chlorine levels

[mrs.rainbow]

Hi, when starting my pool this year, I have shocked and added gallons of liquid chlorine and it still registers at 0 or 1. Is there something else I should be looking at? Calcium, Ph and alkalinity are ok, Im not sure what else to do. I added 8 gallons today at 1 time - (chlorox) and will test again tomorrow. Any ideas?

[aylad]

There are two primary reasons for chlorine loss--1)junk in the water it's trying to fight, and 2) the sun. Do you have any stabilizer in the pool? What does your water look like? What are your other levels, and how are you doing your testing? (strips, drop-based kit, pool store?)

[Watermom]

Mrs. Rainbow,
I am deleting your other thread since it basically says the same thing. It gets very confusing when people are trying to help on two different threads for the same pool. Let's keep it all here in this one.

The only other thing that your other thread mentioned was that you added stabilizer also. How much did you add and how did you add it?

[mrs.rainbow]

Hi Watermom,
Thanks for answering the questions on chlorine. I added 7 pounds of stabilizer which I bought at a pool store. I have never added stabilizer before, and am not really sure what it contains. it was alittle pricey at 35.00 for 7 lb bag, is that average? After adding the stabilizer, and 8 gallons of 6% chlorine, my numbers with my Taylor test kit were:
FC : 16
CC:1.0
Alkalinity:200
PH: 7.8
Calcium: 200
After cleaning today and not backwashing because of the stabilizer, tonight my numbers were:
FC: 10.5
CC:.5
PH 7.6
Alkalinity 200
calcium 200
So based on tonights results , I added 1.5 gallons 6% chlorox.
I'm remembering the FC should be between 10 and 12 is that right? How do I know if I need to add more stabilizer, or is this a one time deal? Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.

[Watermom]

Adding 7lbs. should put your CYA reading at about 45ppm which would be a good level. Then, you shouldn't need to add any more this year. Sometimes it degrades over winter and you have to add more the following year, sometimes not. You'll just have to wait and see. I will tell you this --- when it does degrade into ammonia over the winter, it often causes a HUGE chlorine demand upon opening. As in gallons and gallons and gallons and gallons of bleach before the chlorine level will hold. We have MANY threads on this forum where people are currently in the midst of clearing up this huge chlorine demand. There is no definitive way to keep this from happening, but the later you can close and the earlier you can open gives you the best chance of not having this happen.

You are right that for now, you want to keep your chlorine at 10-12. Continue to do so until you can go from sundown one evening until within 2 hours of sunrise the next day without losing more than 1ppm of chlorine and your CC reading is no more than 0.5. Then, you can let the chlorine drift down and keep it between 3-6ppm.

By the way, have you read the lowering alk page linked in my sig below and also the one about using muriatic acid? If not, please do so.

[mrs.rainbow]

Thanks for your help! i do appreciate you!

[Watermom]

You are welcome!