On maintaining FC...

[docsobeck]

would it be fair to say that adding a solar cover to the mix significantly decreases chlorine breakdown due to sunlight? any numbers on how significantly?

[CarlD]

would it be fair to say that adding a solar cover to the mix significantly decreases chlorine breakdown due to sunlight? any numbers on how significantly?

Yes and no. Yes. The cover blocks UV and prevents evaporation loss of chlorine. No. I don't have metrics.

[court475]

OH! I did not realize this! Off to add more CYA! LOL!

[chem geek]

would it be fair to say that adding a solar cover to the mix significantly decreases chlorine breakdown due to sunlight? any numbers on how significantly?

I can tell you that an opaque pool cover certainly eliminates the breakdown of chlorine from the UV in sunlight. My own pool is a case for that since it has only 30 ppm FC and with around 3 ppm FC average it loses around 0.8 ppm FC per day being open around 1-2 hours each day, though in practice even having the pool closed still has a loss of around 0.7 ppm FC or so per day. My daily loss appears to be mostly regular chlorine oxidation of stuff in the pool (including a slow oxidation of CYA by chlorine).

I don't know how much the "clear blue" solar covers block UV. If they did, but let visible and infrared light through, then that would be ideal as it would heat the pool without a loss of chlorine from sunlight.

Richard