BBB method and vacation???

[BeenPoolStored]

What do you do if you're gone on a week's vacation and have no one to add bleach daily?

[Watermom]

Can you get some one to come every other day or every third day?

[BeenPoolStored]

Possibly. What do you suggest? If they are not available, what would my best strategy be?

[AnnaK]

Vacation time is when we use our chlorine feeder with trichlor pucks. I normally run the CYA at 40 ppm during the summer to give myself the very leeway I need for using the pucks during vacations. Our pump is on a timer and operates at night. We shock the pool with bleach and put the solar cover on before we leave.

If you don't have an automatic feeder you can put trichlor in floaters and attach them to the pool in such a way that they'll stay in the middle of the pool. They'll slowly dissolve. It's better to have the pump on to circulate the water but if you don't have a timer you might not want it running 24/7 during your absence.

We have nobody nearby whom we know well enough to ask for help with pool sitting. This method has worked well enough for us. And if you do return to a green pool, it's not the end of the world. You know how to clean it up using bleach and diligence.

Have a great vacation!

[BeenPoolStored]

Thank you, Anna! We do have an automatic chlorinator. Do you have any suggestions for how many pucks to put in the chlorinator and how high to run it on a scale of 1-10?

[CarlD]

Consider boosting your pH as well. I came back after two weeks to a clear pool but my pH was at 6.8 and my CYA went from 30 to the 60's. I had four floaters open full wide! It took 4 boxes of Borax to get the pH normal.

What I do is put out one jug of bleach for every other day. (I actually use LC, but I fill the jugs half with tap water first. I leave instructions that one jug is to be poured in the skimmer every other day. If we leave on a Saturday, I have my FIL do it starting Monday. It's basically 6 or 7 times. If you have a neighboring kid, he might want to make an easy $10 every other day just dumping the bleach in for you.

You could also put in a whole quart of Polyquat in advance. After 48 hours, you'll need to boost your pool's FC again. Then boost it shock level, and, if you have a cover, cover it, and use your chlorinator. But be ready to shock it ASAP when you get home.

[AnnaK]

Thank you, Anna! We do have an automatic chlorinator. Do you have any suggestions for how many pucks to put in the chlorinator and how high to run it on a scale of 1-10?



My own chlorinator's settings come in 1/8 increments. I fill it with pucks (it takes 7) and adjust the setting to 1/4. I do this because I've learned from past experience and usage of the chlorinator that the 1/4 setting keeps the free chlorine steady from one day to the next when nobody uses the pool.

It doesn't matter how many pucks you put in. They'll dissolve until the saturation point is reached inside the chlorinator which then dispenses the chlorine solution into your pool.


My setup is this:
7 trichlor pucks
chlorinator at 1/4
pump run time 7 hours out of 24

Those 7 pucks last for at least 2 months. When I'm not using the auto-feeder I just shut it off. I don't remove the pucks.

Carl makes a good point: pucks will lower your pH (and, of course, increase your CYA some). I've not worried about that in the past because our absences were relatively short, 14 days and fewer, and because I've monitored the water while using trichlor in the past I know that the pH drop isn't serious enough to require pre-planning—in my pool.

According to info learned from Richard (Chem Geek): "For every 10 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) added by Trichlor, it also increases Cyanuric Acid (CYA) by 6 ppm." I can live with those 6ppm CYA because I intentionally keep mine on the low side in anticipation of a late summer vacation.

[peekaboo]

you guys are just brilliant!









Celtics in 7

[waterbear]

I have gone away for two week and just shut everything off during the heat of summer (July). When I returned the pool was only slightly cloudy (but no chlorine left) which was fixed by a shock with bleach.

My secret?:confused: I have 50 ppm borates in my pool!;)

I intend to do the same this year in 3 weeks. Will post what the pool looks like when I get back. I suspect it will be the same as in the past, only a bit cloudy and no visible green! I already have the gallon of bleach in the garage in anticipation of my return.:cool:

[chem geek]

I've found similar results after adding 50 ppm Borates. My pool is very high in phosphates (3000 ppb) and probably nitrates as well and is very reactive so if the chlorine gets too low it doesn't take long for algae to grow. However, since the Borates are in the pool it seems far less reactive. It doesn't completely stop such algae growth, but seems to slow it down significantly.

Though not cheap upon first addition, it's better than something like copper ions that can stain. Thank you Evan for getting us onto the Borates bandwagon. It's not necessary since one can prevent algae using chlorine alone, but is very nice insurance to have.

Richard

[sturev]

Evan, do you have a post about the Borates? I'd love to learn what you guys are doing... :)

[Watermom]

I think this is the thread.

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=4712

[sturev]

Thanks Watermom! :)

[polyvue]

I have gone away for two week and just shut everything off during the heat of summer (July). When I returned the pool was only slightly cloudy (but no chlorine left) which was fixed by a shock with bleach.

My secret?:confused: I have 50 ppm borates in my pool!;)
Besides the borates I wonder if algae growth is constrained by other factors that relate to the pool's environment.

Your avatar betrays the use of a bird cage (enclosure) that are so ubiquitous in Florida. That would be one variable and must reduce UV exposure. Other possible factors: cloudy weather and summer rain (there's almost none in the southwest and large portions of California during July and August); humidity; day/night air temperature swings; cover usage; etc.

[waterbear]

Besides the borates I wonder if algae growth is constrained by other factors that relate to the pool's environment.

Your avatar betrays the use of a bird cage (enclosure) that are so ubiquitous in Florida. That would be one variable and must reduce UV exposure. Other possible factors: cloudy weather and summer rain (there's almost none in the southwest and large portions of California during July and August); humidity; day/night air temperature swings; cover usage; etc.
Nope, pools turn green here in a day, birdcage or not! Summer rains tend to bring on algae blooms also (probably by diluting the chlorine). I would have more customers coming in right before a rain to get some chlorine to shock as 'insurance' and even more come in a day after a heavy rain to get help with clearing their now cloudy and/or green pool.
Proper cover usage should not affect algae blooms since the covers should be on at night and off during the day but that is really a winter thing here and not a summer thing.

FWIW, borates ARE an effective algaestat (and pH buffer).

[CarlD]

Excuse me if I asked this before but early-onset Oldtimer's Disease is setting in!:rolleyes:

How compatible is a high borate level with higher levels of PolyQuat? I like to give a solid dose of PQ early on in the season then add weekly doses. It doesn't kill algae but if my FC drops it gives me breathing room to boost it without fighting a bloom.

For those who are unaware, raising borates means adding LOTS of Borax and LOTS of muriatic acid to keep the Borox from sending pH through the roof.

Adding a quart of PolyQuat will make your FC appear to disappear after 48 hours so you need to boost THAT as well.

[chem geek]

I believe that the borates (which is mostly boric acid in water) and PolyQuat are compatible and do not interfere with each other. Both will inhibit, though not completely stop, algae growth. As you noted, chlorine will oxidize PolyQuat breaking it apart into smaller pieces so that creates a chlorine demand, but the smaller pieces are still effective at inhibiting algae (though they no longer act as much as a clarifier when broken up). Eventually, even the smaller pieces get oxidized, but that takes longer and is one reason why you need to add more PolyQuat weekly (in warmer water; in cooler water everything slows down).

[waterbear]

IMHO, the borates make the polyquat unnecessary. Your choice--expensive polyquat weekly or relatively cheap borax and acid once a year (and $10 for a tube of borate test strips!)
Borates do not have an effect on FC, make the water sparkle (not joking about this), help stabilize pH, reduce chlorine usage in many cases, and will lead to world peace!

Only time I ever break out the polyquat anymore is when I am doing AA for stains (and have not had to do that in a few years since I started keeping my CH higher in my fiberglass pool.)


BTW, I have to share a good laugh I just had (a bit off topic). I was browsing another forum and saw someone who is held out to be an 'expert' trying to explain where cobalt spots come from in a fiberglass pool. He was so far off the money it was sad. If he had just googled it he would have had correct info. Sad, no?

[Watermom]

BTW --- In case you are wondering where the computer class memories discussion went :confused::confused: --I moved it to the Off Topic and General Topic section of the forum so you guys can continue having fun walking down memory lane and chatting about that. We'll leave this thread to talk about BBB method and vacations.

Thanks!

[CarlD]

I should give a programmed response.....:cool:

[BeenPoolStored]

Back from vacation. Before we left, I brought the water up to shock level, then added 7 pucks, set the chlorinator on 2-1/2 and put the cover on. Came home this evening and the water is clear. No algae! The pH was a little low (7.0). I added Borax to bring it up. I'll test again in the morning.

[AnnaK]

Great job!

Hope you had a good time and didn't worry too much about the pool. Since it's clean you can extend your vacation and go swim!