Swimming Pool Chlorination

[Al]

Had my swimming pool for like35 years. For most of that time I really have not done "major" shocks. What I do is chlorinate to maybe 6ppm or so and then let the chlorine get back town to 0. Varying chlorine content is the most efficient way to keep algae from growing (IMHO). Less chlorine is better..ask your liner.

Anyway with the pandemic it became difficult to get liquid chlorine which is what I have mostly been using for the last several years. I ordered 50 lb of skimmer tabs on Amazon. They each weigh 7.2 OZ. What I do is break them up in their plastic wrappers and dissolve them. I use 4 tabs per "mini shock" and it lasts 5+ days. The tabs at $1 each so basically 5 bucks a week for chlorine and since they have stabilizer, its a pretty good way to go.

My pool is 18 x 36 but the depth is 32 inches so thats like 17,500 gallons of water.

 

[4WD]

My pool is 27,000 gallons … in the Texas sun chlorine burns out even with stabilizer … so always a couple tabs in the basket and oxidizer below is used …
Still have to use chlorine shock once a week …

https://www.lesliespool.com/blog/the-benefits-of-non-chlorine-shock/

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted by Al
Had my swimming pool for like35 years. For most of that time I really have not done "major" shocks. What I do is chlorinate to maybe 6ppm or so and then let the chlorine get back town to 0. Varying chlorine content is the most efficient way to keep algae from growing (IMHO). Less chlorine is better..ask your liner.

Anyway with the pandemic it became difficult to get liquid chlorine which is what I have mostly been using for the last several years. I ordered 50 lb of skimmer tabs on Amazon. They each weigh 7.2 OZ. What I do is break them up in their plastic wrappers and dissolve them. I use 4 tabs per "mini shock" and it lasts 5+ days. The tabs at $1 each so basically 5 bucks a week for chlorine and since they have stabilizer, its a pretty good way to go.

My pool is 18 x 36 but the depth is 32 inches so thats like 17,500 gallons of water.


18' diameter x 32' deep round pool? Or 18'x36' square pool that s 32" deep?

If its a 18' round pool that is 32" deep, then I get 5071 gallons.

If a 18x36 square pool that is 32" deep (constant) then I get 12,893 gallons.

 

[dave123]

I never ever would use tabs unless u want a cloudy pool liquid only with muriatic acid and a weekly algacide treatment I'm old school BUT anyone that seen that pool ask how the he// you get it so clear. Simple and easy so many make it difficult and don't understand basic science really

 

[Al]

Originally Posted by dave123
I never ever would use tabs unless u want a cloudy pool liquid only with muriatic acid and a weekly algacide treatment I'm old school BUT anyone that seen that pool ask how the he// you get it so clear. Simple and easy so many make it difficult and don't understand basic science really

My water is crystal clear. I use clarifier liquid. I use a sand filter and you have to us that if you want clear water. Anyone that has a pool for decades and doesn't have crystal clear water is a slow learner..ll.o

 

[Danno]

27' above ground pool here. Full scoop of chlorine granules weekly, a couple of tabs, vacuum once a week. Some algicide when it gets hot.
Crystal clear water.

 

[rob1715]

Keep an eye on your CYA. Once it gets >70ppm it'll be time to do a partial drain and refill.

 

[ctechbob]

Nothing more than liquid bleach and washing soda/muratic acid for ph adjustments. Anything else and you're constantly chasing your CYA levels upward, which requires more and more ppm of free chlorine to keep the sanitizing level up. Alternate to that is a saltwater system that makes its own CL. Properly maintained you shouldn't need clarifiers, shock, or any of that other stuff.

www.troublefreepool.com

Has plenty of information on keeping it simple.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted by ctechbob
Nothing more than liquid bleach and washing soda/muratic acid for ph adjustments.

You absolutely need conditioner.

 

[Rat407]

We have a saltwater system. Best investment ever. No more issues about chlorine. Just keep salt and all the other levels where they need to be and you are good to go. If you want to learn anything and everything go to www.troublefreepools.com

Best site online to learn how to maintain a pool.

 

[ctechbob]

Originally Posted by Al
Originally Posted by ctechbob
Nothing more than liquid bleach and washing soda/muratic acid for ph adjustments.

You absolutely need conditioner.



If by conditioner you mean CYA, then yes. You need that, I just omitted it. 40-60 PPM of CYA.

Other water clarifiers, etc. Nope, properly maintained you don't need any of that.

The only thing you need to have is a good test kit. Not strips, and not just a regular OTO/Phenol Red kit. One that will be accurate on the measurements so you know exactly how much FC you have and how much you burn up on a given day.

https://tftestkits.net/cart.html

Will get you what you need.

This is for vinyl liner pools. Pools with stones, concrete, other materials do have some other issues to deal with, but the sanitization part remains the same.

 

[rob1715]

For great info.

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted by Al
Originally Posted by ctechbob
Nothing more than liquid bleach and washing soda/muratic acid for ph adjustments.

You absolutely need conditioner.


I have maintained my pool since 1996 and even so the needs change. We planted lots of trees on a bare place … and as much as we love them now … they bomb the place with leaves, pollen, seeds, and even the palm trees drop seeds and all that woody crud. This is organic load that has to be dealt with several ways and one of them is additional chemicals. It's not practical to keep it pristine year round … so it's a week to get it back in shape for the summer … Work and chemicals …

I'd also add that most of us have a single source of water and certain suppliers near by selling their chosen products and equipment … these can vary …
And even the act of topping up from dehydration or needing to flip a thousand gallons will not be the same results from area to area and pool to pool. We get lots of rain ~ I'm always adding PH up … Sun intensity will vary. My depths are 4' and 8' … curvy shape … not a flat boxed wading pool …
Some here are getting judgmental because they have less need … Some old pools are just not low maintenance

 

[RhondaHonda]

Pebble tec pool, 30k gallons in full sun the entire day. I use liquid chlorine, muriatic acid and will use pucks in the chlorinator if I'm going to be out of town. I'll add some CYA at the beginning of the season when I fill along with some calcium to get the CH level up a bit. Troublefreepool.com is a great site. My pool is crystal clear all the time and consumes about a half gallon of 12.5 liquid each day. I do fight an always increasing PH a few times a week with the muriatic acid. My autofill is connected to my irrigation system and our rap water ph is 10+.

 

[PandaBear]

Similar question here:

I got a "kiddie" pool that is about 325 gal, in about 1.5 weeks the water started turning a bit murky but no algae. Kids feel "itchy" on the feet and one with eczema condition worsen. I did pour a cup of bleach in it once a week, and dump the whole thing out after 2 weeks and notice the side of the pool is a bit slimy.

Do you think it is worth dealing with all that test strip and granulate and 20 mule team stuff? or just dump it out once a week? Now I keep the pool dry on the side and lay it down flat for the kid to play inside with their imagination. What's the difference between 2' vs 0' of water anyways?

 

[CincyDavid]

WetEdge pebble pool (same idea as Pebble Tec), 13500 gallons. My pool service deals with it on Tuesday mornings. I never mess with it. They charge $100/mo and it's always crystal clear.

 

[Al]

Panda: 1 cup of bleach (if its 5 1/4%) gives you 10.7 ppm chlorine. That would be a moderate "shock" treatment. But in a pool of that size. you probably have zero chlorine after a day. Try 1/3 of a cup every other day. After a week put in a cup at the end of the day.

Get yourself a little bottleof the chlorine test chemical. Put a drop in the pool. if you see any yellow at all it shows you have active chlorine. you don't want go go a full day with no chlorine at all. If you have say even 5 ppm you will get a fairly deep yellow. Ideally you would want about maybe 2ppm chlorine. But that's ideal. you don't need ideal any you wont get it by dropping 1/3 cup in every other day.

But its ok. Varying chlorine levels is the most efficient way to keep algae at bay.

You might want a piece of something white so the yellow shows up. Maybe just use a white cup.

PM me any time.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Get a fas dpd chlorine test kit. So much better than stressing over the yellow tint.

 

[Exhaustgases]

Where to buy liquid chlorine? Even chlorox no longer has chlorine in it, doesn't smell like it did in say the 60's or 70's.

 

[ctechbob]

Where to buy liquid chlorine? Even chlorox no longer has chlorine in it, doesn't smell like it did in say the 60's or 70's.

As long as it is just plain bleach with no additives (smells, splash free, etc) the sodium hypochlorite is what you're after.

We all say 'chlorine' but it is really just a generic term at this point when it comes to pools.

HD and Walmart also sell 'chlorinating liquid' which is really just 10% bleach instead of the 4-6% that household stuff is.

FWIW, since I first posted in this thread I've moved on to a SWG system. With the rising price of bleach, it has paid for itself in the2 years I've had it.

That and it is so much easier. Once you get it dialed in, I just have it set to run with a Wyze plug. One side of the plug runs the pump and the other side runs the SWG. The pump runs 10 min on either side of the SWG and then for the 9 hours the SWG is running. I only check my FC level about every 2 weeks or so and it is always right where I want it.