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You are here: Knowledge Base > About Pool Chemicals
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IT�S ALL ABOUT: CHLORINE Last Updated: 11/16/2010 |
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A vast majority of the pools use chlorine compounds to sanitize the water. This chlorine is added either through an erosion feeder loaded with Trichloroisocyanuric sticks, by adding Calcium Hypochlorite granular directly to the water, by a liquid feed pump putting Sodium Hypochlorite into the water, or through a chlorine generator providing chlorine from the Sodium Hypochlorite in the pool water. Although all of these systems begin with a different chemical compound, once dissolved in the pool water, they become Hypochlorous Acid (Free Chlorine). Free Chlorine is odorless in your pool. This is the compound that actually sanitizes the pool or spa water. You can test for this with your test kit with the Free Chlorine test. It should be noted that Free Chlorine is made less effective and oxidized out of the pool by sunlight. We utilize stabilizer to reduce this effect. As the Free Chlorine reacts and combines with the organic materials in the pool it changes into what is known as a Chloramine (Combined Chlorine). Combined Chlorine has a very strong chlorine odor. To test for chloramines you take the results of the Free Chlorine test and add the additional reagent. This will give you your Total Chlorine. If you find the difference between these two tests you will find your Combined Chlorine. If you find you have Chloramines or Combined Chlorine in your pool you are reducing the effectiveness of the chlorine in the pool water to kill bacteria and algae. To remove the chloramines you must Super Chlorinate. As a general rule of thumb, you would use 4 pounds of Calcium Hypochlorite granular chlorine per 10,000 gallons of water. Spas, due to their high bather load relative to the volume of water, should be drained and refilled periodically as the water cannot be maintained properly after a period of time. The formula for calculating the number of days between refilling is to take .33 times the number of gallons in the spa and divide that by the maximum number of daily bathers. |