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Thread: Novice needs help with the bleachcalc

  1. #1
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    Question Novice needs help with the bleachcalc

    PLEASE HELP!!
    I am very new to having this type of swimming pool for the grandkids!
    We thought it would be nice instead of another one of those little plastic jobs but now neither my husband or myself can figure out how to use the "homemade combination" to keep this pool clean and safe for the kids.
    I have read elsewhere on the web to use a combination of bleach, baking soda and borax but without any type of basic instructions on how or how much. I was excited to find this forum, then locate the "bleachcalc" posted but it has left this "novice" only confused due to the fact I have no idea what I need to supply in all the blanks in order to calculate! How do I know what ppm is needed, etc?? As the ole' saying goes, "this is all greek to me!"
    Please help me figure out what it is I need to do in order to use the bleach calculator. So you know what type and size of the pool I'm working with, it's a vinyl Intex Easy Set Pool, 8' x 30" with filter pump and holds 568 gallons.
    It's been soooo hot and humid here that we desperately need some help as soon as possible so the grandkids can enjoy their new pool! Thanks!!

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Novice needs help with the bleachcalc

    The BleachCalc is set to do multiple types of calculations depending on which variable you supply. Usually you enter figures in some of the white fields and the answers are shown in the grey. For example, if you want to know how much 6% bleach to add to 568 gallons to raise it 3ppm, you enter those three variables and hit calculate to get the answer of 4 ounces.

    Be sure to first go to MoreCalcs>Settings and set it to Imperial to get US gallons.

    As to the desired readings, you need a combination of this post and this one to get a quick explanation.
    Tom Wood
    15K IG Plaster, Sand Filter, Polaris 180

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Novice needs help with the bleachcalc

    Thanks for the quick reply! We have added the bleach and the borax but now we have a very very high Ph when using the test kit. According to everything I have found on the web regarding the Ph balance in order to lower it from these high readings we need to add something else now called muriatic acid. I'm not so sure this type of pool was such a good idea for us but we'll try to figure out what we need to do next.
    Thanks again!

  4. #4
    Poconos is offline SuperMod Emeritus Whizbang Spinner Poconos 4 stars Poconos 4 stars Poconos 4 stars Poconos 4 stars Poconos 4 stars Poconos 4 stars
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    Default Re: Novice needs help with the bleachcalc

    Muriatic acid is Hydrochloric acid and is available at most hardware stores and home improvement places. Be very careful handling this stuff. Wear eye protection and gloves. Always add acid to water and not water to acid otherwise you can get a violent boil. The other key thing in pool care is to go slow and easy...patience. Add a little of something, circulate for a few hours, then test. Do this until you have 'calibrated' your pool and you know from experience and measurements exactly what and how much of something to add for the results you want. It will take some time but you'll get the hang of it. Enjoy your pool.
    Al

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    Default Re: Novice needs help with the bleachcalc

    If you're having any trouble with the calc, post here and I'll be sure to see it.

    Michael

  6. #6
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    Red face Re: Novice needs help with the bleachcalc

    I want to Thank everyone who responded to my problem!
    I'm not so sure I have actually figured out how to use the bleach calculator correctly. I entered the number of gallons of water the pool holds (568) and the strength of the bleach we purchased (5.6) but when it came to entering the bleach amount with gallons in parenthesis I was a bit confused as well as the ppm needed, so we went by the test kit we have and figured ppm at 8. We had a gallon of bleach so that is what I entered in that blank box and it gave me an amount of bleach to add as 1 cup 2 oz. and using the borax calculator it gave me an amount of 1.5 oz. This is what we added to our pool, then tested it and got a very very high reading of chlorine and ph!
    After doing a little research about it on the web, I found the suggestions to now add Muriatic Acid to bring the ph down and stablize the pool. Of course my husband is going to purchase the acid, but we have no idea how to use it or how much is needed. Sorry I am such a "novice" in this area, we have never owned a pool of this type for our grandkids before! I'm starting to think maybe we should have just stayed with the "old hard plastic types" we used to get EVERY summer!!

  7. #7
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    aylad is offline SuperMod Emeritus Burfle Ringer aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars
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    Default Re: Novice needs help with the bleachcalc

    You need to keep your Cl level at about 3 ppm, so when you use the bleach calc,put in your pool gallons, the strength of bleach you have, and put 1 in the ppm increase blank, and hit calculate--it will give you the amount of bleach you need to raise your Cl by 1. Test your water and find out what's already in the pool,then figure out and add the difference to get it back up to 3.

    WalMart sells a form of dry acid called pH Down that will also work to lower your pH if you don't want to deal with the muriatic acid. Muriatic is a little cheaper and works better, but the fumes are pretty nasty, so be careful with it if that's what you choose. Don't give up on the pool, you can do this!

    Janet

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