Yes any sort of life in the pool will effect free chlorine.
You scrub the pool and filter the water. Or scrub the pool and do a water change. Some people use salt as an algae inhibitor and they do make salt for pools. You can get it at Walmart or home improvement stores, or at pool stores.
Combined chlorine is when the chlorine molecule has attached itself to other molecules in water. In other words it has "combined" with something else in the water. Those could be iron, manganese, ammonia or other things depending on the source water. Free chlorine is the molecules that are "free" in the water to do the disinfection.
To change combined chlorine to free available chlorine, you can perform a shock treatment by adding a chlorine shock product to the pool water. This will help break down the combined chlorine compounds and convert them back into free available chlorine. Make sure to follow the product instructions carefully and retest the water after treatment to ensure proper chlorine levels.
The Cl level refers to the amount of free chlorine in pool water. It is a critical parameter that needs to be monitored regularly to ensure the pool water is safe for swimming by effectively killing bacteria and other harmful contaminants. Maintaining the proper Cl level helps prevent algae growth, cloudy water, and the spread of waterborne illnesses.
Sodium hypochlorite is a chemical compound that contains chlorine, but it is not the same as free chlorine. Free chlorine refers to the chlorine in water that is available for disinfection, whereas sodium hypochlorite is a chemical compound commonly used as a disinfectant and bleaching agent.
Yes, it is generally safe to consume algae as it is a nutritious food source. However, it is important to ensure that the algae is sourced from reputable sources and is free from contaminants. Algae can be eaten in various forms such as supplements, powders, and in dishes like sushi.
Free Chlorine is the Chlorine which is free to do its work in the pool, as opposed to Combined Chlorine which is chlorine that has combined with contaminants and is tied up and ineffective as a sanitizer in the pool. Sometimes you will see it abbreviated as FAC, which stands for Free Available Chlorine.
Yes, certain algaecides can interact with chlorine and decrease its effectiveness in maintaining free chlorine levels in a swimming pool. It's important to carefully follow the instructions for both chemicals and avoid adding them at the same time to prevent unwanted reactions.
Consuming algae as a food source is generally safe for most people. Algae are rich in nutrients and can provide various health benefits. However, it is important to ensure that the algae are sourced from reputable sources and are free from contaminants. It is also recommended to consume algae in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
As with all products that advertise " no chlorine" NOT SO! You should use chlorine to SANITIZE the water. The extra shock that this provides will keep your pool free of algae especially with the use of the product you mentioned.
You scrub the pool and filter the water. Or scrub the pool and do a water change. Some people use salt as an algae inhibitor and they do make salt for pools. You can get it at Walmart or home improvement stores, or at pool stores.
They are on the right. --> Use pool shock. Double shock it to get rid of algae. Start using "No-Phos" or "Phos-Free". This eliminates the food for algae. Use an algacide to kill the existing algae. Brush all the surfaces of the pool every day to keep algae from latching onto the walls. Vacumn and backwash twice a week to get rid of the dead algae. Make sure your pH is correct so the chemicals can work properly. Once your water is clean, keep using the No Phos product every week. This has saved us hundreds of dollars in chemical use. I'm not sure what you mean by "the water is balanced", but if it means that your PH and Alkalinity levels are ok, then I would suggest making sure that the chlorine levels you're checking are for Free Chlorine, not Total Chlorine (there is a difference). If the Free Chlorine is fine, then as the first guy said, I would shock the pool. If your Free Chlorine dips below the normal levels, however, you should use chlorinating shock. That way the chlorine jumps up, and any chlorine tablets you add into the pool will keep the chlorine level high. Once the algae is dead, brush the entire pool (including the walls, floor, and any stairs, ladders, lights, or other objects that are in the pool). Brushing the pool stops the algae from sticking to anything in the pool, and allows it to be picked up by your filter. After you brush the pool, run the pump, and clean the filter when necessary. You'll know the algae is dead when the pool stops being green - the green color is chlorophyll, which is the chemical that the algae uses to get energy using photosynthesis.
There is 3 measurements of chlorine in a pool or spa. Total chlorine, combined chlorine, and free available chlorine. Free available chlorine is the good chlorine that is active in the pool killings germs and algae. Combined chlorine is chlorine is basically chlorine that was once active but has killed germs or bacteria and is now inactive in the pool. Total chlorine is free available and combined chlorine added together. If your combined chlorine is higher than free available chlorine then the water needs to be shocked to eliminate the combined chlorine. But be careful here. If you don't reach what's called break point you will only add to the combined chlorine. There are products on the market which will only remove combined chlorine without effecting your free available chlorine if you are unsure about reaching breakpoint. Hope this helps.
Chloramines can be calculated by the formula: Chloramines = Total Chlorine - Free Chlorine. Total chlorine is the sum of free chlorine and combined chlorine (chloramines). By subtracting the free chlorine level from the total chlorine level, you can determine the amount of chloramines present in the water.
You only need to shock the pool if there is visible algae, or if the ppm of total chlorine is higher than the ppm of free chlorine. Generally, a level of 2-4 ppm chlorine is all you need to keep your pool sanitary. Let the level drop to that on its own, or use sodium thiosulfate to drop it quickly if you notice itchy skin from excessive chlorine.
The most important factor to inhibiting algae growth is the amount of free chlorine, not so much the other water balance factors (except temperature and pH). You could have alage on the boulders for the following reasons: 1) The amount of free chlorine in your pool is enough to inhibit growth of alage in your pool, but not in the different conditions on the boulder (see below). 2) The boulder and water flowing over it may be at a higher temperature, especially towards the bottom boulders, if they are exposed to the sun. Higher temperatures promote more algae growth that could outstrip the available free chlorine. 3) If the boulders are exposed to the sun, then this may be reducing the amount of available chlorine, especially if you do not use any conditioner (Cyanuric Acid). 4) The bubbling and aerating of water may convert much of the chlorine to gas via HOCl + Cl- --> Cl2(g) + OH- which is more likely in a salt pool due to the extra chloride ions from the salt to begin with. Do you notice a chlorine smell near the top boulders? 5) Areas near the edge of the water flow do not get enough continuous exposure to the pool water for the chlorine to kill the algae, but get enough water for algae to form. Also, if the water pools so that chlorine is released to the air faster than the pool is refilled with new water, this could promote algae growth. This is similar to poor circulation in a pool. As for what to do, the easiest thing is to treat your boulders with an extra "shock" of 5-10 ppm chlorine (which could be done when you shock your pool with liquid chlorine). Do NOT shock your pool with just the chlorine generator as this will not build up enough chlorine fast enough to kill some more aggressive algaes. Use liquid chlorine to shock your pool, or at least your boulders.
Combined chlorine is when the chlorine molecule has attached itself to other molecules in water. In other words it has "combined" with something else in the water. Those could be iron, manganese, ammonia or other things depending on the source water. Free chlorine is the molecules that are "free" in the water to do the disinfection.