Walmart chlorine vs Chlorinator

[superburg]

I have read lots of different things on how to use walmart generic 6% liquid chlorine but am afraid to use it yet. We have an automated chlorinator that we fill with the trichlor tabs but the ph is low and alkalinity is low and chlorine is zero even though I keep putting chemicals in. The pool is a vinyl lined 20x40 inground. I just ordered a k-2006 but it has not yet arrived.

The store was sold out of borax so just put in 5lbs of alkalinity up the real stuff. Is it ok to use the liquid chlorine with the automatic chlorinator and why is chlorine not holding? is it because the other chemicals are off? alkalinity is at 60ppm and not sure exact ph reading.
How much liquid chlorine do I use and do I spread it over the deep end or in skimmer in this case?

thanks a lot

[PoolDoc]

Is it ok to use the liquid chlorine with the automatic chlorinator?
You can use bleach (aka 'liquid chlorine') with an automatic chlorinator --but don't pour it through the skimmer.


why is chlorine not holding? is it because the other chemicals are off?
Probably.



How much liquid chlorine do I use and do I spread it over the deep end or in skimmer in this case?

A 20x40 vinyl is usually around 30,000 gallons, with a PF of 4. Since 6% bleach is equivalent to 1/2 lb of 100% chlorine gas, 1 gallon will add about 2 ppm of chlorine to your pool (4 x 0.5). So, while you are having problems, adding 3 gallons (6 ppm) of bleach to your pool each evening will probably keep you out of trouble. Just pour it in to the deep end, when the pump is running.

Meanwhile, read the test kit info page (link in my sig) and get EITHER an HTH 6-way drops kit (no strips!) if your Walmart happens to have it, or a cheap OTO (yellow drops) kit. Then tell us what your pH and chlorine level are. If you get the 6-way, tell us what your CYA level is.

[Watermom]

FYI -- Those tabs are trichlor and they are very acidic and drive pH down.

Welcome to the Pool Forum!

[superburg]

I took it the store for testing. Cya is 75 ch was .5 ph 7 alkalinity 80 we had high phosphate How should we fix.? Thanks

[aylad]

Don't worry about the phosphate level, it's not important at this point. Re-read the advice that Pooldoc posted above, and follow those steps, then we can help you go from there.

[superburg]

one more question before starting to dump chlorine tonight. what about the Ph level, should I do anything to increase that first? or do I need to wait? I have baking soda tabs I found at walmart that go into a floater that I have in the pool to help the alkalinity stay where it needs to be.
Thanks again

[sunlove]

Probably should wait until you get a test kit to mess around with anything other than adding bleach...borax is what is advised here to raise ph.

[Watermom]

Please fill in your information in the following chart. It makes it much easier to help. Also, if you will make a signature with your pool specs in it, please. (See link in my signature below.)

It's much easier to answer your questions, when we know something about your pool. We often 'waste' the first few posts back and forth collecting information. So, please complete our new Pool Chart form -- it takes about 30 seconds, but will save much more than that.
Pool Chart Entry Form (http://goo.gl/cNPUO)
Pool Chart Results (http://goo.gl/PXaLu)

By the way, unless there is some product out there that I have never heard of, those tabs you saw were probably not baking soda but more likely a stabilized form of chlorine called Trichlor which add chlorine and CYA (stabilizer) at the same time.

[superburg]

here is the link to the arm and hammer tabs, definitly is baking soda - http://www.armandhammer.com/deodorization/baking-soda/Products/arm-and-hammer-clear-balance-pool-maintenance-tablets.aspx

I did the pool chart entry form and will complete the results this afternoon when i get home. I am already at work, it is too dark when I leave in the morning to test. I asked my husband to test before he leaves this morning if he has time to do it I will record them. I will put in the readings from yesterday morning for now. i did dump 3 gallons last night as advised.

[superburg]

okay this morning using aquacheck chlorine is about a 1, ph about 7 and alkalinity same at about 80. Should I add borax? and if so before or after the liquid bleach tonight? thanks again

[PoolDoc]

You can add some borax and add bleach at the same time.

[Watermom]

Interesting about the Arm and Hammer tablets. I had never seen them before. Thanks for sharing that info.

[superburg]

put in Borax and 3 gallons of bleach last night, there was a lot of rain here but this morning chlorine is high at 5 ( yeah finally held) ph increased only a little to around 7.2 and alkalinity stayed at 80. should I put more borax in tonight and if chlorine holds tonight will leave alone for now

thanks

[superburg]

okay got my new test kit the k-2006 here are my readings I think (not good at science) I need to add 4lbs of Borax and some chlorine just not sure how much maybe 3 gallons again
FC=1.4
CC=1.0
PH-7
Alkalinity =100
Calcium Hardness - 230
CYA = 60

[aylad]

With a CYA of 60, you need to keep your chlorine in the 5-10 ppm range all the time, otherwise you're going to end up with a green pool. With your chlorine being low, and your CC already at 1.0, I would go ahead and shock the pool, which is going to mean raising your chlorine to 20 ppm to get rid of whatever's trying to grow in there. As Pooldoc pointed out, each gallon of bleach will raise your chlorine by 2 ppm, so you need to add more like 10 gallons in order to achieve shock level for your CYA.

How does your water look?

[superburg]

If the Chlorine is in the 5-10 or 20 range is it safe to swim? Water is clear as day it looks great. I tested tonight before I put anything in and FC was 3.2 so it is holding the chlorine better already but CC is still 1.0 Ph was around 7.3 it was between the 7.2 and 7.4. I put 4lbs of borax and 1 gallon of chlorine because I wanted to wait to see about the swimmability before I went and dumped all that chlorine in. Thanks everyone

[PoolDoc]

If the Chlorine is in the 5-10 or 20 range is it safe to swim?

Perfectly safe. And, with a CYA of 60, it's not even likely to fade your swimsuit (@ FC=20)