Would like to hear from some happy trichlor users

[brg88tx]

All i ever hear is how bad trichlor is on this forum but there are many, many people out there that use trichlor almost exclusively and have clear pools. I'd like to hear from some folks like this and give me tips on how to keep everything in line, especially cya. I am in the waiting process (for hoa approval) for my new pool to be built and i plan on having a rainbow 320 inline chlorinator.

I have read alot and it sounds like i can use trichlor up until the cya reaches 50-60 and then switch to bleach. i was also wondering if i use trichlor pucs to chlorinate but use bleach only to shock if that would help me keep my cya in check. Thanks

 

[solarboy]

If you use Trichlor to get your cya up you will have very high levels of active chlorine at the beginning which could bleach swimwear etc. I would either not use the pool until you have say 30ppm cya or add stabilizer/dichlor shock granules to get 30ppm cya and use Trichlor pucks to raise it up the rest of the way.
You only have a certain amount of trichlor/dichlor you can add until you reach your ideal cya level, after that it's a no-no. And forget about backwashing compensating; the amount of water you would need to dump is crazy.

 

[RobbieH]

I use it as a chlorinator when bringing up CYA. If your CYA is above limit, there's no way to use it and not continue to raise CYA. I will also use it when I'm going out of town and I know it won't bring my CYA level too high.

 

[AnnaK]

My pool is a hybrid I use trichlor at the beginning of the season until my CYA is 50, then I switch to liquid chlorine. I've never had a problem (in 7 seasons) of the pool overdosing on CYA but I have a whole lot of splash-out and water replacement going on what with the shepherd dogs swimming several times a day and dragging out many gallons each time. I once calculated that I replace at least 1/2 of my pool's volume each season, not counting the backwashing and rinse cycles. I have an inline chlorinator which takes 3" pucks. When set to 1/4 and with my pump running 6 hours out of 24, it maintains an FC of 4 reliably in my 12,500 gal pool. At this setting the pH stays at a steady 7.5 as well.

In my opinion and experience, trichlor pucks are safe to use as long as you understand the effect they have and know when to quit. There are so many variables: swimmer load, need for more or less chlorine, water replacement, volume, weather, whatnot, that it's impossible to give a recipe. Test for CYA every 3 weeks or so and when you have enough, stop with the trichlor.

 

[RobbieH]

Agreed. We just had some massive storms here in Dallas, and my CYA dropped to 25 (either that or I read my last test wrong, 25 was with a new test kit). I put some pucks in floaters before I left the house this morning. A few pucks aren't going to raise my CYA in a 44,000 gallon pool to astronomical levels.

 

[duraleigh]

All i ever hear is how bad trichlor is on this forum

Incorrect. What you frequently hear on this forum from new members is the result of MISMANAGED use of trichlor.

BBB is about understanding and knowledge of pool water management.....it is true that trichlor pucks are the single most misunderstood problem with pool water and we do our best to help people understand the proper use of them......and that they don't HAVE to be used if one chooses not to.

 

[brg88tx]

My pool is a hybrid I use trichlor at the beginning of the season until my CYA is 50, then I switch to liquid chlorine. I've never had a problem (in 7 seasons) of the pool overdosing on CYA but I have a whole lot of splash-out and water replacement going on what with the shepherd dogs swimming several times a day and dragging out many gallons each time. I once calculated that I replace at least 1/2 of my pool's volume each season, not counting the backwashing and rinse cycles. I have an inline chlorinator which takes 3" pucks. When set to 1/4 and with my pump running 6 hours out of 24, it maintains an FC of 4 reliably in my 12,500 gal pool. At this setting the pH stays at a steady 7.5 as well.

In my opinion and experience, trichlor pucks are safe to use as long as you understand the effect they have and know when to quit. There are so many variables: swimmer load, need for more or less chlorine, water replacement, volume, weather, whatnot, that it's impossible to give a recipe. Test for CYA every 3 weeks or so and when you have enough, stop with the trichlor.

thanks annak. i see many people say this "i use trichlor for the first half of the season, then switch when the cya gets too high". my question to you is do you close your pool down for the winter? if not then does the cya level just go down from the cold temperatures or lack of direct sunlight? thanks

 

[RobbieH]

I do not close my pool. I kept my pool in balance all winter long. The CYA does not evaporate, what does happen though in my case is it gets splashed out. It doesn't USUALLY get real cold here, and my dogs like to get onto the top steps when they get hot, even in the wintertime. Also, we get some pretty hairy storms here, and the pool can overflow, get a lot of diluting rain water, or get splash-out due to the storm. All of these help to lower CYA, so I check it occasionally.

 

[brg88tx]

I do not close my pool. I kept my pool in balance all winter long. The CYA does not evaporate, what does happen though in my case is it gets splashed out. It doesn't USUALLY get real cold here, and my dogs like to get onto the top steps when they get hot, even in the wintertime. Also, we get some pretty hairy storms here, and the pool can overflow, get a lot of diluting rain water, or get splash-out due to the storm. All of these help to lower CYA, so I check it occasionally.

so robbie, do you use trichlor exclusively, or do you swith to bleach when your cya gets too high?

 

[dmanb2b]

I'll just add that whatever your chlorination source (Trichlor, Dichlor, Cal-hypo, Bleach or SWCG) the key to a Trouble free pool is consistent testing and ensuring your water chemistry is in check. Trichlor pucks can end up disolving faster than you thought or raising CYA too much...one may forget to add bleach every now and then...SWG cells can stop working...you get my point...each has pros and cons.

Trichlor is acidic and adds CYA over time. That's not bad, if you adjust your chemistry as needed.

Using Trichlor exclusively in an environment where water replacemnt is not frequent, will eventually reguire you to manually replace water or if available hire out a reverse osmosis treatment.

In rare cases only does CYA covert to ammonia over the winter months and dissappear.

 

[AnnaK]

thanks annak. i see many people say this "i use trichlor for the first half of the season, then switch when the cya gets too high". my question to you is do you close your pool down for the winter? if not then does the cya level just go down from the cold temperatures or lack of direct sunlight? thanks

Yes, we close the pool for winter. CYA is usually around 50-60 at that point. The water is frozen pretty much solid by January. The pool is in full sun year round and is not covered in winter.

When the water is fully thawed, usually by the end of April, I collect a sample and let it come to room temp. FC will be 0, pH will be 7-7.2, CYA will be 0. I don't know why the CYA goes to zero but it has done every single year. At this point start scooping up winter debris. When the water temp gets to around 48F we connect the equipment, add water, add 2 gallons of Cl to get things started, and fire up the trichlor feeder. I also adjust pH and TA at that point.

Here it is, Memorial Day, and the CYA is now around 50. I'll let what remains of the initial load of tabs dissolve and then I'll take it off line and go with liquid chlorine for the remainder of the season.

 

[wmshay6]

I'm in the same general area as Anna (latitude wise) and I use a hybrid method also.

I have an AG and partially drain it every year to winterize . . that's where my CYA goes. I start the season with pucks and switch to bleach when appropriate. I do use quite a bit of Borax while using pucks.

SIL has an inground that holds more water and is drained less for winterizing. Every year, her CYA is off the charts. And every year, I hear her complain about algae late in the summer. And every year, she spends a TON of $$$ in August to clear her pool.

Her pool company owner friend has her convinced that my methods will destroy her pool, so she won't listen. I quit trying. BTW- in the past 14 years, I've had the same liner which is now due for replacement. She's on her 3rd. In our familie's case, we don't discuss religion, politics, or POOLS!

 

[Shane1]

We've had our pool for a year now, so I am far from an expert. I've jumped back and forth both in my head and literaly as far as using pucks or liquid chlorine. The one thing I know for sure is that in the year I have had the pool the water is much more stable when using pucks :? . I have decided to use trichlor pucks exclusively from here on out. I feel that the education recieved from this site and proper testing will help me realize when things are about to go from good to bad and which corrective actions to take.

 

[257WbyMag]

We don't advocate against the use of trichlor tablets. We do however advocate against the overuse of stabilized chlorine sources. What we want others to understand is that stabilized chlorine has its own very serious limitations and that blindly adding tablets to the feeder as they dissolve can get you into trouble. So absolutely, use trichlor tablets. Just remember that you are going to have to stop using them eventually unless you like draining your water and refilling the pool a lot.