Calcium Chloride COMPOUND and prices

[Household6]

If something is referred to as a COMPOUND, is that just a way of saying it has “other” ingredients in it? Example: 100% Calcium Chloride Compound.

If so, will any of the ingredients Snow Joe is now including in their red bag matter? (See photos)

Any input regarding a less expensive price for calcium hardness Increaser appreciated. My pool eats calcium - I need 118 lbs to open and probably another 300 lbs throughout the summer.

 

[ajw22]

You really want 100% calcium chloride. The compound stuff is 94.8% calcium chloride.

I would get the PoolMate 100% calcium chloride.

See this recent thread…

Which rock salt (Calcium Product) do you use?

I have low calcium sitting at about 125 and I need it to go up to about 250. I had added what appears to be the correct amount of calcium per the Pool math calculator on 2 separate occasions over the past couple of weeks but the 125 range remains the same. Which brand on Amazon do any of you...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[newdude]

To me, the questionable at best de-icers aren't usually worth it. If you find one that's 99% pure or more, great. But otherwise I like Puritech brand from Amazon. Saving money is always nice, but it won't break the bank to get a pure brand, and the possible headaches it saves are priceless.

 

[Randrx2]

A lot of people recommend the SnowJoe. The SDS (pictured) for the SnowJoe has it listed at 100%. However, the description has the other percentages shown.

Since those numbers are percentages, you can convert that based on 25 lbs.

• Most of the bag is calcium chloride or 23.7 lbs worth.
• The other main ingredient is salt, a little over half a pound. That will raise your salinity by 1.5ppm.
• The other ingredients are of such negligible amounts that they should have no effect on the pool water.
  • Magnesium chloride (0.4 oz or 2 teaspoons) - I think they sell this as a diet supplement. Not saying its good for you, but its such a small amount in the overall pool.
  • Calcium hydroxide (0.32 oz or 2 teaspoons) - another food additive. However, it is inorganic and it is calcium, oxygen, and hydrogen. Very small amount.
  • Calcium sulfate (0.04 oz) or about 1/5th of a teaspoon) - basically desiccant. Calcium and sulfur.
• There is another 2.5% that is not listed. Which is a little over half a pound of something or error. The amounts are probably negligible enough not to list.

Hope this helps.

 

[duraleigh]

If that was my pool, I would be far more concerned about WHY you are adding so much calcium.

Can you post current test results?

 

[Household6]

If that was my pool, I would be far more concerned about WHY you are adding so much calcium.

Can you post current test results?

I’ve asked about it for at least a few years on here and nobody seems to be able to figure it out! My best guess has been there’s something in the paint we have used that eats it.

Results from first tests I’ve ran this year (a few days ago):

------------------------------------------
Test Results 03-01-2023 @ 12:44 PM
------------------------------------------
Free Chlorine: 0.0
pH: 7.9
Total Alkalinity: 40
Calcium Hardness: 220
CYA: 50

 

[Household6]

This is interesting . . .

Appears neither PoolMate nor PuriTech brands are 100% calcium chloride either.

Evidence used to make chart in next post.

 

[Household6]

This is interesting . . .

Appears neither PoolMate nor PuriTech brands are 100% calcium chloride either.

Evidence used to make chart in next post.

 

[Household6]

You really want 100% calcium chloride. The compound stuff is 94.8% calcium chloride.

I would get the PoolMate 100% calcium chloride.

See this recent thread…

Which rock salt (Calcium Product) do you use?

I have low calcium sitting at about 125 and I need it to go up to about 250. I had added what appears to be the correct amount of calcium per the Pool math calculator on 2 separate occasions over the past couple of weeks but the 125 range remains the same. Which brand on Amazon do any of you...

www.troublefreepool.com

Appears PoolMate isn’t 100%

 

[Household6]

To me, the questionable at best de-icers aren't usually worth it. If you find one that's 99% pure or more, great. But otherwise I like Puritech brand from Amazon. Saving money is always nice, but it won't break the bank to get a pure brand, and the possible headaches it saves are priceless.

Appears PuriTech is no better than SnowJoe or Pool Mate.

 

[newdude]

Appears PuriTech is no better than SnowJoe or Pool Mate.

Whattayagonnado

 

[Household6]

A lot of people recommend the SnowJoe. The SDS (pictured) for the SnowJoe has it listed at 100%. However, the description has the other percentages shown.

Since those numbers are percentages, you can convert that based on 25 lbs.

• Most of the bag is calcium chloride or 23.7 lbs worth.
• The other main ingredient is salt, a little over half a pound. That will raise your salinity by 1.5ppm.
• The other ingredients are of such negligible amounts that they should have no effect on the pool water.
  • Magnesium chloride (0.4 oz or 2 teaspoons) - I think they sell this as a diet supplement. Not saying its good for you, but its such a small amount in the overall pool.
  • Calcium hydroxide (0.32 oz or 2 teaspoons) - another food additive. However, it is inorganic and it is calcium, oxygen, and hydrogen. Very small amount.
  • Calcium sulfate (0.04 oz) or about 1/5th of a teaspoon) - basically desiccant. Calcium and sulfur.
• There is another 2.5% that is not listed. Which is a little over half a pound of something or error. The amounts are probably negligible enough not to list.

Hope this helps.

This does help, sorta.
What I’m gathering is that 100% CaCl is not available, at least not that I can find.

I was just about to fork out the add’l money for PuriTech brand because I’ve used Pool Mate brand before with same results as SnowJoe. Went back and scanned Amazon reviews for specifics. Using pool math calculations, appears all 3 of these brands are a Calcium Chloride Dihydrate.

Cost of 125 lbs of each:
PuriTech - $255
PoolMate - $217
SnowJoe - $90

 

[Household6]

Whattayagonnado

Appearing it’s a $165 difference for the same product, I’m ordering SnowJoe so I can at least get things started on the right direction.

I await info and direction from @duraleigh (and I hope @chem geek) for their input.

I’m wondering if the other junk is reacting with something and dragging the hardness down. And if it is, where might I attain true and pure calcium chloride!

 

[Toxophilite]

I’ve asked about it for at least a few years on here and nobody seems to be able to figure it out! My best guess has been there’s something in the paint we have used that eats it.

Lived through exact same thing. Slow, but persistent steady decline in CH instead of any stability. When I added up how much increaser I had added to pool in pool math, during a very dry season, it was obvious to me it was going out via water loss. A slow but imperceptible leakage, which just this week a leak detection company finally found and narrowed down potential source.

As for others' opinions on such, think this about that. Many deal with high CH in their fill water, so they fight a completely different battle. For these folks, you are in a good spot, having only to add a bit as you go to keep up CH. It's all relative to so many different areas and other factors. If my fill water was say, 225, how could I have possibly ever noticed a 20-30 ppm loss over a month with normal pool water make-up.

 

[Household6]

Lived through exact same thing. Slow, but persistent steady decline in CH instead of any stability. When I added up how much increaser I had added to pool in pool math, during a very dry season, it was obvious to me it was going out via water loss. A slow but imperceptible leakage, which just this week a leak detection company finally found and narrowed down potential source.

As for others' opinions on such, think this about that. Many deal with high CH in their fill water, so they fight a completely different battle. For these folks, you are in a good spot, having only to add a bit as you go to keep up CH. It's all relative to so many different areas and other factors. If my fill water was say, 225, how could I have possibly ever noticed a 20-30 ppm loss over a month with normal pool water make-up.

I’d love fill water with 225! Tested mine yesterday and it’s 30! (Yes, thirty!)

But if the reason for the low CH was the fill water, I’d also be experiencing a constant drop in CYA, and I’m not.

 

[Toxophilite]

I’d love fill water with 225! Tested mine yesterday and it’s 30! (Yes, thirty!)

But if the reason for the low CH was the fill water, I’d also be experiencing a constant drop in CYA, and I’m not.

Fill water with that high CH would cause you issue. It builds. Water evaporates but the calcium stays. Every refill from you fill water is just adding more till it's sky high and have to drain off to dilute pool. Mine is 40, and with 30, you should be able to maintain a steady CH level with rain event overflills and splashout once set by adding increaser.

The reason for low CH is not the fill water, as every fill no matter the CH of fill water is just adding more. It's got to be leaving your pool in a undetectable leak somewhere. You are losing 200 CH water and replacing it with 30. How are you chlorinating? Tabs?

 

[Household6]

Fill water with that high CH would cause you issue. It builds. Water evaporates but the calcium stays. Every refill from you fill water is just adding more till it's sky high and have to drain off to dilute pool. Mine is 40, but with 30, you should be able to maintain a steady CH level once set by adding increaser.

The reason for low CH is not the fill water. It's got to be leaving your pool in an undetectable leak somewhere. You are losing 200 CH water and replacing it with 30. How are you chlorinating? Tabs?

Tabs . . . you gotta be kidding! I’d lynch myself before I did such! Lol!
I will admit to looking into Cal Hypo, but adding LC and CaCl separately are still less expensive.

 

[Toxophilite]

Tabs . . . you gotta be kidding! I’d lynch myself before I did such! Lol!
I will admit to looking into Cal Hypo, but adding LC and CaCl separately are still less expensive.

Then on the CYA question all can say is that mine didn't vary near as much as I noticed CH loss. My leak was in spa, and estimated about 100 gallons in 24 hour period. Hardly noticeable on pool volume. So, in one month that equated to around 20% of total water volume. Which correlated with the calcium loss rate pretty close. If it were not for being in the spa, and being able to see that small amount's effect on my spa tile line, would have never known to go looking in the first place. That, and knowing calcium just doesn't up and leave.

 

[Animal827]

I came here to find better alternatives to buying pool store/brand Calcium Chloride. Interesting about the snow melt products...
In my experience, my loss in CH or inability to significantly raise it came down to two things:
1. A leak in the pool or plumbing
2. Inaccurate testing - bad kits and/or expired reagents
My limited knowledge explains that draining and refilling (or leaking) is really the only way to reduce CH...though I have "heard" others claim Flocculant might help, but I have serious doubts about that (and never had tried it). I am always trying to raise my CH.

 

[newdude]

I am always trying to raise my CH.

For the most part, anyone on the east coast needs to add Calcium due to rain dilution. We average 4 ft of precipitation up here annually and they push 5 ft in the Southeast.