Pool chemicals question

[Grayson73]

New pool owner and more questions . I went through all of the pool chemicals I found in the garage. Just want to confirm that I have the correct test, what they are for, and how to put them in the pool. Thanks in advance for responding!

Omega PH Plus, 100% Sodium Carbonate. pH Test. Purpose, increase pH level if pH too low. Put in skimmer?

Allclear pH UP, 100% Sodium Carbonate. pH Test. Purpose, increase pH level if pH too low. Put in skimmer?

Regal Clean Pool System PH Minus. 93.2% Sodium Bisulfate. pH Test. Purpose, decrease pH level if pH too high. Put in skimmer?

Omni Calcium Hardness Increaser. Calcium Hardness Test. Purpose, raise Calcium Hardness. Put in skimmer?

Regal Alkalinity Plus. 100% Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate. Total Alkalinity Test. Purpose, increase Alkalinity. Put in skimmer?

Omega Chlor Sticks. 99.3% Trichloro-s-triazinetrione. Chlorine test? Purpose, increase Chlorine? Put in skimmer?

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Zappit Shock Treatment and Super Chlorinator. Calcium Hypochlorite. What is this for and is there a test for this? Put in skimmer?

Diatomite. What is this for and is there a test for this? Put in skimmer?

Amway L.O.C. Regular Ordinaire. When should this be used and on what?

Daycon Kleer 'N Brite. When should this be used and on what?

 

[Isaac-1]

Ok it looks like the Daycon Kleer N Brite is just a general purpose cleaner, not a pool chemical, the rest are all somewhat useful pool chemicals, although many can be bought MUCH cheaper at the local big box store. For example that 100% Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate is just a fancy way of saying Baking Soda and charging more for it. Rather than answer each of the questions I will suggest you read the pool school articles in the link in the upper right of this page, in particular look at

Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

Pool School - Recommended Levels

 

[Richard320]

Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals tells you how to add each item. I'll just go identify them and let you read the instructions someone else has already typed up.

New pool owner and more questions . I went through all of the pool chemicals I found in the garage. Just want to confirm that I have the correct test, what they are for, and how to put them in the pool. Thanks in advance for responding!

Omega PH Plus, 100% Sodium Carbonate. pH Test. Purpose, increase pH level if pH too low. Put in skimmer? Same as Washing Soda or Soda Ash.


Allclear pH UP, 100% Sodium Carbonate. pH Test. Purpose, increase pH level if pH too low. Put in skimmer?
Same as Washing Soda or Soda Ash.

Regal Clean Pool System PH Minus. 93.2% Sodium Bisulfate. pH Test. Purpose, decrease pH level if pH too high. Put in skimmer? Dry acid.

Omni Calcium Hardness Increaser. Calcium Hardness Test. Purpose, raise Calcium Hardness. Put in skimmer?Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals explains it

Regal Alkalinity Plus. 100% Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate. Total Alkalinity Test. Purpose, increase Alkalinity. Put in skimmer? Same as Baking Soda


Omega Chlor Sticks. 99.3% Trichloro-s-triazinetrione. Chlorine test? Purpose, increase Chlorine? Put in skimmer?Trichlor. Raises FC and CYA and lowers pH. See Pool School - How to Chlorinate Your Pool


Zappit Shock Treatment and Super Chlorinator. Calcium Hypochlorite. What is this for and is there a test for this? Put in skimmer? Cal-hypo Raises FC and CH. See Pool School - How to Chlorinate Your Pool



Diatomite. What is this for and is there a test for this? Put in skimmer? That is filter media. You add it after a backwash. Pool School - Maintenance and Cleaning of Pool Filters
DE Filter Cleaning Tutorial



Amway L.O.C. Regular Ordinaire. When should this be used and on what? That's just a spray cleaner. Maybe for patio furniture? Shouldn't go in the pool.


Daycon Kleer 'N Brite. When should this be used and on what? That is a clarifier. Follow our methods and you will never need it. All it does is gum up the filter anyway.

Since you have the stuff, use it up. Later you can buy the cheaper grocery store equivalents. Be very careful about adding powdered forms of chlorine, because they have other chemicals you may not want. I'd send the clarifier off to the next hazardous waste collection day. The only thing you pour down the skimmer is the Diatomaceous Earth, and that's only after backwashing.

 

[Grayson73]

Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals tells you how to add each item. I'll just go identify them and let you read the instructions someone else has already typed up.

Since you have the stuff, use it up. Later you can buy the cheaper grocery store equivalents. Be very careful about adding powdered forms of chlorine, because they have other chemicals you may not want. I'd send the clarifier off to the next hazardous waste collection day. The only thing you pour down the skimmer is the Diatomaceous Earth, and that's only after backwashing.

Wow, I so appreciate your detailed response! I guess I'll have to read up on what backwashing is, how to do it, and when!

Where do I put all of the other chemicals if not down the skimmer? Straight into the deep end of the pool, or near the jets?

 

[Richard320]

Wow, I so appreciate your detailed response! I guess I'll have to read up on what backwashing is, how to do it, and when!

Where do I put all of the other chemicals if not down the skimmer? Straight into the deep end of the pool, or near the jets?

Perhaps you should read the link I posted under Yoda.

 

[Grayson73]

Omega Chlor Sticksz

Perhaps you should read the link I posted under Yoda.

Thanks. I checked it out and see where to add bleach, baking soda, and soda ash. Can I apply the same to Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Bisulfate, Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, Tri-Chlor, and Cal-Hypo?

If so, it should be this?

Sodium Carbonate, pre-dissolving it in a bucket of water and then pouring that slowly in front of a return
Sodium Bisulfate, pre-dissolving it in a bucket of water and then pouring that slowly in front of a return.
Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, spreading it across the surface of the deep end of the pool
Omega Chlor Sticks (Tri-Chlor), how do I put this in the pool?
Zappit Shock Treatment and Super Chlorinator (Cal-Hypo), how do I put this in the pool?

 

[pabeader]

But until you get a good test kit you won't know if you even need any of those things.

 

[Richard320]

Omega Chlor Sticksz

Thanks. I checked it out and see where to add bleach, baking soda, and soda ash. Can I apply the same to Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Bisulfate, Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, Tri-Chlor, and Cal-Hypo?

If so, it should be this?

Sodium Carbonate, pre-dissolving it in a bucket of water and then pouring that slowly in front of a return
Sodium Bisulfate, pre-dissolving it in a bucket of water and then pouring that slowly in front of a return.
Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, spreading it across the surface of the deep end of the pool
Omega Chlor Sticks (Tri-Chlor), how do I put this in the pool?
Zappit Shock Treatment and Super Chlorinator (Cal-Hypo), how do I put this in the pool?

Trichlor typically has a floater or an inline dispenser plumbed into the return. Pictures

Cal-hypo should get predissolved in a bucket and then treated like bleach. The two forms of chlorine should never be mixed. That's not to say you can't add both to the pool one at a time, just don't mix them together in anything smaller than a pool, even in the dry state.

 

[mgoblue]

Trichlor adds CYA along with the chlorine though, so you'll need to know all your test numbers and use the calculator to make sure you understand what adding things do to the chemistry of your pool.

Otherwise you're like I was just dumping shock and stuff and unknowingly creating a bad situation

 

[Grayson73]

Trichlor typically has a floater or an inline dispenser plumbed into the return. Pictures

Cal-hypo should get predissolved in a bucket and then treated like bleach. The two forms of chlorine should never be mixed. That's not to say you can't add both to the pool one at a time, just don't mix them together in anything smaller than a pool, even in the dry state.

I see. I'll have to see if I have one of those floaters. I can't just put it into the skimmer basket?

For Cal-hypo, my pool guy told us to pour it into the skimmer. Is there a reason it can't just be poured into the skimmer or deep end? Is it because it won't dissolve and will end up in the pool filter?

I don't have the TF100 yet, but I used the cheap kit that I have and got these numbers:

Chlorine 2.8
pH 8.1
Alkalinity 120

 

[ping]

You do not want highly chlorinated water flowing through your equipment as it can damage it or sitting on the pool surfaces as it will damage those also.

The pH needs to be kept in the 7's so use your dry acid to lower it. Learn to use PoolMath, see my signature to see how much to use of each chemical.

I can not give advice on the other levels as we do not have all the chem levels.

 

[Grayson73]

Thanks, I ordered the Swimline 8720 Large Capacity Floating Chlorine Dispenser for the Chlor sticks.

Amazon.com : Swimline 8720 Large Capacity Floating Chlorine Dispenser : Swimming Pool Chlorine : Patio, Lawn Garden

 

[Mr Bruce]

Thanks, I ordered the Swimline 8720 Large Capacity Floating Chlorine Dispenser for the Chlor sticks.

Amazon.com : Swimline 8720 Large Capacity Floating Chlorine Dispenser : Swimming Pool Chlorine : Patio, Lawn Garden

I have one of those. I have no idea where it is, I haven't used it in 2 years.

Read this Pool School - How to Chlorinate Your Pool

If you want a Trouble Free Pool you have to take some time to learn what the chemicals are you put in the pool and how they affect the pool and most importantly a good test kit.

 

[Grayson73]

Yeah, until I get the TF100, I'm alternating between the Tri-Chlor and Cal-Hypo so that neither CH nor CYA goes out of control. I feel like I should use these since the previous owner already bought them. When I run out, I'll only buy liquid bleach.

Actually, I guess I should keep some Tri-Chlor and Cal-Hypo in case I need to raise CH or CYA, correct?

 

[Isaac-1]

You would be better off using bleach which removes the chance of either CYA or CH getting too high

 

[Michael1]

You would be better off using bleach which removes the chance of either CYA or CH getting too high

+1 on this. If CYA or CH get too high, the only want to fix it is to replace some of the water. You can save yourself a lot of trouble by just going straight to bleach, which adds neither.