Yikes - Out of Bleach

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geekgranny

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Aug 20, 2009
1,357
North Central Texas
I've been pretty overwhelmed with deadlines and pulled the first of more to come all nighters last night. I tested water a few minutes ago; FC 2. My range with CYA 60 is 5-9. I went out to shed to get the bleach :shock: :( DH forgot to get bleach at Costco yesterday. I know, I should have gone out to the shed last night to get bleach after testing. I didn't test. :oops: The FC is 2 but it was probably 4-5 yesterday a.m. I didn't test. :oops: DH has me chained to the desk. :mrgreen: While he was at Costco I sneaked out to do the required daily backwash because of the calcium scale that is releasing from plaster

I can't leave. He can't get any to me for several hours. How much time do I have before algae blooms? It hasn't ever been this low in over a year. UV index will be about 10 in a couple of hours. Temp will approach 100 in next few hours.

FC 2
pH 7.2
TA 48 (odd number because based on testing and then what addition of x amount of baking soda brought it up to)
CH 260
CYA 60 (or a little less as I've had to do several backwashes, this weekend, due to treating for scale and copper staining.)

I really can't be shocking as the copper stain that has faded some, with one case of Jack's Magenta, treating for about 5 days now, could possibly redeposit on plaster. :cry:

My little fountain is running 21/7 and keeping the water temp below 90. The pump is running 21/7 with good water circulation all over the pool.

Give me some good news please.

gg=alice
 
Going out on a limb here, but you be ok for a few hours. You could be in trouble if it gets to zero a few hours but hopefully you'll have some bleach before that happens.

I'd raise the FC to almost shock level as soon as you get some bleach if it were me.
 
Give me some good news please.
Click to expand...
Here it comes!! I think you'll be fine. Not based on science but observation, I think a pool as well managed as yours can go quite a while without chlorine protection...perhaps even 24 hours.

I certainly would never suggest doing it intentionally so get some in there as soon as practicable but I bet you'll never see even a hiccup if you can re-chlorinate within 12 hours or so.

I would probably elevate the FC (when you can) to perhaps 50-100% above it's normal level for 24 hours or so as insurance and that's it.

EDIT : bama posted just as I did. I think we're saying the same thing with his ideas being a little "safer" than mine.
 
Thank You so very much guys for such a quick answer and the good news. :bowdown:

My FC loss hasn't been more than 3 during the day all summer; usually closer to mid way between 2-3. YEA :party: I usually go a little over the top of range when I add bleach. I'll just add it in three or four sessions spread out over a couple of hours. DH will be gone for an appointment this afternoon so I can sneak out to the pool again. :mrgreen:

I am already freaking as we had an anomaly Saturday that knocked out my RAID array in my main computer (QuickBooks and Turbo Taxes; business and personal) and my network attached storage (digital images of just about every piece of paper that enters the house AND backups for the computers). So I've been doing a lot of paper files rummaging and I can't find everything. :hammer: I can't rebuild the arrays until I find out which disks are damaged and to what extent. They all have to be pulled out and examined and I don't have time.

gg=alice
 
It takes algae from 3-8 hours to double in population so it usually takes around 24 hours before enough algae grows (8x-256x) to start turning the water dull and then another day to get cloudy to green. People often think that algae comes on much more quickly, but it's really growing and not yet visible when the chlorine is too low for too long -- it really isn't that sudden.

Bacteria, on the other hand, reproduce much more quickly taking 15-60 minutes for a doubling of population. Even so, a few hours isn't going to have enough growth to cause problems that can't be easily handled once you get chlorine back in the water.
 
chem geek said:
It takes algae from 3-8 hours to double in population so it usually takes around 24 hours before enough algae grows (8x-256x) to start turning the water dull and then another day to get cloudy to green. People often think that algae comes on much more quickly, but it's really growing and not yet visible when the chlorine is too low for too long -- it really isn't that sudden.

Bacteria, on the other hand, reproduce much more quickly taking 15-60 minutes for a doubling of population. Even so, a few hours isn't going to have enough growth to cause problems that can't be easily handled once you get chlorine back in the water.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Great information. I got the bleach in around 2100 in a 30-60 minute session. 2.7 182 oz bottles to bring up from 0 to 10 or so. For fear of getting any bleach too close to the pool walls and copper redepositing on them I mixed a few cups at a time into a 3/4 filled 4 gal bucket and threw into different areas over a >30 minute time with pump running of course. Dinner and an old Steve Martin movie were waiting so I didn't want to take much longer and I didn't want too much time between additions.

I haven't tested yet but better do so as sun, although slanted, in now fully on pool. Whew. That was scary. I would have been much less concerned if I had not been treating for the scale and copper stains and worrying about copper redepositing on plaster adding so much bleach at one time. My usual is one 182 oz bottle or so every other day in front of returns.

Thanks, gg=alice
 
Just tested.

FC 13.5 -powder (so yesterday a.m. drop test of 2 was off - was probably more like 5 but do have a CC of something above .5)

CC .5 to 1

pH 7.5-7.8 (would know better when FC a little lower but going to bring it down a little due to the current scale/copper treating)

CYA 60 solid

The copper stainining that has lightened considerably in past days did not get any darker with the addition of so much bleach. I was really concerned about that.

Needs backwash - been two days so scale is continuing to release for sure. BTW... the Aquabot renew kit came in yesterday so I'll start running the Aquabot today. Did not run vac cleaner yesterday as filter pressure was getting up there and didn't have time to backwash. DH gone for several hours so sneaking out to do a backwash. :twisted:

BTW.... I'm impressed with the Aquabot renew kit and the price, $114, free shipping. It is aftermarket made by AquaQuailty, set of rubber treads (green), set of rubber brushes (green) set of drive belts and 2 stepped sleeve rollers, AND a cloth fine filter bag. The same parts,except for bag (the Aquabot came with a new mesh bag) were on my old Aquabot when I got it in trade from owner of AquaQuality (and copyright holder of the after market Nasty Bags for robot cleaners) so I know they are sturdy and well made. In seven months of use in my pool the Aquabot has probably had as much run time as most will see in several years time and it just broke a tread last week. If one can handle the aquaish green brushes and treads this is one of the most incredible prices one will find for a renew kit for the Aquabot. It is colorful and fun looking. Not boring at all. Most kits I priced were much more than this and did not include a bag. Aquaquality does repairs on Aquabots and others too. The ebay price is $35 cheaper than the on site price. Let me know if you want a link.

gg=alice
 
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