Need help with starting chlorine after drain/refill

[aylad]

Congratulations on having finally gotten the pool under control--now enjoy it!! And we wouldn't be closing out this thread...but you're welcome to ask any questions you come up with, just start new threads with them!!

Happy swimming...

[aciam]

Hi Ben - so all has been well with our pool these last few weeks. I went ahead and added a total of 8 boxes of borax with muriatic acid to neutralize per your instructions last week over several days so that I have a semipermanent algistat in the water. ( in preparation for going away) I now have a few questions:

1. my cya is now up to 60-70; a while ago you told me to switch to liquid bleach from the trichlor tabs I have been using once I hit a cya of 60. But, because of my pool's tenuous history, you had also told me at one point not to use liquid bleach.
-So, I was just wondering what I should do at this point.
-And, if I use the liquid do I add it through skimmer?
-And I think you once said that the cya would decrease by backwashing my sand filter - is that right? and so should I do it and continue with the trichlor tabs since they have worked so well.

2. we are planning to go away sunday through thursday - I have someone who can come a couple times to test and put bleach into the pool while we are away. Do I have to do anything to prep the pool to leave it now that it has been up and running almost a month and the borax is in. would your advice be different if friends will swim in it while we are away?

Thank you! aciam

[PoolDoc]

+ When you lose water by backwashing, you replace it with water that has not stabilzer. So, over time, you reduce stabilizer. Chem_Geek has also reported that you may lose as much as 5% per month, via various mechanisms.
+ Add the bleach to the pool. You could add through the skimmer, but you've got to make sure there's nothing in the lines, so it's just easier to add to the pool. Just make sure your pump is running, either way.
+ It's fine to use bleach now, but while you're gone it might be easier for someone just to maintain 2 - 3 tabs in your skimmer. That's what I'd lean toward.

[aciam]

Hi Ben!

Well we have had a great summer swimming in our drained and freshly filled newly chlorinated pool and I have used only borax, baking soda, and bleach to maintain it! Here in Mass the nights are getting cold so our above ground, non heated pool has come to its last weekend of use. We are preparing to close it for the winter and I need a cheat sheet version of how to do it with chlorine based pools.

As a reminder, our pool is approximately 10 thousand gallons, oval above ground pool. ( and remember we have used baquacil for the last 10 years prior to this summer's conversion/drain and refill so I am unsure if the closing procedure is different with chlorine). We always use a pillow in the middle of the pool and put a cover on. I usually just drain it to below the skimmer basket and plug up the inlet opening to minimize having to add water next season. And we always take in the motor and cover the filter.

I most importantly need to know about the chemicals to put in and the timing for them in order to winterize the pool. And if you have any other suggestions about my above described plan feel free to let me know!

Thank you again for all of your help - we would never have gotten through the conversion without you! aciam

[Watermom]

There is a sticky at the top of the Fall Preparation forum that may be helpful to you.

[aciam]

Thanks watermom - so I read the sticky and we were about the close the pool this morning but I have run into a problem that I need help with.

Yesterday morning I tested the pool - my FC was 14 ( I was raising it before closing to kill anything in it), my CC 0, my pH 7.3, alk 60, CYA btw 70-80.

We added about 2 lbs of baking soda to increase the alk before adjusting the pH yesterday morning and vacuumed multiple times.

yesterday afternoon I added 28 oz ( less than the quart that Carl recommends in the sticky) of polyquat and put the filter on whirlpool which seems to be my equivalent of recirculate.

I tested just now before starting to drain and stop filter : FC was down to 7.5 but I am OK with this since for my CYA I should have btw 5-10 FC and we will be putting on a solid cover here in Massachusetts. I expected some decrease due to the addition of polyquat - as was mentioned in the sticky as well.

My alk was now up to 70-80 BUT my pH was through the roof - above 8 - so purple I dont know what to call it on the taylor reagent test kit I have - the one you all recommend.

Why has this happened? I can't understand it unless the polyquat did it or the whirlpool did it or something else bad is going on in the pool. I did add more than double the dose of polyquat. do I need to drop it with muriatic acid before covering the pool or can I just cover and deal with it in the spring?

Thanks. acaim

[aylad]

I don't know what effect, if any, the polyquat would have on your pH, but the whirlpool should have caused a great deal of aereation, which will raise your pH. I would drop it down to 7.6 or so, and then proceed with your closing.