Is it possible to add to much bleach?

Hi,

I have an Intex Pool 12 x 30" that holds approx. 1700 gal. We are going away for 4-5 days and have no one to look after things. Is it possible to add to much chlorine at the time of my leaving? I cannot seem to get a timer that will work with this pool so I will have to cover again and hope for the best. Last year we were away for 2 days and I added 1 gal of bleach and when we returned my FC was still a bit high but came down the next day.

Does not having the pump running create a problem when you add that much bleach? I was thinking about adding about 1 1/2 -2 gal.. YIKES!

This site has not steered me wrong yet!
Cheers,
Carrie

1.5 gallons would take your chlorine up to 52 and 2 gallons would take your pool up to 70ppm. YIKES! Not a good plan. What is your CYA level?

Hi Watermom,

Yikes is what I expected you to say:) As of a few days ago my CYA was 50. Hubby says he is just thinking of letting the pump run 24/7...

Just looking through my notes from last year and I was incorrect when I told you I added 1 gal. of bleach. It was in fact 1 litre..

OOPS!

It is definitely possible to add too much bleach when you have a vinyl liner--I would shock it to the 15 ppm that your CYA indicates. The only problem with covering it at shock level is that the fumes may fade your cover--is it possible to leave maybe a corner of the cover off in order to vent it? The other option might be to add some polyquat 60, let it circulate for a bit, then bring your chlorine back up to normal levels again before covering it. The worst thing that will happen is that you'll have some algae when you return, and we can always help you get that cleaned up!

Hi aylad,

Thank you for your comments.. What exactly does the polyquat do? What does clearing up algae entail?

Cheers,
Carrie

the polyquat is the only algaecide we recommend around here, and it's what several of our forum members use to treat their water before closing for the winter. It will help deter algae from forming due to low chlorine levels. If you treat it with polyquat, run it for a few hours, then chlorinate back to your normal chlorine level, then cover the pool, I think your water should be in pretty good shape when you come back.

Clearing up algae entails adding enough bleach to get your chlorine up to 15 ppm and holding it there until the pool clears, running the pump and filter 24/7 until it clears up,cleaning your filter as your pressure indicates. Usually takes a little longer on an intex pool because the filters are often undersized, but with a lot of bleach and patience it's not a huge deal.

When I had my Intex donut, I went to Home Depot and got a simple outdoor timer that hung on the wall and plugged into an outdoor outlet. I never had a problem with it.

Carl