What is the best additive to use to raise CH? Any old bag of calcium chloride in the pool store will do? Or is a certain type best? And can it be bought at HD, Lowes, etc. cheaper than a pool store? I have to go from zero to around 150 after initial fill and fresh DB plaster.
Calcium Hardness and new plaster
- Thread starter jtech1
- Start date
From pool-school/recommended_pool_chemicals
Calcium hardness can be raised with calcium chloride or calcium chloride dihydrate. They are available in some areas as Peladow, Dowflake, Tetra Flake, or Tetra 94, often sold as a deicer by hardware stores, and some big box stores, in colder climates. Pool stores will carry either calcium chloride or calcium chloride dihydrate under a variety of names, including Hardness Plus, Balance Pak 300, Calcium Hardness Increaser, etc. Calcium products should be spread across the surface of the deep end of the pool.
Calcium hardness can be raised with calcium chloride or calcium chloride dihydrate. They are available in some areas as Peladow, Dowflake, Tetra Flake, or Tetra 94, often sold as a deicer by hardware stores, and some big box stores, in colder climates. Pool stores will carry either calcium chloride or calcium chloride dihydrate under a variety of names, including Hardness Plus, Balance Pak 300, Calcium Hardness Increaser, etc. Calcium products should be spread across the surface of the deep end of the pool.
Ah. Thanks. I just stopped at two places this afternoon. One had only 10lb containers labeled as 100% calcium chloride... nothing about purity or which type it was. The other store had 50 lb bags of a no name "from china" calcium chloride that was labeled "minimum 77%"... I guess meaning that up to 12 lbs or so may be junk? 
No mention about purity. I have not been able to find a name brand yet.
No mention about purity. I have not been able to find a name brand yet.After going through the threads here, I see a lot of comments about the importance of making sure the pool salt you use has no other additives or junk added... does the same apply to calcium chloride to raise hardness? Should I be suspicious of these 50 lb bags at my local pool store for $29.95 that have no name or ingredient list except "minimum 77%"??