Saturday, March 23, 2024
HomeHow To Lower Chlorine Level In Pool

How To Lower Chlorine Level In Pool

- Advertisment -

How Can Free Chlorine Be Lowered In Pool Water

How To Lower CHLORINE in Your POOL | Swim University

In outdoor pools free chlorine will naturally decline 2-4 ppm a day due to the sun.

There are chlorine neutralizers most likely contain sodium thiosulfate.

  • Add Sodium Thiosulfate, aka Chlorine Neutralizer for instant reduction.
  • Add Ascorbic Acid, aka Vitamin C to remove chlorine.
  • Add Hydrogen Peroxide, aka H2O2, to breakdown chlorine.
  • Remove chlorine naturally with sunlight, aeration and agitation of the water.

Sodium Thiosulfate, add 2 oz per 10,000 gallons of pool water to lower chlorine level by 1.0 ppm.Probably the cheapest and most reliable method to lower chlorine levels, in pools or spas.

Ascorbic Acid yes, granular Vit C! Add 32 oz per 10,000 gallons of pool water to lower chlorine level by about 9 ppm.

Hydrogen Peroxide use 1 gallon of Aqua Silk Oxidizer per 10,000 gallons of pool water to lower chlorine level by 55 ppm. For spas, use 3% drug store peroxide, 2 ounces per 100 gallons of spa water, to lower chlorine level by about 10 ppm.

For Sodium Thiosulfate, add about a cup of the dry white crystals per 5,000 gallons of pool water, or 1 oz per 100 gallons to lower chlorine by 10 ppm. Check your pool water pH and adjust to within label instructions, and add directly to the pool or spa.

Another good resource is this sodium thiosulfate calculator on Koiphen.com enter your pool size in gallons and the current chlorine level in ppm, and it tells you how many ounces or grams of Sodium Thiosulfate to add to reduce chlorine to zero.

Neutralize The Chlorine With A Chlorine Neutralizer

The quickest way to reduce excessive chlorine levels in your pool is to use a chlorine neutralizer.

When using it, more mindfulness and a precise approach are required.

Thats why I explain here with an example how to use the chlorine neutralizer to lower the chlorine in your pool.

Info: In a pool with 100 m³, 100 g of the chlorine neutralizer are sufficient to reduce the chlorine level to 0.5 ppm.

  • Example: The chlorine concentration in your pool is 4 ppm, and your swimming pool has almost 50 m³ of water.
  • Question: How much chlorine neutralizer is needed to reduce the chlorine level to 1 ppm?

Remember: 50 m³ corresponds to 0.5% of 100 m³.

Calculation: 0.5 * 100 g = 50 g each 0.5 ppm.

We want to lower the chlorine level from 4 ppm to 1 ppm. That means a reduction of the chlorine by 3 ppm.

This results in the following final invoice:

6 x 50 g = 300 g are required by the chlorine neutralizer to lower the chlorine content from 4 ppm to 1 ppm in your pool.

Caution: The calculation example relates to 50 m³ of water content and not to the size of your pool. In theory, your pool can be 75 m³ and only hold 50 m³ of water.

Tips On How To Lower Chlorine Levels In A Pool

When the temperature starts to rise, many of us are desperate to open up our backyards once again to pool parties, family barbecues, and plenty of laughs. But what if your chlorine levels are too high to allow swimming to take place?

This article will give you 8 tips on how to lower chlorine levels in your pool in order to get the water just perfect as soon as possible.

Ready to make a splash? Lets go!

Read Also: Paint Pavers Around Pool

Let The Sunshine Work

UV rays do a good job at killing chlorine. Its one of the reasons why you need to add extra chlorine to your pool.

It can also be used to your advantage if you have added just a little too much chlorine.

Remove any chlorine dispensers from the pool and stay out of the pool for a few days and check the levels every day to monitor the levels.

This technique should only be used if your chlorination levels are just slightly too high. Chlorine levels that are way too high would take a long time to stabilize with sunshine alone.

Water Exchange If There Is Too Much Chlorine In Your Pool

3 Ways to Lower Chlorine in a Pool

If you dont have a chlorine reducer or hydrogen peroxide at hand, you can quickly drain a part of your pool water and fill it with fresh water.

To do this, you can simply set your sand filter system to emptying, or you use a submersible pump.

This method will lower a high chlorine level in your pool and all other agents in your pool water.

You then have to measure the water levels and, if necessary, correct the cyanuric acid, the pH level, the total alkalinity and the calcium hardness of your pool water.

Recommended Reading: Is A Variable Speed Pool Pump Worth It

Risks Of High Chlorine Levels

Chlorine, when at the right level, is harmless to humans. Unfortunately, at extreme levels, it can pose health risks to anyone exposed to it.

The most common result of a pool with high chlorine levels is discoloring. This can lead to your brand new bathing suit fading too fast. Since chlorine can damage colors, it can even affect recently dyed hair.

Some common health issues caused by exposure to high levels of chlorine include:

  • Respiratory illness such as asthma due to the excess chlorine vapor formed on the surface of the pool
  • Eye irritation and over dilated blood vessels in the eyes, for those of you who prefer swimming without goggles
  • Dry skin and hair
  • Skin irritation characterized by a red rash with raised itchy bumps

Typically, these symptoms of high chlorine levels clear up after a few days or weeks. One extreme effect, though rare, is chlorine poisoning, which usually requires immediate medical attention.

Besides health concerns, excess chlorine levels could eventually damage your pool equipment and pool cover.

Leave The Pool Uncovered During Sunny Weather

Sunlight is chlorines number one enemy. Why? Because it burns chlorine right out of your water. Sometimes, faster than you can replace it:

Sunlight is so effective in reducing chlorine that a bright sunny day can reduce the chlorination level of a pool by 90 percent in just two hours.Sciencing

This is the exact reason why cyanuric acid exists. Its a chemical commonly added to chlorine that acts as a sunscreen against UV rays. With CYA, chlorine can withstand solar heat without immediately burning up.

With that said, the sun is also the same reason why many pool owners use solar covers. Covers help insulate pools and reduce chemical loss caused by evaporation.

Of course, if you dont use a cover, then your pool is at risk of both heat, and water loss. Which is exactly what you want when youre trying to lower swimming pool chlorine naturally.

So leave your pool uncovered on the hottest, sunniest day possible. Then retest your chlorine every 6 hours to keep track o changes.

You might need to refill the pool a little bit after, but only if your water line drops below mid skimmer level.

Also Check: Hydroflush Pool

How To Lower Salt Levels Within Swimming Pools

You may have noticed that we recently covered how much salt to add to your pool water. Maybe you added too much thinking more is better or you simply got the math wrong. In either case, this article will cover how to lower the salt level of your pools water.

The only way to lower the salt concentration of your swimming pools water is to dilute it. Unfortunately, this means you will need to partially drain your pool and refill it with fresh water. This is true because salt doesnt wear out, break down or evaporate only your water will evaporate.

How To Determine How Much Water To Drain

First take a salt reading. On a Hayward Salt Chlorinator, your salt reading should be between 2,700 3,400 PPM with the optimum level of 3,200 PPM.

Hayward Salt Chlorinator Salt Chart

Refer to the chart provided in your Hayward Salt Chlorinator manual. Example: If you have a salt level of 0, in your 8,000 gallon pool, youll need approximately 213 pounds of salt, or roughly 40 pound bags of salt, to bring your water in proper range.

Note: Normal water evaporation will increase the concentration of salt in pool water. You will need to add fresh water to bring salt concentration back to target ppm levels.

For more detailed information on salt levels, check with your owners manual. AquaRite, AquaRite Pro pages 3-4.

Test Your Water Regularly

Pool Chlorine Too High – How To Easily Reduce Your Chlorine Levels

Testing your water should be done at least once a week. This is because the pH level is extremely delicate and a drop or spike can easily occur when someone goes in the pool, when it rains, even when the outside temperature changes!

There are 3 types of kits you can use to test for pH test strips, liquid kits, and digital kits. All are easy to use and will return easy to read levels when testing water samples.

Don’t Miss: Jones Beach Entrance Fee

Maximum Chlorine Level For Swimming

Normal pool-free chlorine levels are usually around 1.0 ppm to 3.0 ppm, depending on the level of stabilizer in the water. If your pool water is much higher than that and you are spending a lot of time exposed to it, then it could have some effect on you even at these lower concentrations.

Be on the safe side. If you decide to shock your swimming pool then the best time to do that is the night before you are planning to use it. This is for a couple of different reasons. When the Chlorine Residual climbs above 5-6 ppm it can cause skin and eye irritation. Just above the waterline, the chlorine turns to gas from the agitation of the water.

The chlorine gas moves from the pool water to the air. This may cause some breathing problems, so be on the safe side and wait until the Chlorine retest below 5 ppm. It will naturally when:

  • The Sun starts to burn off Chlorine Residual
  • Activity in the pool depletes Chlorine Residual
  • When you super-chlorinate or Shock your pool you are looking to get your chlorinate at high levels of 10 and above and with a normal tester youll get an orange or red-colored reading that wont be readable but you can safely assume the reading is high enough to work.

    The same goes for Strip Testers normally 10 is the highest you will see. You can dilute the sample with half pool water and half drinking water and just multiply it by two.

    Products To Help Lower Ph Levels

    There are two main chemicals normally used to lower pH levels in pools: sodium bisulfate and muriatic acid.

    Both can cause damage to the pool surface and your skin, so its important to use caution with either one, including wearing clothing that fully covers your body, along with gloves and goggles.

    You’ll also usually find these chemicals in products called something like pH Reducers or pH Minus. If you’re particular about which you use, be sure to check the labels before buying.

    Read Also: How To Lower Cya In Pool

    What Is A Good Combined Chlorine Level

    The short answer to this question is zero.

    I know that an absolute zero is not realistic. However, you should be concerned if the Combined Chlorine Levels are above 0.5 ppm.

    Target to keep Combined Chlorine Levels below 0.2 ppm.

    Combined Chlorine is basically a Chloramine. You will know that the Combined Chlorine Levels are high in your pool when one or more of the following happen.

  • Your eyes burn and skin is dry & itchy after a swim
  • The pool has a strong ammonia odor
  • The pool water is cloudy
  • Of course, every time you check chlorine levels, make sure to check both Total Chlorine level and Free Chlorine level, so that you can know the Combined Chlorine Levels too!

    Why High Ph Is A Problem

    Too Much Chlorine In The Pool?

    High pH over 7.8 means your water becomes basic, or alkaline. The issues this type of water presents are numerous:

    • Its bad for your skin: Ever gone for a swim and come out with burning eyes, and itchy skin? Thats one giveaway of a high pH pool. Minerals as well as other contaminants attach to your body to cause this unpleasant feeling. You may also experience rashes, a stinging nasal cavity, and dried out but sticky feeling skin.
    • Its bad for your pool: High pH can cause scale issues. Water scaling occurs when the calcium in it combines with carbon dioxide to create calcium carbonate. This leads to a coating of scale all over your pool surfaces from the walls to the pipes and its especially present at the waterline where it can collect dust and dirt.
    • Its bad for your pool equipment: A high pH can affect your pools operating equipment. This includes the pipes and filters, which can lead to equipment inefficiency and failure. Replacing equipment might be your only option if parts get damaged.
    • It increases chlorine demand: Chlorine consumption is increased in a high pH pool. For reference, if you have a perfectly neutral pool, a single dose of chlorine will provide you with 80% concentration. If your pH level is slightly alkaline at 8.0, youll need 4 doses of chlorine to reach 80%.

    Also Check: Painting Pool Cage

    Problems Caused By Too Much Chlorine In Your Pool

    When you realize you have too much chlorine in your pool, several health problems could arise. If there is too much chlorine in your pool, it can alter the pH level in the pool. This can make the water more acidic. Acid levels can lead to:

    • Red Skin Rash
    • Irritated Eyes
    • Asthma & respiratory problems due to too much chlorine vapors in the pools surface

    Although its very uncommon, too much chlorine in the pool can lead to chlorine poisoning. Symptoms of this include:

    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Persistent coughing
    • Tightness and pain in the chest

    If you or someone who has been in your pool starts experiencing any of these symptoms its important to seek medical attention right away.

    Uv Rays From Sunlight

    Chlorine and sunlight do not get along. This is a fact.

    In short, the UV rays produced by the sun have a major effect on chlorine. When exposed to UV rays, chlorine ions begin to separate, which eventually destroys them. And as your chlorine burns away, your sanitizer level drops.

    This is the very reason why CYA , or chlorine stabilizer, exists. Its a chemical added to chlorine that keeps it active longer, and shields against harmful UV rays.

    But with or without CYA, the sun still takes a toll on your chlorine levels. Fortunately, the best way to prevent that is by shielding your entire pool from the sun itself.

    How?

    A solar cover acts as a barrier between your water and outside, reducing the exposure your chlorine gets to the sun. In doing this, the cover also helps to improve your pools heat retention while reducing water loss.

    TIP: The more opaque the color of your solar cover is, the better the UV protection.

    Even if the sun is nowhere to be found, hot weather is enough to mess with your chlorine.

    But how could that be? If the sun isnt out, then shouldnt your chlorine work just fine?

    Not exactly. When solar rays arent messing with your chlorine, the suns heat stays busy by evaporating water out of your pool.

    And naturally, with any pool water loss comes chemical loss.

    Luckily, the solution here once again is simple: use a cover.

    You May Like: Vdara Rooftop Pool

    Three Ways To Lower Your Pools Chlorine Levels

    Ready to lower those chlorine levels and get back on track? Well, first things first: stop adding chlorine. If you have a saltwater chlorine generator or chlorine feeder, turn it off. If you have a floating chlorinator, take it out of the pool. If youve left tablets in your skimmer, take the remains out.

    Beyond that, youve got options. Choose the one that works best for you.

    What Causes The Chlorine Level To Get Too High In A Pool

    Adjusting Chlorine Levels in Your Pool

    One of the more common reasons for high chlorine levels is that you just overdid it with a shock treatment.

    Alternatively, adding too much cyanuric acid to your pool causes high chlorine levels.

    Cyanuric acid prevents chlorine from being lost due to UV exposure and while some is good to help you retain it in the water and ultimately save money on chlorine, like everything else in chemistry, too much is a bad thing.

    Also, if your dispenser is not working correctly, you might find yourself coming home to an over-chlorinated pool.

    Read Also: Best Chlorine For Intex Pools

    Keep Your Pool And Equipment Clean

    Swimming pool water needs regular treatment to stay clean. An improperly treated pool will cause the pH balance to fluctuate, and a host of issues to take root.

    This can be anything from mineral build-up, to cloudy water and algae blooms. Not only will the water be affected , but so will the pools filters and pump system.

    Simple & Fast Steps To Lower Chlorine Levels In Pool

    If youve been worried about the safety of your pools chlorine levels and are now considering getting a DPD test kit, youre not alone. With people heading to the water for summer fun, its more important than ever to maintain an optimal level of chlorine in your pool.

    Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to lower your chlorine levels quickly and safely:

    Also Check: Vdara Dog Friendly

    Can Fc Targets Be Lowered For Pools Open In Cold Weather

    Though the growth rate of algae slows down as water gets colder, the reaction of chlorine killing algae also slows down. So lowering the FC level too much could be risky.

    The main advantage of the cooler water, especially if the sun isn’t on the pool due to clouds or a cover, is the lower daily FC usage. I’d keep the FC at whatever level you normally need to do to prevent algae.

    Though it’s possible that at some cold water temperature the algae growth plummets, why take the chance that it doesn’t?

    RELATED ARTICLES
    - Advertisment -

    Most Popular

    - Advertisment -