Jump to content

How Does The "pool Guy" Maintain Chlorine Weekly?


Recommended Posts

I have been reading a ton about chlorine usage and the changes that occur with different types.

On residential pools, like mine, our pool service comes once a week and they seem to be able to keep everything balanced just visiting 1 day a week. They do provide a report showing the readings ae good and the pool seems to be fine. I have a Taylor test kit so I can spot check and the readings are also always good.

In reading I understand that tabs will raise CYA to unmanageable levels over time and the alternative is liquid chlorine which has to be added to the pool more often.

We are in Florida so the pool season is year round.

How is my pool guy able to keep the pool balanced on a once a week visit without FC depleting and CYA levels getting out of control?

I guess the real question is how can I do the same thing once a week and stop paying him?

Thanks in advance!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are probably using Trichlor tabs and the CYA is indeed increasing. If your daily chlorine usage is 2 ppm FC per day, then that increases CYA by 36 ppm per month. You might have water dilution from summer rain overflow and from backwashing a sand filter, but the CYA will still likely go up. To prevent algae growth as the CYA level climbs, they may be adding an algaecide or using a phosphate remover. Have you noticed the CYA level rising month-to-month. Since you've been testing, what are your current numbers for Free Chlorine (FC), Combined Chlorine (CC), Total Alkalinity (TA), Calcium Hardness (CH) and Cyanuric Acid (CYA)?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

FC = 3

CC = 10

TA = 90

CH = 290

CYA = 45

I know he is using some kind of tabs as I see them in the skimmer basket from time to time. No back washing as we have a cartridge. My wife has noticed he does pour some liquid into the pool that causes a smoking effect when it contacts the water.

The CYA does rise but never to outrageous numbers so,in know it's possible to maintain once a week.

Think about it, there are thousands of pool guys handling millions of pools nation wide on a once per week basis. I find it hard to believe they have some "magic formula" for keeping everything in line when all the posts I read online are saying it isn't possible without out of control CYA levels or some other kind of back reaction. Everything I read online is saying pool owners have to continually add chlorine at a minimum every 3-4 days

These guys are doing it once a week and it blows my mind that I cannot find anything online saying how they do it. Actually everything I find online says it can't be done.

It is being done every week all over the country.

We also have never drained or even partially drained / filled the pool in 9 years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So you are in Florida and aren't getting any summer rain overflow diluting the water? I lived in Florida for a year and I remember it raining almost every day in the summertime.

There are some pool services who use only chlorinating liquid added once a week with the CYA high at 100 ppm. They raise the FC to 14 ppm and it drops to around 4 ppm the next week. Sounds like your service is doing a bit of a hybrid by using some Trichlor tabs to supplement, but not that much. So the CYA probably rises slowly enough that the rain dilution keeps it mostly in check.

They could also be adding a weekly algaecide or using a phosphate remover to prevent algae growth. There's no mystery -- it's just extra cost for these items and possibly a large FC swing each week. You can do whatever you want. I prefer to keep my chlorine level more consistent throughout the week as my wife likes swimming in water where the chlorine is barely noticeable. And I like not adding anything extra both for convenience and to keep costs down so that I spend only $18 per month on chlorine and a small amount of acid for my 16,000 gallon pool. My chlorine usage is lower than normal due to a pool cover, but even at a more usual $35 per month it would still be a bargain.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...