Tablets over winter

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bubbles^2

Well-known member
Jul 2, 2021
117
Arizona
Our winters are very short, but there is a few weeks that the SWG is no longer producing because of the lower water temperature. I also find in the spring I have to end up adding quite a bit of CYA to bring the levels up. Because of these two factors I'm considering utilizing some chlorine tablets over the winter. If I keep an eye on the CYA and not allow it to rise too high, I think this would work in terms of pool chemical maintenance, at least during the few weeks that the SWG is effectively off. Currently looking at getting a few pounds, and it looks like HTN would be the easiest to get. I believe it has a clarifier and algacide which really wouldn't benefit me much.

I can't be the only person that has thought this, anyone have any experience doing so?

Thank you.
 
Get plain old trichlor tabs without the clarifier and algacide and put 'em in a floater. Your idea has merit, but no need to add extra chems that are not TFP recommended.

I do this sometimes in winter because my pool is covered and uses very little FC in winter. I keep an eye on the CYA and it's all good in spring when swimming season begins.
 
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bubbles^2 said:
Our winters are very short, but there is a few weeks that the SWG is no longer producing because of the lower water temperature. I also find in the spring I have to end up adding quite a bit of CYA to bring the levels up. Because of these two factors I'm considering utilizing some chlorine tablets over the winter. If I keep an eye on the CYA and not allow it to rise too high, I think this would work in terms of pool chemical maintenance, at least during the few weeks that the SWG is effectively off. Currently looking at getting a few pounds, and it looks like HTN would be the easiest to get. I believe it has a clarifier and algacide which really wouldn't benefit me much.

I can't be the only person that has thought this, anyone have any experience doing so?

Thank you.
Click to expand...
Use plain trichlor tabs, no algaecide (likely copper). Inhave experience doing just that and let my floater do its thing all winter.
 
Thank you. Now the challenge might be to find chlorine tablets without the additional extras, seems all I can find locally are the same HTN tablets with the algaecide and clarifier.

Edit: forgive me, but it looks like Leslies might have chlorine only tablets...not terrible pricing either.
 
bubbles^2 said:
Edit: forgive me, but it looks like Leslies might have chlorine only tablets...not terrible pricing either.
Click to expand...
There are no "chlorine only" tablets. All tabs use a binder (CYA, or Calcium).
Tri-chlor tablets have chlorine and CYA. (Most readily available)
CalHypo tablets have chlorine and Calcium. (Less readily available)
Di-chlor tablets have chlorine and CYA. (rare, but they exist)

NEVER mix the two tablets, and never put one in a floater that has seen the other. Use a floater, and only put the same type of tab in the floater.

NEVER put a puck in a skimmer. Use a floater.
 
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Apologizes I misspoke, I meant chlorine only ie no clarifier or algaecide. Chlorine is a gas normally so it need something to bind to make it solid, and the CYA is the reason to avoid using tablets full time. In my case, the CYA actually might help me a bit, as I find I always have to add a bit of CYA in the spring.

I definitely need to avoid the ones that have calcium as our pool already has a pretty high calcium hardness.
 
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You will have to experiment.

Each puck will add 3FC and 2 CYA to your pool. It will depend on your water temperature etc.

Let's ask @proavia he's in NV.
 
PoolStored said:
Let's ask @proavia he's in NV.
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Actually AZ - but still the desert southwest. ;)

I use liquid chlorine in winter when my SWG stops producing.
One gallon of chlorine lasts me 3-ish weeks usually. Last winter I used a total of 2 gallons of 12.5% liquid chlorine all winter.

You can use tabs, but keep your CYA in check. Use the FC/CYA Levels chart. Keep chlorine near the upper end of target range for your CYA. Use the non-SWG numbers on the chart as your SWG is not in use.
 
35lbs is a lot of tabs!

That is 105 FC and 70 CYA.

1 gallon of 10% pool essentials from walmart for $6 adds 5.6 FC to your pool.
105 FC is 18.75 gallons.
18.75 gallons at $6 = $112.50

10lbs of stabilizer will give you 70 CYA. You can get 10lbs of stabilizer for about $30.

$199 (pucks) vs. $142.5 (LC and stabilizer), AND you can manage your FC and CYA levels independently.

I'd take the pucks back. Oh, and I detest handling pucks.
 
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Jetjohn6 said:
It's not a criminal act
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Keeping tabs on the levels (pun intented 😁) is all you need to do. We are against blind tab use as an exclusive method, it's unsustainable in the long term. If you know where you are, where you need to be, and how to get there, then tabs are as useful as a tool as anything else.
 
TA/PH shouldn’t become an issue with LIMITED tab use, but do monitor both when you’re utilizing tabs. Especially if you run TA on the low side normally. Tab use can and will crash TA and PH with longer term use.
 
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PoolStored said:
35lbs is a lot of tabs!

That is 105 FC and 70 CYA.

1 gallon of 10% pool essentials from walmart for $6 adds 5.6 FC to your pool.
105 FC is 18.75 gallons.
18.75 gallons at $6 = $112.50

10lbs of stabilizer will give you 70 CYA. You can get 10lbs of stabilizer for about $30.

$199 (pucks) vs. $142.5 (LC and stabilizer), AND you can manage your FC and CYA levels independently.

I'd take the pucks back. Oh, and I detest handling pucks.
Click to expand...
Lake Placid said:
TA/PH shouldn’t become an issue with LIMITED tab use, but do monitor both when you’re utilizing tabs. Especially if you run TA on the low side normally. Tab use can and will crash TA and PH with longer term use.
Click to expand...

There must have been a sale when I bought the 35 lbs, it was listed at 169.99, coming out to a bit under 5 bucks per pound. Had pondered getting less, but then the price seemed to jump up quite a bit. Honestly, I'll probably not have to buy tablets again if I'm just using this over the winter.

TA for me is always around 80-100, and ph rises as well (but likely related to SWG use). I will need to keep an eye on the pH over time, but the tablets "should" help me with FC, CYA and TA. Haven't put anything in as we're holding pretty steady with fc around 12ish, and cya around 60.
 
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bubbles^2 said:
Our winters are very short, but there is a few weeks that the SWG is no longer producing because of the lower water temperature. I also find in the spring I have to end up adding quite a bit of CYA to bring the levels up. Because of these two factors I'm considering utilizing some chlorine tablets over the winter. If I keep an eye on the CYA and not allow it to rise too high, I think this would work in terms of pool chemical maintenance, at least during the few weeks that the SWG is effectively off. Currently looking at getting a few pounds, and it looks like HTN would be the easiest to get. I believe it has a clarifier and algacide which really wouldn't benefit me much.
Click to expand...
I do this in NC. Let CYA drift down to 50 or so by late fall. Turn the SWG off by December. Through the winter it takes maybe a single tab every 10 days or so to keep FC good. By April SWG is usable again and CYA is pusing 70. Bob's your uncle. pH is steady all winter, too due to the A in CYA. During summer it slowly rises.
 
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