So Im learning the $$ lesson on chlorine, how about clorox?

Chlorinating, maintaining the right chlorine levels,
chlorine problems. Dichlor, trichlor, cal hypo, bleach,
granules, chlorine pucks and chlorine sticks.
justneedsomehelp

So Im learning the $$ lesson on chlorine, how about clorox?

Postby justneedsomehelp » Sat 26 Apr, 2008 07:25

Can anyone tell me how many gallons of clorox ultra I would need "approximatly" to maintain a good 15-20 cl level to shock this pool and help clear it up?

Pool is 22,500 gal inground, 4 foot shallow and 9 foot deep.

I put a bag of shock in it this morning and 6 tabllets (3 inch) but want to use clorox till I get a handle on it to save some money.

Currently levels at cl9, was cl3 prior to adding today.

levels are cl 9 (now)
ph 7.2 (rior to todays adds)
Hard 150
Alk ta 120 (rior to today)
CVA 60 (prior to today)

Thanks again.


Strannik-au
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Postby Strannik-au » Sat 26 Apr, 2008 19:05

Unscented Clorox is 6% Sodium Hypochlorite as opposed to 10 or 12.5% you get as liquid chlorine from the pool shop, So you would need approximately double the amount. Scented Clorox is even less, somewhere around 3% if i'm not mistaken.

By cl9 do you mean that your free chlorine reading is 9 ppm?
justneedsomehelp

Postby justneedsomehelp » Sun 27 Apr, 2008 10:23

Yes,

I went yesterday and purchase ALOT of 5.25% bleach and began my shock regimen.

Im working on 25 hours now with a level of 22 to try and finalize my beautiful blue cloudy appearence.

So far I got 6 gallons of bleach in the pool, no change yet in clarity but Im hopeful the advice I am recieving in these forums have me on the right track.
chem geek
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Postby chem geek » Sun 27 Apr, 2008 13:11

Clorox Regular is usually 6% bleach and is marked as such on the bottle (it will also say 5.7% Available Chlorine). Off-brand Ultra is also usually 6% though not usually marked. Off-brand Regular is 3% or less and generally should not be used. Whichever brand is used, only unscented bleach should be used and not "special-purpose" bleaches that have thickeners or other additives.

1 gallon of 6% bleach would add 2.8 ppm FC to 22,000 gallons.
1 gallon of 5.25% bleach would add 2.4 ppm FC to 22,000 gallons.

Did you actually have algae or was your water simply cloudy? If the latter, then you may just need to run your filter longer and clean it more frequently. Though algae growth is the primary reason for water turning dull, then cloudy and then green (if not fought), it isn't the only reason.

You need to measure the chlorine level and if it is dropping, even overnight, then the chlorine is fighting (oxidizing) algae so you need to keep adding more to keep up the FC level. With the CYA at 60, the shock level for fast reduction in algae is around 24 ppm. HOWEVER, the bag of shock, if it were Dichlor, as well as the tablets have both probably increased the CYA level which does NOT help at all. The 6 3" tablets of Trichlor would increase FC by 15.0 ppm but would also increase CYA by 9.1 ppm. For every 10 ppm FC added by Trichlor, it also adds 6 ppm to CYA. As for the Dichlor, it's even worse in that for every 10 ppm FC it adds, Dichlor also adds 9 ppm to CYA. Hopefully the "bag of shock" you used wasn't Dichlor and instead was Cal-Hypo. For Cal-Hypo, for every 10 ppm FC it adds, Cal-Hypo also adds 7 ppm to Calcium Hardness (CH).

Read this sticky for clearing a pool of algae.

Richard
justneedsomehelp

Ready to fill it with dirt and plant a garden now...

Postby justneedsomehelp » Sun 27 Apr, 2008 15:43

Did you actually have algae or was your water simply cloudy? If the latter, then you may just need to run your filter longer and clean it more frequently. Though algae growth is the primary reason for water turning dull, then cloudy and then green (if not fought), it isn't the only reason.


I have not had algea for umm, 4-5 days now, I opened it last wednesday, shocked it a few times, long story short my water looks today the same it looked 3-4 days after I opened it, my pump has been running 24/7 for 11 days straight now.

I have no idea honestly, the pool place said everything was good except my alk was low which (yes I paid top dollor) I got 16 pounds of their chemicals to increase that.
I backflush every day or two but see very little pressure increase during this time, takes a min or 2 to get a clear glass on backflush. (although for first 15-30 secs the water is rather dirty).

If this shocking doesnt work Im up the creek without a paddle I suppose, maybe floc (?) to get everything to settle? New sand (or treated)? MAYBE the magnet you place on your pipe.....just kidding...I honestly dont know what to do............shoulda bought a boat.
justneedsomehelp

Postby justneedsomehelp » Sun 27 Apr, 2008 15:46

Just to make this clear I was advised in the new pool owner section that I did not maintain the shock levels long enough thus the cloudyness, which is why Im here right now.
chem geek
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Postby chem geek » Sun 27 Apr, 2008 18:09

You can either have the chlorine level be higher to clear it or you can use OMNI Liquid Floc to try and settle it out faster. This sticky will give you an idea of how to clear a pool from algae. It does require a consistently high Free Chlorine (FC) level, or else the algae comes back keeping the water cloudy or worse. An example of what a pool looks like getting cleared of algae using chlorinating liquid or unscented bleach alone is here.

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