combined chlorine

[anne]

I dont think this is a problem, but I'm puzzled: I so far have NEVER had a combined chlorine level that is close to 0.5, probably not that high (super duper light pink). I have gotten in the habit of shocking every 10-14 days "just because" (and it helps bring down my persistantly high pH, too). Maybe I'm nipping any formation of combined chlorines in the bud, and that is fine, but is this normal? Water is clear, smells great, no problems except keeping pH down. Free chlorine after each dose is about 4ppm. That is estimated now, since I only measure it occasionally. I'm not complaining, since I dont want to smell chloramines, but am I missing something?

[Vinny]

No, you're not missing anything.

As you put chlorine in, it will get rid of any combined chlorine  that is 10x below the amout you put in. So if you go in and have 0.4 PPM or lower combined chlorine and put in 4 PPM free chlorine - it'll do the job. If you have a party and get 1 PPM  combined chlorine, then you need 10 PPM free chlorine to do the job.

I use about 3 PPM after I soak and 1.5 PPM whenever the chlorine gets to 0 (for me that's 3 to 4 days - don't know why though) and at 1.5 all I'm doing is santizing the tub IMO. When I have a combined chlorine of 0.5 (that's the lowest the kit goes to and the color is not quite 0.5) I shock with about 6 PPM chlorine.

Hey, if it's working then your doing it right!

[wmccall]

If you use Chlorine regularly and also battle High PH, I recommend you try Sea Klear MPS shock.  Many MPS products are buffered and up to half of the stuff in the bottle is the buffering that does nothing to the tub except keep the PH from being affected.   With the Sea Klear product you use half as much as other brands. I find it very fast if your water gets just a little cloudy.

[anne]

That is what I use, and that is exactly why!

[Brewman]

If you use Chlorine regularly and also battle High PH, I recommend you try Sea Klear MPS shock.  Many MPS products are buffered and up to half of the stuff in the bottle is the buffering that does nothing to the tub except keep the PH from being affected.   With the Sea Klear product you use half as much as other brands. I find it very fast if your water gets just a little cloudy.

So Sea Klear is essentially unbuffered MPS?  
I have quite a bit of Brilliance brand shock, and it appears to be essentially unbuffered MPS.  
Wonder if it's the same stuff?

[Vinny]

 So Sea Klear is essentially unbuffered MPS?  
I have quite a bit of Brilliance brand shock, and it appears to be essentially unbuffered MPS.  
Wonder if it's the same stuff?

I think all unbuffered (or buffered for that matter) is the same. I found some old unbuffered Leslies MPS and it has the same O2 content as the Sea Klear... it's kind of like dichlor!