling or storage of chlorine is a high priority to them. Their biggest concern is not having a spill. I still buy my Pool Essentials from Wally World also, mainly for the price, I hate Wally World, but you can't argue with the prices. None of the chlorine I have bought from any store has been any better or worse in any particular store. I only use liquid for my initial opening SLAM, and I keep a few jugs for emergencies, so I only use 6-8 gallons a year.

 

[LaurenB]

The Essentials 10% should've added more FC than the weak laundry bleach. Was the water circulation the same in each scenario? Water pulled from same location, etc? I've used the 10% a couple times this year in a pinch and it seemed to work as expected.

By the way, what is your current CYA?

If you still have concerns about organics, just do another Overnight Chlorine Loss Test.

I leave pump at 3k rpm. I always test from same place - across from returns, in the middle between the skimmers.
Current CYA 40. I’m really not concerned that there’s something other than degraded chlorine. Consistent clear water, 0CC. OCLT has passed several times. Although I did a couple pool volume calculators and come up with 26k whereas my build diagram estimates 22.5k. Even that doesn’t completely make up for the less than expected FC.

As far as the Wally World Pool Essentials, there is no telling how it was handled before you purchased it. It could have spent too much time in a hot trailer being transported, or as in our area, our Wally World started using shipping containers for their inventory overflow. I have seen them pull a pallet of Pool Essentials out of one of the containers. The temperature in the containers has to be over 100 degrees. I have used Pool Essentials and even though the label says 10%, and I'm sure it's 10% when it was packaged, by the time I get it, I doubt that it is 10%. I think I saw a way to test the percentage on TFP How can I test bleach for myself to confirm the concentration of Sodium Hypochlorite?

I’m going to attempt to test and compare the 2.

Hard to find a solid answer, but how long should I wait before testing after adding chlorine to get an accurate result?

 

[drsipe]

I leave pump at 3k rpm. I always test from same place - across from returns, in the middle between the skimmers.
Current CYA 40. I’m really not concerned that there’s something other than degraded chlorine. Consistent clear water, 0CC. OCLT has passed several times. Although I did a couple pool volume calculators and come up with 26k whereas my build diagram estimates 22.5k. Even that doesn’t completely make up for the less than expected FC.

I’m going to attempt to test and compare the 2.

Hard to find a solid answer, but how long should I wait before testing after adding chlorine to get an accurate result?

I believe they say 20 minutes of circulation should give you a good mix.