How to Use Bleach in Pools?
Chlorine bleach is one of the oldest sanitizers used to kill microorganisms in water. The liquid form of pool chlorine is a relatively inexpensive way to keep a pool sparkling clear and safe for swimmers. At normal pool levels, about 2.0 parts per million, it is safe for humans, even if you swallow the pool water. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Pour liquid pool bleach directly into the pool for a quick shock to improve the sanitation level rapidly. When chlorine mixes with water, it disassociates into two components--hypochlorous acid (HOCL) and hydrochloric acid (HCL). The hypochorous acid is the killing agent in chlorine. It cuts through the cell walls of microorganisms and attacks the enzymes in the cells.
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Stay out of the water for at least an hour after pouring in liquid chlorine. Pouring chlorine directly into the pool has its drawbacks for swimmers. It can be unpleasant and even dangerous to swim in a pool right after the chlorine is poured in. Because it's heavier than water, it tends to pool and it takes some time to distribute through the pool water.
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Introduce liquid chlorine bleach to the pool through an automatic chlorinator to provide a safe feed and keep the chlorine levels steady throughout the day without inconveniencing swimmers. The automatic liquid chlorinator operates on a small electric pump that is set to deliver more or less chlorine from a reservoir, as needed, through the return plumbing.
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Use liquid chlorine to remove iron from pool water. Raise the pH to 8.0, or more. Under normal conditions, the pH level is in the 7.2 to 7.6 range. With the pump running, dribble the liquid chlorine into the skimmer box and allow it to run through the filter and back to the pool. One of two things will happen. Either the iron will bond into bigger molecules and drop to the bottom of the pool, or it will remain in suspension where the filter will remove it. In either case, you should see some debris on the bottom of the pool. Vacuum it out to remove it.
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Tips & Warnings
When the hypochlorous acid is depleted, chloramines form and escape as a gas. These chloramines produce the unpleasant "chlorine" smell and eye irritation. Ironically, the stronger the smell and the more irritating to the eyes, the more likely it is that the pool needs more chlorine, not less.
