What's the difference between HTH Cal-Hypo chlorinators?

shellsingleton · Mar 23, 2008

Specifically, their "Sock It", shock-n-swim formula vs. their "Chlorinating Granules" product.
Both list 47.6 Calcium Hypochlorite as their active ingedient. Both say Available Chlorine 45%. Neither specifically list the other 52.4% of their ingredients.
Both also say they "Will not cause overstabilization", so I assume that means neither has CYA in the formula.

I bought a bucket of the Chlorinating Granules today and plan to use it to shock my pool tonight and raise the CH as well. I found the PO's stash of Sock It when I got back from Home Depot.

Which product should I use?

duraleigh · Mar 23, 2008

If they're both Cal-hypo, they're both the same. Calcium Hypochlorite adds no CYA and will, as you suggest, add calcium to your pool......v-e-e-r-y slowly

chem geek · Mar 23, 2008

For every 10 ppm FC added by Cal-Hypo, it adds 7 ppm to CH. Since CH is typically in the range near 300 ppm, it rises at a slow rate percentage-wise. However, adding 3 ppm FC per day will raise the CH by 63 ppm per month minus splash-out and backwashing dilution.

Richard

shellsingleton · Mar 23, 2008

Then since my CH is only at 170 ppm, it would make sense for me to shock and maintain it with Cal-Hypo rather than bleach until my CH is where I need it, right?

duraleigh · Mar 23, 2008

Then since my CH is only at 170 ppm, it would make sense for me to shock and maintain it with Cal-Hypo rather than bleach until my CH is where I need it, right?

Absolutely correct! Please move to the head of the class!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

EDIT: In the past, when I've used Cal-hypo for an extended period of time, I would see Calcium deposits inside the pump basket lid. No problem to remove with acid but it made me think it may be depositing somewhere where I can't detect it.

It may not be a bad idea to pre-dissolve it in a bucket to prevent that....I just poured it directly in the skimmer.

IkeRay · Mar 23, 2008

deleted, decided to leave it to the experts...

shellsingleton · Mar 23, 2008

duraleigh said:
Absolutely correct! Please move to the head of the class!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

EDIT: In the past, when I've used Cal-hypo for an extended period of time, I would see Calcium deposits inside the pump basket lid. No problem to remove with acid but it made me think it may be depositing somewhere where I can't detect it.

It may not be a bad idea to pre-dissolve it in a bucket to prevent that....I just poured it directly in the skimmer.

Thanks for all the help, You, Richard, and Jason have been top notch.
This stuff's cool. 8)
It's been a while since I needed to aquire so much new-to-me knowledge, and it's very rewarding.

That being said, I think I might be over-analyzing the test results and reacting more strongly to it then I probably need to. But I know the hands-on is helping get this stuff in head.

Case in point, my water wasn't actually green, at least not compared to some photos I've seen now. Just a green tinge, and no FC.
Yesterday, I hit it with 3- 182 oz bottles of 6% clorox, which should have raised it to about 18 ppm FC, and it was down to 2.5 ppm FC in about 6 hours. Water was noticeably clearer, but learning that all my chlorine was already consumed by fighting the algae kinda wigged me.
Funny sidenote, I didn't take into account the 90 ppm CYA effect on the FC when I calculated the amount of bleach to shock with, but that was countered somewhat by the fact that I overestimated the volume of the pool. :roll:

I figured it at 21K, but after more accurate depth measurements today, it's actually more like 14,100. The pool place that had this pool's contract had it figured at 26,500. :?
So, as the sun went down tonight, I shocked it with 120 oz of Cal-hypo. (

And it was pre-dissolved in a bucket first)Should raise my FC to about 30 ppm, and bump my CH to around 190 ppm. I'm very interested to see what the FC is in the morning.
Hope you don't mind the ramble.