How often to test & how much chlorine to add daily? Also, vacation upcoming...

[blessedbeingmom]

Our pool is around 5000 gallons, above-ground, vinyl with metal frame. Last night @ 9:30 we used our K-2006 test kit and found a chlorine level of 2 ppm. We went swimming for about an hour. After we got out of the pool, we used the pool calculator to determine how much 6% bleach to add to get to 10 ppm (about 2.4 Liters), and then went to bed. This morning at around 7 a.m. we tested the chlorine level and found it to be 7 ppm. We haven't yet been swimming today. At 8 p.m. tonight we tested again and got 2 ppm. Combined chlorine is usually 0 to 0.5 ppm.

When we tested our stabilizer a few days ago (8th), it was about 42. How do we know how much chlorine to add each night before going to bed? To what level should we aim? And, how often should we be testing the various chemicals? Our pH runs a bit high, but we don't think it's high enough to worry about.

Also, we are getting ready to leave in six days for vacation. We will be gone for a week, and don't really have anyone to come by & test or add bleach daily. However, we may have someone be able to come by once in the middle of the week and add some bleach.
How should we handle our time away? Should we buy some "pucks" to use while we are away? Should we super-shock our pool before we leave?

And, should we cover our pool? We did buy a timer, so we can set it to run part-time while we are away. It's about an 800-1000 gph cartridge filter. How many hours a day should we be running this pump, and if we aren't swimming (if we are away) should this length of time change? We hope to have some friends over for a swim a few days after we return, so we don't want to allow the algae to return like it did when we were away for four days last month.

Thanks for any advice!

[Watermom]

With a stabilizer reading of 42, you need to keep your cl level between 3-6ppm all the time and when you need shock, it will be 15ppm for this pool. So, each evening when you test, add however much bleach you need to take your cl back up to 6ppm. In a 5000 gallon pool, each quart of 6% bleach will raise the cl by about 3ppm.

When you go out of town, I would shock the pool ahead of time and then cover the pool, but maybe leave a corner open so it can vent after is has been shocked. Maybe leave the timer set to come on a couple of times each day and run for about 2 or 3 hours each time just to keep some circulation. If you friend can come mid-week and add another gallon of bleach that would be great. You can also add a dose of Polyquat 60% algaecide for some added insurance if you want. Make sure your pH isn't too low. Don't want it to drop below 7.0 before you return. (If your pool does get a little green, it will easily be cleaned up with some bleach, so don't worry too much.)

Hope this helps and have fun!
(Regarding pump time when you are using the pool --- I usually run mine for 8-10 hours per day.)

[blessedbeingmom]

Thanks!

I'm confused though because we added enough to get to 10 ppm (per the pool calculator) and it was only 7 this morning. Then it dropped all the way to 2 by this evening. It was a very hot and sunny day here in South MS. (Our swimming water temperature this evening was 90 degrees!)

Also, this might seem like a dumb question, but after we test, what is the best way to dispose of the tested water (with the added drops, etc)? We have a septic tank.

I appreciate all the advice!

ETA could it be that it needs to be shocked? We got a pool light and there are a lot of tiny dots floating in the water, that you can only see by the pool light (sort of suspended in the water). Matt has been changing out our filter every other day or so (rinsing the old one well & letting it dry, and swapping them out).

[Watermom]

During the day on a hot sunny day and especially with water that is that warm, you are gonna lose chlorine. That is normal. But, if you are losing 3ppm overnight, I'd shock the pool.

As far as tiny stuff that you can only see in front of the pool light, that is pretty much true of most people's pools I would suspect. Most likely just dust in the water.

When I test, (I test outside) I just pour the test water on the ground, fill the tester a couple of times with pool water to rinse it and pour that on the ground, too.

[blessedbeingmom]

I forgot that Matt wanted me to ask how long after we add the bleach can we check the levels to see if they were brought up to where we wanted them?

Also, how often do you test the various things?

[AnnaK]

How soon you can check the chems after an addition depends on how well your pump circulates the water. I usually wait a couple of hours before testing again.

As to how often to test, I check pH and FC/CC every day, TA once a week, CYA once a month after I have it where I want it to be. Because our pool has a lot of splashout from the dogs we refill almost daily and have considerable dilution of CYA and have to adjust it more frequently.