Chlorine Question

Okay, probably a dumb question, but here goes. I know that free chlorine is good stuff that works to kill bacteria, algae, etc. The total chlorine is the chlorine that has already been used for this and is basically dead? How does this disappear from the pool - sunlight? What gives the water a funky smell?

Thanks!

Free chlorine is the good stuff, that is available to kill "stuff" in your water. Combined chlorine is the chlorine that has already been used up, has combined with the bad stuff and formed chloramines, which you smell when you smell chlorine around the pool. This is also what irritates eyes. It's removed by shocking the pool. Total chlorine is the combination of the two.

Janet

There are 3 types of chlorine that you need to know:

Fixed or Free chlorine (FC). This is the stuff that does the killing of bacteria and algae.

Combined Chlorine (CC). This the chlorine in the form of Chloramines that contain all the bad stuff mentioned above coming from body sweat, sunscreen, and other badies that have not been destroyed yet. This is normally where the "funky smell" comes from.

Total Chlorine (TC). This is the sum of the first 2:

TC = FC + CC

The chlorine disappears from the pool via evaporation and ultra-violet rays from the sun. Stabilizer, (CYA) helps to keep the Cl from degrading too fast, and holds it until it is needed. That's why you need to have about 40 - 50 ppm for the chlorine not to be used up too quickly.

Hope this helps.

Pat