Hey everyone I was just wondering what your preference is about putting chlorine pucks in the skimmer vs a floater? I have a solar cover and I’m going to be gone for 4 days and want to prepare for it
Thoughts on chlorine pucks in skimmer or a floater?
- Thread starter JeremyH
- Start date
Never deposit chlorine tabs in the skimmer, when using a floater insure that it’s not allowed to sit stationary directly over a seat or steps.
Yea I just assumed if it is in the skimmer it would destroy that pump
I only use liquid chlorine. Unless absolutely needed to use tabsI just had my pool refinished, and the company they had manage the water for 2 weeks after plaster did exactly this. I actually removed them and placed in a floater because it seemed wrong to me. This company also tried to sell me on a $160/mo winter water management program.
Used to put in skimmer. Over time, the left over deposits wound up clogging the holes in the skimmer basket. Now only in a floater
The reason you don't want to leave it in the skimmer is because when your pump turns off, the water in the skimmer will get extremely acidic and when the pump turns back on, it would be getting a dosage of very acidic water that could cause damage to the equipment.
The only way I would leave pucks in the skimmer basket is if I was running the pool pump 24 hours, but even still, it's better to have the floater at the deep end of your pool where it could mix properly.
The only way I would leave pucks in the skimmer basket is if I was running the pool pump 24 hours, but even still, it's better to have the floater at the deep end of your pool where it could mix properly.
I think it depends on your system. If you have an automatic cover or a solar cover, then floaters do not work well and chlorine will be poorly disbursed. If they are in the skimmer, the pump should be running 24/7 and ideally you have a variable pump and can run low rpm.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,944
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
The product is not 'disbursed' by the container floating around. The water disburses it just fine.
I feel with the auto cover or solar cover, the floater will be easier to keep at the deep end of the pool since the water won't be affected by the wind?
If I close my autocover on a floater, it drags the floater to the shallow end. I wedge the floater in the corner of the pool where the spa dam is, which happens to keep it near a return and away from skimmers, before closing the cover.
From my experience putting pucks in a floater will not distribute enough chlorine especially for a pool your size. I tried this for 7 days and the 2 pucks I put in the floater were still around 80% of their original size.
Putting pucks in the skimmer basket will dissolve them quite fast but the only safe way of doing this is if you are running your pump 24/7. If you shut off your pump at all, the local water around the skimmer will become highly chlorinated (which will bleach your liner) and very acidic (will make your liner wrinkle and become very brittle). I recently had to replace my liner because the previous home owners would leave pucks in the skimmer with pump shut off. The liner around the skimmer was bleached white and had visible tears from how brittle it was.
For 4 days I would bring pool to SLAM levels a and put a winter cover on. As long as your pool is clean and nothing is really eating up your chorine, you still should have ample amount left in the pool when you get back. Or get a neighbour or good friend to come and some chlorine on the second day.
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