Using Chlorine Tabs

[dwstewart]

Hi,

I've just finished painting my pool and it is now being filled with fresh clean water. I'm happy to have found this site and forum and will be following the BBB system this summer. However, I have some chlorine tabs left over from last season. Would there be any problem with me using them up while still following your procedures?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

The key to the BBB method is to understand what you are adding to your pool and what it does. Trichlor adds chlorine, add CYA, and lowers PH. As long as you are aware of that, and either need those things done, or can compensate for them, you will be fine.

Right now you need both chlorine and CYA, but you probably don't want the PH coming down. You can compensate for the acidity of trichlor by adding soda ash/washing soda frequently to maintain the PH and TA. Keep all of that in mind, don't let CYA get too high, and you will be fine.

 

[anonapersona]

I hope you have a good test kit, for following the BBB method will require accurate tests. That said, you can use any of the chlorine sources... as long as you know what each adds to your pool. So you need to get familiar with the Pool Calculator on this site. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom where it will tell you, after you load in specifics about your pool, what each sort of chemical will do to the levels of stuff in your pool.

I keep a lot of tabs on hand, they keep a long time. Each one adds about 1 ppm of CYA to my pool so when I will be away for 10 days, and the inline feeder will use about one tab a day, I can be pretty sure that the CYA will be up by 10 when the 10 tabs are done. Getting ready for vacation season means I run the CYA on the low side until the trip, then when I get back I use bleach or cal-hypo for chlorination until CYA is low enough. I consider using the tabs a luxury, not an all the time thing. My pool-sitter also adds bleach, but not as often as I do. Just on weekends.

 

[Suziqzer]

Chlorine tabs are nice for vacations when you don't want to hassle someone else with monitoring your pool with testing and bleach. I have an SWG so just set it and let it go, but if I didn't I would be using the tabs too so I didn't have to worry that my brother forgot the pool for the week- He wouldn't forget to swim in it, just might forget the chlorine... Yikes!

 

[dwstewart]

Thanks all. I do have a good test kit as I ordered the TF-100 test kit. I like the idea of saving the trichlor tabs for vacations, etc. so will start off with bleach. Having gotten TA, Ph and Chlorine in range my challenge next is bringing up the CYA and Calcium. Seems like quite a bit of CYA will be needed to bring it up in range. Pool store the only option?

 

[Richard320]

I wonder how necessary Calcium is if your pool is painted. It's pretty hard to leach it out of the walls if they're sealed. Where's those darn professionals when you need them?

You can find CYA at any place that sets up a pool display during the summer. Walmart, Lowes, possibly Target, look around. They call it "stabilizer." Just read the ingredients to be sure. There's also dichlor shock, which is a powder that has chlorine and CYA in one.