I have a couple questions regarding the use of Trichlor tabs using an in-line chlorinator. The questions are listed below if folks would like to skip the background, sorry if the background is a little long but I think I over thinking this instead of keeping it simple but I would like to understand using trichlor better and the background explains why I am considering using the tabs.
Also, I know trichlor tabs are not recommend because of the CYA/Ph it add so again i’m asking these questions to educate myself further on their use. I am considering switching to a SWG but in the meantime I would like to go back to using the Trichlor tabs for it’s convenience.
Just so folks know, I inherited the pool from my father when he passed a few years ago. The pool is over 35yrs old (it was re-surfaced in 2014). My father used a hybrid BBB method that is He stayed away from the pool store as much as possible, did his own testing, used Muriac acid/backing soda along with the trichlor tabs while also using poly 60 and he would “super chlorinate” with powdered shock about once a week. Although I had old test kits where he tested for calcium hardness and probably CYA etc, the last few years when I helped him he only tested for Free/combined chlorine and for TA/Ph. He did not bother too much with CYA unless it was low to start the season with. Also he was retired for at least half the time he owned the pool and he was probably out there every day or other day brushing the pool.
In any case he never seemed to have a problem with the pool, he did say he had an algae bloom once which I don’t recall but the water was always crystal clear even using the trichlor tabs. I imagine he did not have a problem because we live in MA, the season is only 5 month long (from mid may to mid Oct) and between pool use, backwashing and rain there was a good amount of water replacement.
I Inherited the pool about 3yrs ago and have a love/hate relationship with it. I have also been struggling a bit with it. Although I grew up with the pool and helped my father with it towards the end, I really did not learn what I should have when he was around so I am not quite a begginer but I am not an expert either and still trying to find my way.
In the first year we did not open the pool until July and it was a mess. At this point I found trouble free pools and was using the TF100 test kit but was not confident in my results so I would go to the pool store to check my results. Just when I got the pool sorted out, the pool store (as I was warned here would do) was pushing phosphate remover. Since it was only about $7 bucks (it was on sale), I bought to be nice since the testing was free. I was not going to use it but I did (as it said you could put it in the pool and swim 15 minutes later) and that turned out to be another two week mess which I will never reapeat. By the time everything was settled the year was over.
The second year I was going to split how I was using the chlorine. For the first half May/June, I was going to use liquid chlorine and then in July I as going to switch over to trichlor. The reason was for convenience and because we usually go on vacation toward the end of July/August and to help manage CYA levels. Using the liquid chlorine worked out well but when I switched to the tabs it seemed to work for a week or two. After a week or two although the CC levels never got past .2 it was always under .5 , I did start seeing some green that looked like Algae, around the pool including the string for thermostat, around the plastic flap of the skimmer and I believe there a little on the walls in a spot or two. I was not sure if this was because I was not brushing enough or I switched from running the pump from 12 hours to about 9 (as we only get full sun for about 4+ hours a day) or because of the switch to the trichlor (FC was still within target for CYA through the week or two). I then switched back to liquid chlorine for the rest of the year and switched back to 12 hrs running the pump.
Last year I stayed with liquid chlorine. When it turned hot in mid July I did start using a little poly 60 and although the pool is not used that much when it was used I did “super chlorinate it a couple times” afterwards. The readings were all fine and did not have any problems with the algae.
I should note that the last two years my CYA started high about 60 but since I only used tabs when I went on vacation (and stopped using them after a week or two the previous year) it never got past 60 and actually came down to 50.
Although I did not have any problems, I did start to smell a little bit of chlorine. It was not overpowering but I had one or two people say they could smell it when they were outside the pool and then I thought I was smelling it also. Again it was not that strong but seemed strong than I ever remember it. Interestingly my CC’s stayed below .5 mostly at .2 or less so I don’t know if I was starting to get chlorine lock or I was just imagining it but it did bother me.
On the positive side last year I did find a bit of a grove that is I started to learn how much chlorine to add each day without measuring and how much acid I could put in. However it did get to be a pain lugging the bottles around.
So for convenience and with the short season (we have a full winter close, where we empty the water about 1/3 and put on a hardcover.) I am considering going back to using the Trichlor tabs with an inline feeder but I have the following questions.
Again sorry for the long post but I am just trying to educate myself more and I appreciate any thoughts!!
Also, I know trichlor tabs are not recommend because of the CYA/Ph it add so again i’m asking these questions to educate myself further on their use. I am considering switching to a SWG but in the meantime I would like to go back to using the Trichlor tabs for it’s convenience.
Just so folks know, I inherited the pool from my father when he passed a few years ago. The pool is over 35yrs old (it was re-surfaced in 2014). My father used a hybrid BBB method that is He stayed away from the pool store as much as possible, did his own testing, used Muriac acid/backing soda along with the trichlor tabs while also using poly 60 and he would “super chlorinate” with powdered shock about once a week. Although I had old test kits where he tested for calcium hardness and probably CYA etc, the last few years when I helped him he only tested for Free/combined chlorine and for TA/Ph. He did not bother too much with CYA unless it was low to start the season with. Also he was retired for at least half the time he owned the pool and he was probably out there every day or other day brushing the pool.
In any case he never seemed to have a problem with the pool, he did say he had an algae bloom once which I don’t recall but the water was always crystal clear even using the trichlor tabs. I imagine he did not have a problem because we live in MA, the season is only 5 month long (from mid may to mid Oct) and between pool use, backwashing and rain there was a good amount of water replacement.
I Inherited the pool about 3yrs ago and have a love/hate relationship with it. I have also been struggling a bit with it. Although I grew up with the pool and helped my father with it towards the end, I really did not learn what I should have when he was around so I am not quite a begginer but I am not an expert either and still trying to find my way.
In the first year we did not open the pool until July and it was a mess. At this point I found trouble free pools and was using the TF100 test kit but was not confident in my results so I would go to the pool store to check my results. Just when I got the pool sorted out, the pool store (as I was warned here would do) was pushing phosphate remover. Since it was only about $7 bucks (it was on sale), I bought to be nice since the testing was free. I was not going to use it but I did (as it said you could put it in the pool and swim 15 minutes later) and that turned out to be another two week mess which I will never reapeat. By the time everything was settled the year was over.
The second year I was going to split how I was using the chlorine. For the first half May/June, I was going to use liquid chlorine and then in July I as going to switch over to trichlor. The reason was for convenience and because we usually go on vacation toward the end of July/August and to help manage CYA levels. Using the liquid chlorine worked out well but when I switched to the tabs it seemed to work for a week or two. After a week or two although the CC levels never got past .2 it was always under .5 , I did start seeing some green that looked like Algae, around the pool including the string for thermostat, around the plastic flap of the skimmer and I believe there a little on the walls in a spot or two. I was not sure if this was because I was not brushing enough or I switched from running the pump from 12 hours to about 9 (as we only get full sun for about 4+ hours a day) or because of the switch to the trichlor (FC was still within target for CYA through the week or two). I then switched back to liquid chlorine for the rest of the year and switched back to 12 hrs running the pump.
Last year I stayed with liquid chlorine. When it turned hot in mid July I did start using a little poly 60 and although the pool is not used that much when it was used I did “super chlorinate it a couple times” afterwards. The readings were all fine and did not have any problems with the algae.
I should note that the last two years my CYA started high about 60 but since I only used tabs when I went on vacation (and stopped using them after a week or two the previous year) it never got past 60 and actually came down to 50.
Although I did not have any problems, I did start to smell a little bit of chlorine. It was not overpowering but I had one or two people say they could smell it when they were outside the pool and then I thought I was smelling it also. Again it was not that strong but seemed strong than I ever remember it. Interestingly my CC’s stayed below .5 mostly at .2 or less so I don’t know if I was starting to get chlorine lock or I was just imagining it but it did bother me.
On the positive side last year I did find a bit of a grove that is I started to learn how much chlorine to add each day without measuring and how much acid I could put in. However it did get to be a pain lugging the bottles around.
So for convenience and with the short season (we have a full winter close, where we empty the water about 1/3 and put on a hardcover.) I am considering going back to using the Trichlor tabs with an inline feeder but I have the following questions.
- When using an in-line chlorinator, since it is continually feeding chlorine to the pool, unlike using liquid (if you don’t have a pump) would this be more like using a SWG? Should I be following the Chlorine/CYA for SWG?
- Similar to question 1, if I use the trichlor and the more traditional method including “super chlorinating” and using poly 60 would I only need to keep the FC at around 3-5 (as my father did), would that be enough to keep the pool sanitized even if the CYA goes higher?
- I know having a CYA over a certain point is a disaster but if using this method does the CYA matter less as long as I don’t go over a certain point (I will still be testing and watching it). If it goes up to 80 or 90 for example would I still be ok (again remember this is a short season)?
- I hope this question makes sense, in my head it does but so doesn’t a lot of other things…anyway two years ago when I switched to trichlor tabs in the middle of the season when it was hot, I started seeing Algae on the thermometer string and a bit around the skimmer etc after about a week or two, even though FC levels were within target for CYA. Could this have been because was this because the trichlor needs to “build up”. (I am not quite sure how to explain what I mean by build up). When I say “build up” I don’t mean in terms of the FC getting to a certain point, it was already at the target for CYA when I switched. In the past when we used trichlor it was used starting at the beginning of the year when the weather was still colder. When I switched it was when it was hotter. So would the trichlor need some time to build up in the pool, would it need to deliver a certain amount for a certain time to stabilize the water?
- Finally with such a short season would people still recommend SWG if my goal is not having to lug bottles of chlorine around, deal with chemicals and have to do a daily dose? Also I am aware that you need to clean the cells every so often and if you are going to slam you need to use liquid to do so but I am ok with that, I just want low maintaince?
Again sorry for the long post but I am just trying to educate myself more and I appreciate any thoughts!!
I'll get right to your questions:
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