Adding chlorine, how much is safe

[Jeffski]

I am fighting cloudy water by adding chlorine and stabilizer based on the advice from this board, but how high can the chlorine level be before my kids need to stay out?

[mbar]

It depends on yuor cya level

[Jeffski]

Currently CYA=60, chlorine over 5. Have not added anything to water yet today.

[mbar]

With a cya of 60 you need to get your chorine up to 20ppms to reach shock level. I wouldn't swim in the water if there is combined chlorine, that means something is in the water that needs to be killed. You will need to get the chlorine up to 20ppms and hold it there until the chlorine holds overnight. Once your have no combined chlorine, it is ok to swim in the pool even with the chlorine at 20ppms. Read through this thread, especially chem geeks answer:

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthr...3230#post33230

[Jeffski]

What should CYA be at? My 5-way test kit only shows chlorine levels up to 5.0 so there is no way I am going to tell if I'm at 20ppm or not. Plus determining FC versus CC is not going to happen with this Walmart kit.

I am so confused at this point I think I am giving up and calling my pool builder to balance this water like he was supposed to right from the start.

I'm sorry, but I've read everything on both websites and there doesn't seem to be a solid answer other than just trial and error suggestions.

[waterbear]

What you really need is a good test kit such as Ben's ps234 or a taylor k-2006. That would solve your problem of testing your chlorine levels. As a general rule of thumb if the FC is below 10 ppm you can swim. (it is actually safe to swim in much higher levels if the CYA is high. With your cya of 60 ppm normal chlorination is in the range of 5-10 ppm and shock is 20 ppm or higher so I would think that anything below 15 would be a good rule of thumb.

for a way to test higher chlorine levels with your kit do a search on the forum for "shot glass method"

BTW, most PBs don't have a clue about water chemisty and water balance. I work in a pool store and have seen the results of PBs balancing water for customers! (and giving them info on water chemistry and care!)

[Jeffski]

Okay, I've calmed down a bit since the last post and have re-tested the water. PH and ALK are fine, CYA at 50-60, FC at or just above 5.0 (test doesn't read higher). As far as I can tell there is no CC in the pool, but the test is so inaccurate I really have no idea.

I am running SWG at 80% to generate more chlorine and plan on pouring more into the pool I guess to treat cloudyness. Pump running nonstop for almost two days now. Salt level still reading just below 2900 but builder doesn't want to add more salt yet for fear of adding too much. After 3 days since the last salt was added I doubt it's going to jump up any more. Not sure what else I can do at this point.

I guess I have to get a better test kit.

[waterbear]

IF this is a new plaster pool your cloudiness might be due to calcium in the plaster. Not an unusual occurance with new plaster.

[Jeffski]

Liner pool.