Some truths on bleach dosing

[waterbear]

If you use the Metric system 1 tablespoon is approx. 15 ml and every 19 liters of water in your tub is approx 5 gallons. These values are close enough for practical use.

For every 100 gallons (380 liters) of water adding 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of:

5.25% bleach will raise FC by about 2 ppm

6.0% bleach will raise FC by about 2.5 ppm

8.25% bleach will raise FC by about 3.3 ppm

10.0% bleach will raise FC by about 4 ppm

12.5% bleach will raise FC by about 5 ppm

I have just learned that there is also 7.5% bleach being sold so I would expect the 7.5% bleach will raise FC by about 3 ppm

(these numbers are not exact but are in the ballpark. They have been rounded to make measurements easier but should be close enough to get you where you want to be or very close to it)

10% and 12.5% bleach are normally sold as "liquid pool chlorine"

6% laundry bleach is usually called "ultra bleach"

If you are using laundry bleach you want the plain,unscented, one with NO thickeners, detergents, or scents. The ingredients might list water, sodium hypochlorite, sodium chloride (salt), sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and (for laundry bleach) polyacrylic acid (used to prevent soil from redepositing back on clothes and is also the main ingredient in many polymeric pool and spa clarifiers so the small amount in the bleach will NOT have any negative impact on your water). These are either added to stabilize the bleach or are the result of the manufacturing process and are a normal part of the makeup of bleach or liquid chlorine.

The ONLY differences between the different strengths of sodium hypochlorite is how much is needed to reach a given FC level in a given volume of water and the shelf life of the bleach. The more concentrated strengths need less to achieve a given FC level in a given volume of water and have a shorter shelf life before they start to degrade and lose strength. There is no reason you can't use old bleach as long as you are testing the FC and adding enough to achieve the desired level.

 

[Fingerstank]

Quick question @waterbear

I have a household bleach here in Canada called Old Dutch.

According to the MDS it looks like this product may fall below the 3%  Bleach levels

 

Sodium Hypochlorite  WT% 1.0-3.0

Sodium Hydroxide       WT.%  <.05

 

From what I can tell this may between 1% to 3% Bleach

Would I be reading this correctly? Seems fairly weak 

At this level would you suggest perhaps 2tbs to get the 2ppm FC

[waterbear]

9 hours ago, Fingerstank said:

From what I can tell this may between 1% to 3% Bleach

Would I be reading this correctly? Seems fairly weak 

yes, It's basically a 'dollar store' bleach (Very dilute so it can be sold for a low price). This weak strength of  bleach is also sold in the US. It's not worth the money. Get some Clorox or a house brand like HDX from Home Depot or Great Value from Walmart. They might cost a bit more but are 5.25% to 6% (read the label or if it's not on the label look up the Safety Data Sheet online. You might also be able to find liquid pool Chlorine at Lowes, Walmart, or Home Depot during pool season.

[Fingerstank]

Thanks for the input.

Think I will just grab some pool chlorine. But with that being said yes it's much cheaper way to go but it's also in a higher volume container than I would probably go thru in a year. I have read that chlorine can weaken over time, not sure how that is possible but hey I am not a chemist

 

Still working on managing the Dichlor and Bleach method

[waterbear]

4 hours ago, Fingerstank said:

I have read that chlorine can weaken over time, not sure how that is possible

chlorine gas leaves the solution. The sodium hydroxide is there to slow the process down.

 

4 hours ago, Fingerstank said:

but it's also in a higher volume container than I would probably go thru in a year.

It's just chlorine bleach. If you get the 10% just use half the amount of regular bleach in your laundry or other cleaning needs. If you get the 12.5% use half the amount of ultra strength bleach. Just dilute them.  It's not rocket science. Bleach is bleach.

[Fingerstank]

Yes I get it Bleach is Bleach.  Thanks @waterbear

[Testinglife]

My pool water smells like bleach now that I add it. Is this common? How can I get rid of the smell. When I was just using chlroine pucks and shock it didn't smell like this. Am I doing something wrong?

[waterbear]

Please post a full set of test results. (free chlorine, either combined chlorine or total chlorine, pH , cyanuric acid, total alkalinity and calcium hardness) and we can give you recommendatons and dosing based on YOUR pool!

If you smell a 'chlorine smell" that usually indicated combined chlorine (the bad chlorine that does not sanitize, irritates eyes, and has a strong smell that forms when chlorine combines with ammonia and other organics from bathers in the water) and indicates the need to superchlorinate by raising your free chlorine above 10 to 20 ppm, depending on your cyanuric acid level.  This is often referred to as shocking.

FWIW, shock is NOT a special product, it's something you do. Any form of chlorine can be used as a chock but you should avoid stabilized chlorine since it will raise the cyanuric acid level . Most 'shock' products are either calcium hypochlorite , lithium hypochorite (both powders), or sodium hypochlorite (liquid pool shock or liquid pool chlorine or laundry bleach). Avoid shocks that are dichlor or trichlor based.

Free chlorine (the good chlorine that sanitizes) has no odor in a pool.

[Ahhsomeguy]

Waterbear:  Lithium Hypochlorite was one of the very best sanitizers I ever used.  It is no longer available to my knowledge.  Your posts keep mentioning it and I would be interested in getting some.  Do you know a source?  

[waterbear]

Because of the increased demand for lithium in lithium ion batteries it's become next to impossible to find these day, at least in the US and Canada. However, if I am not mistaken it is still available in Australia. I am optimistic that it will eventually return. In the meantime, sodium hypochlorite is the best substitute. The only advantage that lithium has over bleach is that it's a fast dissolving powder which some find easier to dose. It's main disadvantage is that it's always been the most expen$ive form of chlorine.

[Ahhsomeguy]

I realize what you are saying and totally agree except for it’s return to our market.  Too bad, this was an amazing product.

[waterbear]

On 8/29/2022 at 12:37 AM, Testinglife said:

Am I doing something wrong?

probably but without test results we can't say just what

[Cusser]

On 3/29/2021 at 11:51 AM, waterbear said:

 Bleach is bleach.

True for most bleaches.  I believe there are some bleaches on the market that contain fragrances, or viscosity additives/thickeners, so stay away from those for pool/spa use; their labels will state that.

[waterbear]

20 minutes ago, Cusser said:

I believe there are some bleaches on the market that contain fragrances, or viscosity additives/thickeners, so stay away from those for pool/spa use;

@CusserRead my initial post. I stated:

On 3/22/2021 at 12:52 AM, waterbear said:

If you are using laundry bleach you want the plain,unscented, one with NO thickeners, detergents, or scents. The ingredients might list water, sodium hypochlorite, sodium chloride (salt), sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and (for laundry bleach) polyacrylic acid (used to prevent soil from redepositing back on clothes and is also the main ingredient in many polymeric pool and spa clarifiers so the small amount in the bleach will NOT have any negative impact on your water). These are either added to stabilize the bleach or are the result of the manufacturing process and are a normal part of the makeup of bleach or liquid chlorine.

 

[Cusser]

Hey - I'm a computer-idiot, don't even know how to type.  I have VCRs, 1970 and 1971 VWs, and a Flip Phone, use Windows 7.  Consider it a miracle that I can post ANYTHING !!!

[Pajamas]

Is Clorox Bleach with "CloroMax" okay to put in a spa?

In addition to waterbear's list of acceptable ingredients, it contains Polyquaternium-6 aka Poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride).

[Ahhsomeguy]

Do not use this in a spa or pool.  If you are going to use a grocery store bleach the label will say (sodium hypochlorite).  Strengths may vary from around 4% to 6%.  You do not want to use any bleach with other additives. You want the old fashioned bleach.  It works extremely well but the pool and hot tub retailers won't agree.

[waterbear]

"House brand" bleaches from major grocery store chains or big box store such as Walmart are often cheaper than brand names and don't have all the additives for laundry enhancement (that might or might not help in whitening clothes).