Walmart Bleach vs. Pool Store Bleach

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stevenm

stevenm

0
Sep 1, 2012
27
Camillus, NY
I called up a couple of pool places and checked the prices of Walmart bleach online, and I've come up with the following. The amounts indicated are values from the Pool Calculator based on my pool. I only have cal-hypo in there for comparison purposes.

Anyone see anything wrong with my math?

Example - Raise FC from 3ppm to 11ppm

BLEACH

Required:
  • 443 oz. of 6% bleach - or -[/*:m:2uiica3i]
  • 213 oz. of 12.5% bleach[/*:m:2uiica3i]

Great Value Bleach (1.42 gal. @ 6%): $2.98 (price per gallon: $2.10, price per ounce: $0.0163952464788732)
Great Value Bleach (0.75 gal. @ 6%): $1.64 (price per gallon: $2.19, price per ounce: $0.0170833333333333)
Tarson Pool & Spa (5 gal. @ 12.5%): $13.99 (price per gallon: $2.80, price per ounce: $0.021859375)
Syracuse Pool & Patio (5 gal @ 12.5%): $15.99 (price per gallon: $3.20, price per ounce: $0.024984375)
Clean-All Pool Products (5 gal @ 12.5%): $14.00 (price per gallon: $2.80, price per ounce: $0.021875)
Cool Waters Pool & Spa (5 gal @ 12.5%): $12.99 (price per gallon: $2.60, price per ounce: $0.020296875)
Galeville Pool Supply (5 gal @ 12.5%): $14.99 (price per gallon: $3.00, price per ounce: $0.023421875)
Liverpool Pool & Spa (5 gal @ 12.5%): $13.85 (price per gallon: $2.77, price per ounce: $0.021640625)

Total cost w/ 6% bleach (443 oz.): $7.26
Total cost w/ 12.5% bleach (213 oz.): $4.32

CAL-HYPO

Required:
  • 39 oz. of 73% calcium hypochlorite[/*:m:2uiica3i]

Doheny's Super Shock Plus: $3.29/lb

Total cost (3 bags): $9.87
 
Looks right to me ... just realize the 12.5% bleach has a shorter shelf life and will loose strength, so you do not want to stock up a LOT ... also realize that how the chlorine is stored (temp and sun exposure) affects its strength.
 
jblizzle said:
Looks right to me ... just realize the 12.5% bleach has a shorter shelf life and will loos strength, so you do not want to stock up a LOT ... also realize the how the chlorine is stored (temp and sun exposure) affects its strength.
Click to expand...

Yep! I've already read all about the pros and cons of bleach. You've got a very comprehensive forum here, remember. :goodjob:

I'm currently battling algae, so it's not going to go to waste. Updated the OP with some additional pricing information for those in the Syracuse, NY area. Found a lower price too! :party:
 
Actually, I see the figures differently.
It appears the way you are calculating the bleach cost is by simply dividing the cost of the container/bottle by the number of ounces in that container/bottle.

This is fine if you are comparing all the same percentage, not ideal, but it does work in the end.
But as you can see, your figures from the pool stores where they sell a higher percentage of bleach, the cost/oz. actually ends up being higher this way. This is because it doesn't take into account the percentage/oz. nor the total oz. of full CL concentration that you get per container/bottle, IE. the undiluted total chlorine if you will.

In the end, you came out OK because you used the pool calc to tell you how much of each percentage you'd need to reach your target shock numbers in your pool. So the end figures appear to be correct, IE. the ammount you are spending at the store.

The correct formula for figuring out the cost per CL oz. is as follows. Note, this is not in "math form" haha, it's in laymans form. Like me, I'm a math layman. :)

Multiply the number of ounces by the CL concentration in decimal form, then divide the cost by that.
So here's what I did for the 182oz 6% Walnasty bleach.
182x0.06=10.92
2.98/10.92=0.2728937728937729
That comes to: 27c/CL Oz.

For the pool store, cheapest one there @ Cool Waters Pool & Spa.
640x0.125=80
12.99/80=0.162375
That comes to an insanely low price of: 16c/CL Oz.

Note, if you need bleach in a pinch and the pool store is closed, Kroger is muuuccchhh cheaper than Walnasty. Kroger is about 24c/CL Oz.
At least it is here and seeing that your Walnasty price is the same as mine, being that these are natl. chains, it should be the same. That's for the 182oz unscented jug btw.

Also, search around the forum and you'll find some ways of rigging up siphon systems, and auto feeder systems using your pool store container and the like, for handling your much stronger concentration of bleach and heavier container too.
 
I did the same math comparing Wal-Mart Great Value and Pinch-A-Penny liquid chlorine. I get the same 27c/CL Oz for Wal-Mart stuff.

Pinch-A-Penny has 2.5 gal (320 Oz) @10.5% (I've rounded that to 10% due to some comments I've read here.) Refills are $4.75 for 32 oz CL, which works out to 15c/CL Oz.

I'll stock some Wal-Mart GV for when I can't get to the pool store, but I'll rely on the 15-cent stuff from P-A-P.
 
You may find a need to somehow add in the value added by using Cal-Hypo WHEN YOU NEED CALCIUM.

That is, if you ALSO need to add some calcium, you may find that the calcium part of Cal-Hypo is nearly free compared to buying calcium increaser.

Plus, it keeps a long, long time, compared to liquid chlorine. IME, it is wise to keep Cal-hypo on hand for that purpose, or for major shocking needs (as in something dead in the pool or other crisis)
 
I should also add to this that I have discovered, at least here in Oregon that Kroger's 182oz jugs of 6% bleach are actually 8%!!!
This I found out through adding it to my pool /w the FAS-DPD test, I had previously been using my el-cheapo OTO block due to lack of funds. Wondering why I was getting such off the wall results, I finally nailed their reason why once got the proper kit with better precision. No scratch that, the kit "has" precision, OTO although useful, does not.

So @ $2.69 here for one of their jugs, it makes it 18.5c/CL oz. COOL!
If it is indeed 8.5%, then that's 17.4c/CL oz.
I don't have the pipettes and beakers to accurately test the CL concentration of the jug, nor the Taylor test that does the same thing for that matter. But I now have accurate results from using 8% in the pool calc. Yaaayyyyy!!
 
pappy19 said:
I have been using the Clorox 8.5% from Costco which comes in 3-1 gallon containers in a box and is way cheaper than buying them from a grocery store.
Click to expand...

Last I checked with Fred Meyer, Kroger gets their bleach from Clorox. HEHE
What do you pay @ Costco?
Are they 128oz or 182oz ea?
 
You also might need to look at the bottle. Most have gone to 8.25% so you will need to change that in the pool calculator. Most sodium hypochlorite is manufactured by the same company and just gets a different label. It's kinda like duracell and CVS batteries come from the same plant. With bleach just look for the freshest stuff. It should have a date code on it like 12 281 10:30 TX and is read as 2012, 281st day, time in 24h, and state of manufacture.
 

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jcowart said:
You also might need to look at the bottle. Most have gone to 8.25% so you will need to change that in the pool calculator. Most sodium hypochlorite is manufactured by the same company and just gets a different label. It's kinda like duracell and CVS batteries come from the same plant. With bleach just look for the freshest stuff. It should have a date code on it like 12 281 10:30 TX and is read as 2012, 281st day, time in 24h, and state of manufacture.
Click to expand...

Yup, says 6% on it, just checked. No one here has switched over to the new 8.25% yet. =\
I'm guessing they just haven't bothered changing the labels, but instead are filling them /w the new concentration until they run out of the old labels. Seeing as it's new stock.

Oh yeah, I totally get that with products, there are only so many manufacturers.
Did you know your Dell, Gateway, HP, Sony, Toshiba, etc.. isn't even made by them, they're made by just a handful of companies in Taiwan for those big name resellers here in the states? HEHE

Yeah, I always check the date code, it's always right around 12mo out +/- a month.
 
pappy19 said:
The Costco is 121 oz per jug and about 2.37/jug the way I calculate it.

Pap
Click to expand...

If that number of ounces and price per jug is correct, that's 24c/CL oz.
Not a very good price, I'm paying far, far less than that per CL oz.

I don't buy into the Kool-Aid that Clorox is any better for my pool than any other "quality" brand. I must emphasize quality though.

I know all about the differences in trace metals, lye levels, all that stuff.
 
jcowart said:
You also might need to look at the bottle. Most have gone to 8.25% so you will need to change that in the pool calculator. Most sodium hypochlorite is manufactured by the same company and just gets a different label. It's kinda like duracell and CVS batteries come from the same plant. With bleach just look for the freshest stuff. It should have a date code on it like 12 281 10:30 TX and is read as 2012, 281st day, time in 24h, and state of manufacture.
Click to expand...

Searched the site specifically for this very info (the date stamp decode). Thanks! :goodjob:
 
:wave: Welcome to TFP Bruso95993

That's the calculator I always used but now I see it's a dead link. I don't see anything like it in pool math either ??
 
Kiss4aFrog said:
:wave: Welcome to TFP Bruso95993

That's the calculator I always used but now I see it's a dead link. I don't see anything like it in pool math either ??
Click to expand...

IIRC, click where you would select a pool and there should be a calculator listed at the bottom.

FYI, I did contact the developer of that online calculator and let him know the page was down.
 
jblizzle said:
IIRC, click where you would select a pool and there should be a calculator listed at the bottom.

FYI, I did contact the developer of that online calculator and let him know the page was down.
Click to expand...
The Pool Math app has the bleach calculator in the upper left drop-down menu:

I only wish after calculating, it gave you a eating on whether or not it's a good price, mediocre, etc. :)
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