I CAN'T KEEP CHLORINE IN MY POOL!!!!!!!!!!

Chlorinating, maintaining the right chlorine levels,
chlorine problems. Dichlor, trichlor, cal hypo, bleach,
granules, chlorine pucks and chlorine sticks.
KIMMYJO
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed 06 Aug, 2008 19:46
Location: OKLAHOMA

I CAN'T KEEP CHLORINE IN MY POOL!!!!!!!!!!

Postby KIMMYJO » Wed 06 Aug, 2008 20:03

I PUT CHLORINE IN MY POOL EVERY EVENING AND BY MORNING WHEN I TEST IT, MY FREE CHLORINE LEVEL IS ZERO. BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE, I AM CONSTANTLY FIGHTING BUGS AND ALGAE. I SHOCK ONCE A WEEK, BUT IT USUALLY NEEDS IT AGAIN BEFORE THE WEEK IS UP. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG OR WHAT CAN I DO TO FIX THIS? PLEASE HELP! I AM ABOUT READY TO GET RID OF MY KIDS POOL.


Guest

I CAN'T KEEP CHLORINE IN MY POOL!!!!!!!!!!

Postby Guest » Mon 22 Sep, 2008 15:56

A- is your ph stabilized? chlorine doesn't work well at low or high PH. B-try an algecide.... 1- your shock has to match the volume of the pool. (or it ain't a shock, put more in). 2- if no residual is shown , it's all bound. You can try a non-chlorine oxidizer like monopersulfate, then try again to establish a free chlorine level. The life of MPS is short and gasses off quick. Oxidizing what would bind the chlorine your putting in daily. If you are growing plants (algae, there has to be 2 things, 1- food, (phosphates) and 2- sun. Plus a lack of high enough sanitizer. address these issues and your done. bob
chem geek
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2381
Joined: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 21:27
Location: San Rafael, California

Low chlorine reading

Postby chem geek » Mon 22 Sep, 2008 19:23

Depending on the type of chlorine you are using, you may need to add some every day, not once a week. Only the slow-dissolving tablets can be added less frequently, but such Trichlor pucks/tabs increase the Cyanuric Acid (CYA) level requiring higher Free Chlorine (FC) levels in order to prevent algae -- a catch-22. As the previous poster stated, if you use a supplemental algaecide, such as PolyQuat 60, then this will reduce the demand on your chlorine.

Another possibility is that you are only using unstabilized chlorine (bleach, chlorinating liquid, Cal-Hypo, lithium hypochlorite) and never added any CYA to the water. In that case, the chlorine will breakdown very quickly in sunlight.

You can read more about chlorine and its relationship to CYA and algae growth at the Pool School. By the way, I have 2000-3000 ppb phosphates in my pool yet do not get algae because I maintain an FC level at least 7.5% of the CYA level in my manually dosed pool. Though removal of phosphates is one approach to algae control, it is not the only one.

Richard
fern
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed 03 Dec, 2008 18:58

Low chlorine reading

Postby fern » Wed 03 Dec, 2008 19:08

I have been maintaining our pool, 31.000 litres, for years, and for the first time I cannot keep the chlorine in the pool.
All the required levels like PH, Hardness etc, are at the right levels.
I originally thought there must be too much chlorine in the pool so it was bleaching out the 'stick reading, not so.
The 'expert's by telling me to add more PH, which has now sent the PH level too high, plus adjusting the hardness level, the pool is now out of balance.
Any one shed any light on this chlorine level problem, I'm beginning to think it must have something to do with 'weak' chlorine.
I use "Stingy sticks" as well.Also algaecide
chem geek
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2381
Joined: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 21:27
Location: San Rafael, California

Low chlorine reading

Postby chem geek » Wed 03 Dec, 2008 20:52

Test your Cyanuric Acid (CYA) level. It's probably too high and even the chlorine and algaecide aren't able to cope. Algaecide, such as PolyQuat 60, will usually let you get away with having your CYA level up to perhaps 200 ppm if your FC is kept around 3 ppm, but it can't help much more than that. A copper-based algaecide or metal ion unit can prevent algae, but if the pH rises it can stain. Again, have your CYA level checked -- better yet, get your own test kit. Either the Taylor K-2006 kit you can get at a good online price here or the TF100 kit from tftestkits(dot)com here with the latter kit having 36% more volume of reagents so is comparably priced "per test".

BioGuard Stingy Sticks have been replaced by BioGuard Silk Sticks. They are Trichlor where for every 10 ppm FC that they add, they also increase CYA by 6 ppm. Unless you have a small pool with a short swimming season and a filter you backwash weekly, then your CYA level can climb quickly. Even at a low 1 ppm FC per day usage, after 6 months you've added over 100 ppm CYA to the water.

Also, read more about how to maintain your pool at the Pool School.

Richard
omegapool

I Can't Keep Chlorine in My Pool!!!!!!!!!!

Postby omegapool » Tue 09 Jun, 2009 17:00

u need to get your alk. up by using balance then keep schocking you might need a doz. or so bags depending on how many gal. your pool is in order to get your chlorine level up. If you can maintain your level for 24hrs. you doing good. If not you might need to add stabalizer.
Bjorn
Pool Enthusiast
Pool Enthusiast
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat 13 Jun, 2009 17:45
My Pool: My pool is oval 4 x 8m. You can see it here: http://www.poolguide.dk
Location: Denmark

I Can't Keep Chlorine in My Pool!!!!!!!!!!

Postby Bjorn » Wed 17 Jun, 2009 16:20

You must test your water every day during the bathing season for the ph and chlorine levels. If chlorine levels are too low, you need to add more granulatet chlorine in the water. During the bathing season, the chlorine is "burned off" by the sun and when you are using the pool a lot, you also need to add up chlorine. As a rule, you must add chlorine every day to keep the right balance during the bathing season. But always AFTER the test of values. :)
jobeck05
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu 18 Jun, 2009 12:44
My Pool: 25K gallon, 18x36 rectangle. In ground vinyl. Sand filter with auto chlorinator running on dichlor tabs
Location: Missouri

I Can't Keep Chlorine in My Pool!!!!!!!!!!

Postby jobeck05 » Thu 18 Jun, 2009 12:53

I cannot seem to keep a decent chlorine level. I opened in May, superchlorinated with Cal Hypo. So far this year, I am eating through Di-Chlor tabs at a good clip, but even with a full feeder set on max and a tab in each skimmer (and moderate but not hot weather), I cannot keep the chlorine above 1.0 consistently. My latest test results are:
TA: 125
Adjusted TA: 95
CYA: 92
Free Chlorine 0.7
Total Chlorine 1.6
PH 7.3
Calcium 86
Phjosphates 500

Since the readings taken above, I have added a phosphate remover. But my pool is crystal clear, so I am not sure why.

At first, I thought Chlorine Lock, but my guess is I do not have a high enough CYA level, and I was told that my Chlorine level should still register high in such an event.

Typically my pool ran fine, even in hot weather, with a medium chlorinator setting and a Chlorine level around 2.0-3.0. Now I cant seem to keep the chlorine in the water.

Pool is crystal clear. We do have some slight foaming, but I think its from a slight overdose on algeacide upon pool opening.

I am considering simply a draing and refill 18 inches at a time for a week, and see if maybe some fresh water doesnt help, as I am tired of spending money on checmicals and water in my area is cheap.
Guest

I CAN'T KEEP CHLORINE IN MY POOL!!!!!!!!!!

Postby Guest » Mon 06 Jul, 2009 18:53

I'm having the same problem as you are. My water anlaysis is very similiar except my Calicum is higher since I have a heater. Where you able to solve the problem?
chem geek
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2381
Joined: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 21:27
Location: San Rafael, California

I CAN'T KEEP CHLORINE IN MY POOL!!!!!!!!!!

Postby chem geek » Mon 06 Jul, 2009 19:57

At a CYA level of 92 ppm, if you don't keep a minimum Free Chlorine (FC) level of at least 6 ppm in a manually dosed pool, then algae can grow faster than chlorine can kill it -- certainly a minimum of 4 ppm is required unless the pool is devoid of algae nutrients or is in complete darkness.

The chlorine/CYA relationhip has been known since at least 1974. There is no such thing as "chlorine lock". There is no magic number where chlorine all of a sudden is locked up. It i ALWAYS locked up to a large extent when there is Cyanuric Acid (CYA) in the water. When the FC is around 10% of the CYA level, over 97% of the chlorine is bound to CYA in a series of compounds (chlorinated cyanurates) that are not effective sanitizers nor oxidizers nor algaecides. Fortunately, it takes a very low level of active chlorine (hypochlorous acid) to kill bacteria and even to kill algae (though it takes far more to kill algae than to kill most bacteria). As the CYA level rises from continued use of stabilized chlorine products, the FC must also be increased or else algae can grow (unless one uses a supplemental algaecide or phosphate remover).

Nascent algae growth will look like an unusual chlorine demand even before the water gets dull or cloudy.

The following are chemical facts independent of concentration of product and of pool size:

For every 10 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) added by Trichlor, it also increases Cyanuric Acid (CYA) by 6 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Dichlor, it also increases CYA by 9 ppm.
For every 10 ppm FC added by Cal-Hypo, it also increases Calcium Hardness (CH) by 7 ppm.

Even with a low chlorine usage of only 1 ppm FC per day, after 6 months of Trichlor use, the CYA will have increased by over 100 ppm if there is no dilution of water. Learn more by reading the Pool School.

Richard
Thys

I CAN'T KEEP CHLORINE IN MY POOL!!!!!!!!!!

Postby Thys » Thu 16 Jul, 2009 13:41

Hi. I had a salt chlorinator fitted. It works beautifully the first day and then just stops making chlorine. The indicator on the machine shows is making chlorine, but coming into the pool and the free chlorine shows either very low or nothing. The guy that sold me the machine have changed sells 5 times and still after the first day it doesn't produce. Any help?
all blue pools

I CAN'T KEEP CHLORINE IN MY POOL!!!!!!!!!!

Postby all blue pools » Sun 23 Aug, 2009 12:16

low chlorine can be a combination of things. most likley you are doind it to your self. algacides that are ammonia based rob the chlorine out of the pool. like algacides from home depot if it is not a copper based algacide you are killing your pool. pools near farm animals lots of ammonia, ammonia kils chlorine. I NOTICED YOU SAID CALCIUM 85? IS THAT 85 OR 8,500 PARTS PER MILLION?? 8.500 IS OFF THE CHARTS. MOST POOL MEN WOULD DAY DRAIN THE POOL.
IAM ALL BLUE POOLS PHOENIX ARIZONA 602-943-1909 35 YEARS POOL BUSSINESS I GO ONCE A MONTH IN THE SUMMER AND MY POOLS ARE ALL BLUE YOU DONNOT NEED TO TEST EVERY DAY!! HOW RIDICULES.
#1 STOP USING ALGACIDES
THE POOL INDUSTRY HAS YOU ON A SHORT CHAIN. YOU KEEP CONSULTING THE POOL STORE.
I NOTICED YOU DID NOT MENTION YOUR TDS COUNT TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS COUNT. POOL CARE IS ACTUALLY VERY SIMPLE . CHLORINE IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE CHEMICAL ON THE PLANET WITH OUT ADDING
OTHER CHEMICALS TO QUOTE" HELP IT"
WHEN YOU ADD A BUNCH OF ADDITIVES YOU MUCK UP THE WATER.
THIS IS WHERE MY POOLS ARE
CHL 7.0--ACID 7.4 -7.6--ALKALINITY 200--STABILIZER 150
I HAVE FOUND THAT SALT IN THE WATER JUST BASIC MORTEN SALT WILL CAUSE A LOT OF POOL PROBLEMS TO CEASE AND GIVE THE SWIMMER #!NO MORE RED EYES. #2 NO MORE DRY SKIN DUE TO HIGH
CHLORINE OR LOW PH. IF YOU ARE USING CAL HYPO STOP IT IS CALCIUM BASED. PHOENIX, ARIZ WATER IS
VERY HIGH IN CALCIUM. TRI-CHLOR IS A VERY BALANCED CHEMICAL AND WHEN YOU HAVE A SALT CONTENT OF EVEN 1500 PPM THERE IS GREAT, EFFECT I DO NOT HAVE SALT GENERATORS ON MY POOLS BUT I HAVE ADDED SALT TO THE WATERS DUE TO TESTING THAT I HAVE DONE THAT REVELS POOL WTH SALT A SALT CONTENT DO BETTER THAN THOSE WITHOUT.
STICK TO THE BASICS STABILIZED TRI-CHLOR TABS, MURIATIC ACID, TRI-CHLOR SHOCK, LIQUID CHLORINE "IF" NO SALT IN THE POOL, STABILIZER 100% -150%, ALKALINITY 200 . WHEN YOU TRY TO KEEP THE WATER TO CHL 3.0-- ACID 7.2--ALKALINTY 125 STABIIZER 90% YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE MINIUMS
POOL OWNERS THINK THAT THEY HAVE WATER IN A CHEMISTRY LAB AND DONOT FACTOR IN THE OUT DOORS AND THE COMPLCATIONS THAT GO WITH THE OUT DOORS.
IN 93 DEGREE SUMMER WATER WE HAVE TO HAVE SUFFICIENT CHLORINE TO KILL BACTERIA 24/7 THE POOL WATER MUST HAVE FUDGE FACTORS BUILT IN TO THE CHEMISTRY EQUATION SO THAT THE FACTORS OF POOL WATER PROBLEMS DONT THROW IT OUT OF SINK.

#1 SALT 1500-2500 PPM WILL ENABLE YOU TO KEEP CHLORINE HIGHER AND NOT HARM SWIMMERS THE SAME IS WITH THE ACID, SALT ALSO METERS THE BURN OF CHLORINE WITH THE ACID
#2 STAY AWAY FROM ALAGICES!! IF YOU HAVE ANY ALGAE PROBLEMS YOU NEED MORE CHLORINE NOT!! ALGACIDES USE TRI -CHLOR I HAVE A SPECIAL TAB FEEDER THAT ALLOWS ME TO GO ONCE A MONTH IN THE SUMMER AND EVERY TWO MONTHS IN THE WINTER.
#3 DONOT USE CALCUM HYPER-CHORID "NO CALCIUM BASED PRODUCTS"
#4 MAKE SUR YOU HAVE CYNERIC ACID(STABILIZER AT 100%-150%
IF YOU ARE TRULEY WANTING A BALANCED POOL CALL ME 602-943-1909 MY MACHINE IS ON 24/7. ALAN
chem geek
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2381
Joined: Thu 21 Jun, 2007 21:27
Location: San Rafael, California

I CAN'T KEEP CHLORINE IN MY POOL!!!!!!!!!!

Postby chem geek » Sun 23 Aug, 2009 18:33

SandraThompson
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon 29 Mar, 2010 21:57
My Pool: We have an Inground swimming pool, it is 3-years old now. It was a gift from my dad.

I CAN'T KEEP CHLORINE IN MY POOL!!!!!!!!!!

Postby SandraThompson » Sun 18 Apr, 2010 23:01

Maybe you are not using the right chlorine for your pool. Sometimes there are chlorine that are not compatible with the water of your pool, that's why it does not help in preventing the algae and other bacteria. You should try researching in other sites, they could have tips in solving your problems.

See if this helps
Chlorine rocks
Pool Inexpert

I CAN'T KEEP CHLORINE IN MY POOL!!!!!!!!!!

Postby Pool Inexpert » Sat 15 May, 2010 13:08

I just installed a pool about a month ago so I'm really not sure how to manage the usual maintenance and am also having trouble with the chlorine levels dropping quicker than I think they should.

Could this have anything to do with the fact that I have an above ground pool as opposed to an in ground pool?

Return to “Chlorine”

Who is online at the Pool Help Forum

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests