Chlorine tablets or no tablets....kindly educate me

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nabril15

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Bronze Supporter
May 22, 2011
634
Miami, FL
Pool Size
16400
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
CircuPool RJ-45
Hello
1) I have read this forum and pool school, and I want to attempt the BBB method. As I understand it, it is cheaper than pool store stuff.
Those of you BBB'ers---where do you get your BBB's? Walmart? BJs/Costco? Is it really cheaper than the store stuff?

2) In reading I learned that while chlorine tablets help with the chlorine, they also add CYA which supresses chlorine's intended powers. Does this mean you BBB experts do not use the tablets?

3) I would live to post some numbers, but I dont have a digital test kit. I am contemplating a Colorq 2056 since I've read some good reviews.

I thank
 
I use tablets when appropriate. That means if I need CYA, I use them. Like everything we practice, it's just a matter of knowing how things affect your water.

It's not a lot cheaper on the surface, but since you have a better handle on your water, you seldom need things like algaecide, clarifiers etc., and you never need to just blast chemicals at a problem. You will always know what and how much you need to add to fix a problem.

Electronic testers have issues. It's hard to beat a Taylor K-2006 or the TF-100 from TFTestkits.net. A good test kit will pay for itself quickly.
 
BBB is not necessarily about saving money. It is putting you in charge of your own pool through education.

Digital testers are not yet of the quality of high quality drops based test kits.
 
nabril15 said:
Hello
1) I have read this forum and pool school, and I want to attempt the BBB method. As I understand it, it is cheaper than pool store stuff.
Those of you BBB'ers---where do you get your BBB's? Walmart? BJs/Costco? Is it really cheaper than the store stuff?

2) In reading I learned that while chlorine tablets help with the chlorine, they also add CYA which supresses chlorine's intended powers. Does this mean you BBB experts do not use the tablets?

3) I would live to post some numbers, but I dont have a digital test kit. I am contemplating a Colorq 2056 since I've read some good reviews.

I thank
Click to expand...

:wave: Hi and welcome to TFP!

1 - the "cheaper" aspect of BBB (if there is one) is that you are no longer susceptible to being pool stored into buying expensive, or blatantly wrong, products for your pool. The only product I buy from the pool store is muriatic acid (which Lowes and HD in my town do not sell), and high concentrate liquid chlorine when I open in the spring.

2 - I used tablets after opening because my CYA was a bit low at 20ppm. When it went up to 50 (where my pool likes it to be), then I switched to bleach.

3 - The best and most reliable/valid test kits are still the drop kits. Taylor K2006 and TF100 are two of the best.
 
so much to learn. Thanks all.
You see, in my mind CYA is a bad thing b/c it dimishes the power of chlorine to do it's thing. But I see that I need a healthy dose of it.

I will check out the 2 kits you've suggested.
 
This thread has gotten me thinking - What is the general consensus on Cal-Hypo tablets? I know Meijer in the Great Lakes region sells both Trichlor and Cal-Hypo tabs. Right now I am using Trichlor until I get sufficiently stabilized and I have been considering using the Cal-Hypo tabs to supplement the liquid chlorine after I stop using the Trichlor.
Does anybody have an opinion on their use?
 

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Cal-Hypo can be wonderful if you have very low CH levels. They are expensive as a rule but can be relatively cheap if you find them on sale.

I could probably use them all the time as we have zero CH in our fill water.
 
I've used cal-hypo tablets in the skimmer (they were made to be used in the skimmer.) I'm glad I only got a small bucket of them and I won't be using them again. My fill water is low enough in calcium that's not an issue. The issue is pH! I have a small problem with pH rising when using liquid chlorine; but it's a much bigger problem with cal-hypo. Not worth the effort.
 
If you know exactly what your pool needs at the time -- thanks to the Pool Calculator -- you can add the items you need either separately or in combination.

You need to get chlorine from somewhere. Cal-hypo adds calcium. Trichlor tabs add CYA. Bleach or "liquid shock" products do not add calcium or CYA. Salt requires specialized equipment to generate chlorine. I find that using cal-hypo or trichlor tabs for chlorine can give me the extra items for nearly free, if I need them. If I don't need those extras, I just use bleach.
 
thank you to all.
I am about to pull the trigger on the TF-100. Let's talk refills. Do they have to come from TF or can they be from the local store or other place?
 
nabril15 said:
thank you to all.
I am about to pull the trigger on the TF-100. Let's talk refills. Do they have to come from TF or can they be from the local store or other place?
Click to expand...
Either.

Generally, I order refills from tftestkits. But I forgot to order R-0012 once, so I picked up a bottle at the local Leslies, because shipping charge for one little bottle was too high. It's the same stuff; what's the difference between buying a Hershey bar at Safeway or at 7-11? Price. Although if you ever find R-0870 and R-0871 at a pool store, go buy a lottery ticket right away!
 
Richard320 said:
Generally, I order refills from tftestkits. But I forgot to order R-0012 once, so I picked up a bottle at the local Leslies, because shipping charge for one little bottle was too high. It's the same stuff; what's the difference between buying a Hershey bar at Safeway or at 7-11? Price. Although if you ever find R-0870 and R-0871 at a pool store, go buy a lottery ticket right away!
Click to expand...

Just bought r-0870 and R-0871 at the one sensible pool/spa store nearby last week although it was twice the price of TFTestkits. Then I lost my grip on the bottle and almost all my powder is now on my patio. :hammer: :grrrr:

I probably should have bought that lottery ticket...

The one thing they don't have available is borate strips. They said they could test my water for borates if I bring it in, but had never actually done that for anyone before. Two days later I got a call saying they'd "found" a borate test they could order for me, it'd be $12. It has 12 tests. I declined. I think I'll let them use their test for the first time and call it good once I know how much borates I lost from winterizing and add borate strips to my TFTestkits R-0870 refill order.

There are very few "Pool Stores" here... Most are pool/spa and "hearth" which I assume is because they have to stay in business during the 10 other months that nobody swims outdoors. When I asked about R-0870 and R-0871 they asked "who are you with?", I assume so as to apply my "industry" discount which saved me a whole .80 off a $60 refill order. (I am now kicking myself wishing I'd just ordered a new TF100 cuz it would have cost about the same. I enjoy buying locally and prefer to support the local economy if possible but at double the price of TFTestkits... Probably won't do that again).

As I contemplated the 11 gram bottle of R-0870 for $52, I called dad from the store to see if he wanted to go halfsies with me on it. Then I try to explain to dad why it's better than R-0001 and R-0002 for a while. Eventually I give up and say buh bye because dad just doesn't get it and I'm done bothering to explain... pool store guy gave me the "you can't win, he just doesn't get it" look.

So far, pool store isn't half bad. I did not utter the "b" word while in there, liquid chlorine got nods of approval so I left it at that.
 
RobbieH said:
You don't need to test borates unless you are running a borate pool (50ppm of borates, added on purpose).
Click to expand...

Well, we are, or rather... partially. Last year I put 50ppm worth in and didn't test, assuming 50ppm added should be about 50ppm in. We loved the result. I drained to below the fittings to winterize, and it rained all winter into the pool of course so this year I'm uncertain how much to put in to get back to 50pm.

I just need one test really, then I can calculate things properly for borates and forget about it till next year, maybe longer cuz I'm so NOT draining to winterize this year, it just made rain collect on the sunken down cover which then falls in. Freezing and snow isn't a huge issue here around here, the pumps would be the only concern with that. I see no reason to drain if I plug the fitting holes up tight and that way the cover can be tented higher than the edges of the pool and the rain SHOULD run right off... right?
 

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