Best price for Chlorine Tablets?

[SonOfSun]

Not sure if this is the best board for this question, but what is the best pricing for chlorine tablets?

These on Amazon for 50 lbs appear to be pretty cheap ($109, free shipping), but wanted to double check with the experts here before I commit to 50 lbs of chlorine if it turns out either better prices or better quality elsewhere.

It seems like a good deal, but I have a hard time understanding why local pool shops are so much higher - shipping out a 50 lb package that is hazmat restricted should make it cost prohibitive to beat out larger brick and mortar retailers... I would have thought.

-Note - I am first year pool owner and just getting grasp of things, so apologies if this question is clearly answered elsewhere on best way to get chemicals.

Thanks!
Amazon.com : In The Swim 3 Inch Pool Chlorine Tablets 50 lbs. : Patio, Lawn Garden

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

What you may have failed to realize is that chlorine tablets are generally frowned upon by TFP due to their side effects which can cause problems down the road. Namely the CYA climbing and requiring higher and higher FC levels to keep the pool clear and safe. See the FC/CYA Chart.

That said, if you have a short season, a lot of rain requiring you to dump water, and a partial drain for the winter, the trichlor chlorine tablets can work well ... they do NOT in places like TX and AZ ... you might be fine in OH.

If you do get tablets, just make sure they are mostly trichlor and do not include copper in them (generally avoid the 3/4/5-in-1 types)

You still need to test often with one of the Recommended Test Kits to keep tabs on your pool's balance.

Have you discovered Pool School yet? Start with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

 

[IrwinK]

Ordered 25 lbs of 3" trichlor tablets for $49.99 with free shipping plus tax from PoolSupplyWorld on Ebay. Less expensive then their main website and best price I could find.

But, went with only 25lbs for the start-up of my new pool. This amount might keep me out of trouble with excessive CYA (Cyanauric Acid) although levels will get to 100ppm CYA if I used all 50 tablets.

Read everything about testing your water and CYA here on TFP and only use tablets if you are aware of the problems associated with them.

I will be going to liquid chlorine and eventually a SWG after starting with tablets.

 

[SwimAustin]

All the tablets I could find on Amazon and Ebay were individually wrapped. That sounds like a pain. Is that something that's needed to make them safe for shipping?

 

[DebbieO]

I live in Michigan and pool season is short. The pool that came with the house was always taken care of with chlorine tabs. Not knowing any better I continued on the merry tradition. Water was never BAD but never crystal clear either. Spent hundreds at the PS. Water kept getting worse! Came here to TFP, bought a great kit (TF100) and got to the root of the problem. Way too much CYA. So even with winter water loss, pumping out excess rain water, adding water after dry spells, I went one and a half summers without having to add CYA. Please, just watch your levels. You don't want to go through all the PS bs when they eventually over-stabilize your water, push your Ph down and generally give you grief. I spend way less than $109 a season also.

 

[SonOfSun]

Thank you everyone for the feedback - I did buy a Taylor Kit recommended by this site immediately after acquiring our new house, and started to dig into the Chemistry articles... and then I got overwhelmed with the new house and outsourced upkeep of the pool to a 3rd party who just monitors it and adjust chemicals weekly, so I didn't realize the tablets are looked down on. Once i get other aspect of our new house under control I plan to handle the pool 100% myself, but for now the Dolphin Nautilus is doing most of the work and I just keep the automatic chlorinator filled with tablets... pool guys do the rest. Have had crystal clear all summer, but good to know the problem with CYA could sneak up, I will watch that metric closer.