20k gal pool in Sol Cal. .....needs to be drained.

[PoolDoc]

Order the R0013 pint refill -- you can find it on the testkit page: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php/14994

Do you have tabs now? What do you have on hand? (It's best to figure out how to use up what you've got -- it's generally illegal, and can be dangerous, to throw it away.)

How would you prefer to be chlorinating, a month from now?

If you have NO tabs or dichlor on hand, want to use bleach, and have access to a Sams Club, I'd recommend getting a 50# bucket of PoolBrand dichlor. By the time you've used 1/2 of it, you'll have plenty of stabilizer in the water, and your bleach will 'hold'.

Or, if you want to use tabs, get the PoolBrand 24# pack of dichlor shock + a bucket of tabs.

Regardless, it's often cheaper to use dichlor while needing stabilizer, since each pound of dichlor adds about 1/2 pound of BOTH chlorine and stabilizer -- 2 chemicals for the price of one! Obviously, this ceases to be a benefit once you have enough stabilizer.

[pmaru77]

I have

+ 3/4 container of 3" Pool Time tabs (25lb size) called stabilizing chlorinator (HD)

+ 1 1/2 gallons of liquid chlorine (HD)

+ 1 1/2 gallons of Muratic acid liquid (HD)

[Anthonye]

1/2 gallon of 8% in a 20k pool would only yield with 2 ppm. How is that enough when the FC will surely drop to 0 during the day, especially with no car.

Given your test results, draining and replacing would certainly be the easiest fix. Your fill water appears to be idea, or will be once you drop your pH a bit.

Remember, you'll have no stabilizer at first. If you use tabs to chlorinate, they will (1) add chlorine, (2) add stabilizer, & (3) lower the pH. Since you need all three actions, that would certainly make it easy. But, until you get some stabilizer in the water, the sun will strip chlorine very rapidly. Adding 1/2 gallon of 8% household bleach each EVENING will boost the chlorine enough overnight to 'keep' your pool in good condition.

Be sure to read the 'Best Guess' Cl/CYA relationship page, so you understand the trajectory your Cl levels will need to follow as your CYA rises.

Good luck!

[pmaru77]

I'm draining the pool as we speak. and need to know how to deal with the stabilizer, and how much. I'd like to use up the pucks, can I load the puck carrier with pucks and liquid chlorinate? or shoud I get stabilizer, and what kind and how much?

[PoolDoc]

1/2 gallon of 8% in a 20k pool would only yield with 2 ppm. How is that enough when the FC will surely drop to 0 during the day, especially with no car.

2 ppm is quite a lot, in fresh unstabilized water. Adding it in the evening allows it to clean the water thoroughly, before it's lost to sunlight the next day.

I'd like to use up the pucks, can I load the puck carrier with pucks and liquid chlorinate? or should I get stabilizer, and what kind and how much?

By all means, go ahead and use up the pucks you have. Continue using bleach each evening, until your chlorine lasts through the day.

But before you go buy new stuff, list everything you have, so we can figure out how to use up as much as possible, without messing up your pool. Be careful: it's not safe, and usually not legal, to put chlorine or some other pool chemicals in the trash!

When you list chems, include maker, product name, and % chemicals listed.

[BigDave]

Don't put liquid chlorine in with the pucks.

16lbs of pure trichlor in 20,000 gallons should give you about 50 ppm CYA after using it all up. When you say puck carrier do you mean a chlorinator that's plumbed in or a floater?

As PoolDoc said, starting up with the trichlor should work pretty well for you especially in a feeder. If it takes a day to fill, add bleach (or liquid chlorine) and mix it with a brush so it doesn't go green while filling.

- Sorry PD, I think I was posting at the same time as you - Dave -

[pmaru77]

Don't put liquid chlorine in with the pucks.

16lbs of pure trichlor in 20,000 gallons should give you about 50 ppm CYA after using it all up. When you say puck carrier do you mean a chlorinator that's plumbed in or a floater?

Floater.

==================================

In stock:

3" Tablets of stabilized chlorinator made by Pool Time, active ingredients- trichloro-s-triz....... 99%, avail chlorine 90%. I have 3/4 of 25 lbs. (HomeDepot)
Muratic acid from Kemtek HCl 14.5%, 1 1/2 gal (HomeDepot)
Liquid chlorine from Kemtek, 10%, 1 gal (Home Depot)

Where can I get trichlor (brand?) this weekend, and what would be the method of using it?

[PoolDoc]

BigDave was correct to caution that trichlor and bleach should NEVER come into direct contact with each other; bad things happen if they do!!

+ If you've got 15+ pounds of trichlor on hand, why do you need more right now? Use them in the floater if you have one.
+ Use the bleach you have same as 8% store bleach -- actually because the store bleach is probably fresher, it may be stronger, so use up the Kem-Tek first.
+ You probably won't need the acid for now. Be careful how you store it; tiny leaks can release enough fumes (hydrogen chloride gas) to cause SERIOUS corrosion to wiring, tools and equipment if you store the acid in a garage or other enclosure. Bagging in a garbage bag is always good. BUT . . . the 1/2 strength acid you have fumes MUCH less than full strength (31%) acid.

As far as future purchase, you probably need some borax to keep your pH up, while using the tabs: Walmart is good. Given your test results on the tap water, you really don't need to use washing soda (soda ash, pH Up) or baking soda (bicarb, Alk Up) since both increase your carbonate alkalinity.

I haven't seen undiluted Pool Time trichlor in several years, but if it's available to you, that's fine. The best prices I know of, for most of the country, are the Pool Brand dichlor (50#) or trichlor (40#) sold by Sams Club in many areas. The last time I checked, Costco was selling only diluted products, that should be avoided.

[pmaru77]

"Don't put liquid chlorine in with the pucks"

I have a floater, so if the pucks go anywhere, it's in the floater.
If I put liq. chlorine in the pool. I pour it in at the deepest part of the pool slowly with the pool pump on for at least an hour, same with muratic acid.

I guess I don't understand how you could put liq. chlorine in with the pucks? Is this with an in line puck holder?

[PoolDoc]

I guess I don't understand how you could put liq. chlorine in with the pucks? Is this with an in line puck holder?

The most common way, that causes problems, is when pool owners have chlorine tabs in the skimmer basket, and pour bleach or add cal hypo through that same basket.

Some years back, a PoolForum user reported doing this. He turned his back and started to walk away, only to here a KAPOW! When he turned back, his neighbor was pointing up in the air. When he looked up, he saw a small white skimmer lid that was beginning to fall back! Or at least, that's how I recall it. I believe that post may have been before 2006, so it would have been lost in the forum crash I had.