A pool guy told me to put chlorine tabs inside my skimmer basket...is this right??? I heard you can get dark stains around your main drain by doing this.
chlorine tabs in skimmer basket???
- Thread starter elyk40
- Start date
They disolve a lot quicker that way, do you want that? better to use a floater dispenser that is cheap to replace as when your pump cycle ends you will have chlorine tabs sitting in your skimmer basket and causing premature aging to the skimmer and basket
Do you have a pool heater. I have heard if you do then do not put your tablets in the skimmer basket.
Trichlor tablets in the skimmer basket are a bad idea because when the pump is not running, the water in the skimmer becomes highly acidic and chlorinated. This combination makes that water locally corrosive. So when you turn on the pump, that corrosive water goes straight into your pump where it can damage the system. Not to mention it will make the skimmer parts brittle so they can break easier. IF a pump is run on low 24/7 this is not as much of an issue.
I've not heard of stains by the main drain and I don't see how they can relate the two - some tablets also contain copper and in certain conditions copper staining can occur - I don't know if this is what they are thinking of...
I've not heard of stains by the main drain and I don't see how they can relate the two - some tablets also contain copper and in certain conditions copper staining can occur - I don't know if this is what they are thinking of...
frustratedpoolmom said:
What about if you have a heater? I have heard it will melt them right up when you run a heater.
Doesnt matter one way or another. It's not a good practice, regardless.mynewpool said:
Melt what?
The main problem comes when the water sits idle and becomes corrosive - yes, this will be a problem for all of the equipment including heaters. They do recommend installing inline chlorinators AFTER the heater in the plumbing system - but I don't know how much of an issue it is when there is a continuous flow of water. It's kinda like pouring bleach thru the skimmer.
As BK said, in general tabs in the skimmer are just not a good idea. Better to use a floater or an inline chlorinator - which can be purchased fairly inexpensively.
The main problem comes when the water sits idle and becomes corrosive - yes, this will be a problem for all of the equipment including heaters. They do recommend installing inline chlorinators AFTER the heater in the plumbing system - but I don't know how much of an issue it is when there is a continuous flow of water. It's kinda like pouring bleach thru the skimmer.
As BK said, in general tabs in the skimmer are just not a good idea. Better to use a floater or an inline chlorinator - which can be purchased fairly inexpensively.
The idea is that locally high chlorine levels can oxidize the copper in the heat exchanger. Thats not really "melting", but the corrosion and the wear could be described as "melting" away the copper.
I wouldn't put any chlorine thru the skimmer, really. I pour the liquid in front of the deep end return.
I do use trichlor tabs in the spring only in the skimmer basket, but I take them out if I shut the pump off. That way they do not cause issues down the road. Again, I only do it in the spring so that I can put CYA into the pool while adding chlorine at the same time. I really do not like floaters at all. I always like to be in control of whats going on with my pool and doing it this way in short doses is not going to hurt anything in my opinion.
I ran tabs in my skimmer for 8 years without any issues, but then I run my pump 24/7. I have a heater, but I bypass it, so I am not sure if it would have ever caused an issue. The only issue I did have with tabs in my skimmer was a dark brown stain in the bottom of my skimmer basket, but it is purely cosmetic, and I really have not cared since it is covered anyway. The only reason I stopped doing it that way is because I found TFP and use bleach now!
I know.... :blah: :blah: :blah:
I know.... :blah: :blah: :blah:
beaumatt said:
Then you would be okay. Where the tablets become a problem is when the pump shuts off and the tablets are allowed to sit there in that non-moving collection of water and form an acidic solution that is pulled though the system once the pump starts again. It is the low pH that is the problem. Makes things hard on seals and metal surfaces (like those that are found in the copper pipes in a pool heater).
bk406 said:
This is something I was told and I am glad that is now cleared up on my end. Thanks for the info.
frustratedpoolmom said:
I always pour mine in front of a return. Can you do it through the skimmer?
I recommend adding chlorine by pouring it slowly in front of a return jet. None the less, adding chlorine through the skimmer with the pump running at high speed is fine, and lots of people add chlorine that way. It gets a little more questionable if you have a two speed pump on low speed, and probably isn't a good idea with a variable speed pump on a very low speed.
If you do pour bleach through the skimmer and you happen to use skimmer socks, be sure and pull the skimmer basket out before you do this. Your skimmer sock won't last very long if you don't.
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