What to do if free chlorine is lower than total chlorine?

If your total chlorine level is high, you will use a non-chlorine shock; if it is low, you will use a chlorinated shock. As a rule, you will need to raise free chlorine to 10 times your combined chlorine to hit what is known as “break point.” Therefore, it is good to deal with combined chlorine while it is still small.

What does it mean when total chlorine is high?

If the numbers are higher, the pool may need to be shocked to get rid of the odor that comes with high amounts of combined chlorine. Having any combined chlorine in your pool water means that the free chlorine is currently breaking down some contaminants in the water.

Why is my free chlorine so high?

WHY IS MY CHLORINE LEVEL SO HIGH? Adding too much pool shock or putting too many chlorine tablets to the feeder can both result in very high levels of chlorine. A common way to over-chlorinate a pool, is when a liquid chlorine pump is left running all night; coming in the next day to a green-ish looking pool.

Why can’t I get my pool chlorine levels up?

If you test your pool water and can’t get a chlorine level reading at all it may be due to a very high chlorine demand. Contamination, low pH or low chlorine stabiliser levels could cause this situation. The water might appear cloudy, the pool walls be slimy or the pool may look relatively OK.

How do you lower free chlorine in a spa?

We recommend that you allow the sanitizer levels to break down naturally. But if you have to use your hot tub, then you can add sodium thiosulfate to the water. Sodium thiosulfate will break down both chlorine and bromine in your water. This will lower the bromine or chlorine levels fast so you can soak sooner.

Why does my pool lose chlorine so fast?

Maintain Proper pH Levels Your pH levels affect your chlorine levels and the ability for the chlorine to do its work properly. If your water’s pH is too high, it hinders the chlorine’s ability to efficiently clean the pool. A water pH level that is too low causes the chlorine to dissipate more quickly.

How much shock Do I need to raise free chlorine?

When you’re shocking a pool, the goal is to raise the free chlorine level of the pool water to roughly 10 times the combined chlorine level.

How much total chlorine should be in a pool?

Regardless of how frequently or what system you use to add chlorine to the water, the chlorine level should stay between 1.0 and 3.0 parts per million (ppm) to maintain a healthy pool. Anything higher will make you to run the risk of red eyes and swimmers itch.