I recently saw non-stabilized chlorine tablets at my local pool shop. They contain Calcium Hypochlorite but no stabilizer. They are supposed to go in the skimmer and not floaters because water has to run over them. I am wondering if anyone has tried them or have any information about them. Obviously being in the skimmers makes emptying the skimmers more difficult. But it would be handy if they worked.
New Non-stabilized chlorine tablets
- Thread starter kathyo
- Start date
Cal Hypo adds Calcium instead of CYA. If your calcium is low then they are ok to use, until they aren't.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,405
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Cal hypo tablets are not new; they have been around for a while. The problem with cal-hypo is that it cannot be easily pressed into a tablet form as it just tends to crumble apart. So the old style tablets used a polymeric binder material that would leave behind a very messy and sticky goop after all the cal hypo dissolved. The goop was very hard to clean up and it would invariably plug up the feeder systems that used them.
Perhaps these new tablets use a different type of binder. Either way, they are going to add calcium to the water (for folks like me in the desert southwest, that's a non-starter) and whatever solid material left over from the binder. Assuming whatever is used as a binder is ok with your filter type and that you can afford to add calcium to your water, then I see no problem with them. However, CH will need to be measured more frequently so that the pool water CSI remains in a favorable range.
Perhaps these new tablets use a different type of binder. Either way, they are going to add calcium to the water (for folks like me in the desert southwest, that's a non-starter) and whatever solid material left over from the binder. Assuming whatever is used as a binder is ok with your filter type and that you can afford to add calcium to your water, then I see no problem with them. However, CH will need to be measured more frequently so that the pool water CSI remains in a favorable range.
Yes - they are Poolife NST tablets.
I'll have to check my calcium, but it looks like I'll stick to basic bleach and use normal floaters when I'm on vacation.
Thanks to everyone for your help.
I'll have to check my calcium, but it looks like I'll stick to basic bleach and use normal floaters when I'm on vacation.
Thanks to everyone for your help.
Those tablets are new this year, I have been looking to get some to check out but prices online are a bit high at the moment. They are supposed to be better built than previous cal-hypo tablets so don't need a special feeder or leave a mess. Since cal-hypo isn't nearly as acidic as trichlor they won't be nearly as much of a problem to keep in the skimmer. Just like trichlor tablets, nothing wrong with using them if you understand what they will add to your water.
BUT, as always NEVER allow trichlor and cal-hypo to come in direct contact with each other. The reaction is unpleasant.
BUT, as always NEVER allow trichlor and cal-hypo to come in direct contact with each other. The reaction is unpleasant.
This is interesting. Does anyone know how much calcium is added per 3" tab? I usually have my pool drained and power washed in the spring and after filling I need to add about 10lbs of calcium up to get around 250ppm. I'm interested in the future reviews of this.
I am thinking of trying them. Did not like the old ones I tried a few years back, did not dissolve good.
Anyway would I have a problem.
Right now I use a combination of bleach and just one puck with the CYA a week.
Do I have to worry about the bleach in contact with these new pucks
Could I still also use the other pucks in a separate floating dispenser when I can afford to add cya?
thanks