Need some help with Tabs, CYA, etc questions

[Hiesman84]

OK, here it the deal:

My CYA is 75 - I'd like to keep that from rising any further and would like to slower start getting it down.

But I recently invested (not knowing any better) $130 in 50lbs of InTheSwim stabilized 3" Tri-Chlor tablets, and put $70+ into fixing up the automatic chlorinator that I inherited with the pool. So i really don't want to just chuck $200 worth of stuff out the window, plus go spend the $ and go through the hassle of removing and replacing the fittings/plumbing where the chlorinator lines branch in/out, unless I just absolutely can't avoid it.

So are some questions:

1) HTH has an unstabilized tab that is like 53% Ca-Hypo - anyone out there have any opinions on those? Anyone know of any "side effects" they create?

2) If those HTH tabs don't normally lead to "other issues", would I be risking a big KABOOM if I used 2 of the HTH tabs with 1 of the Tri-Chlor tabs? Goal here is to not totally waste the Tri-chlor tabs, but use them up slowly and try to keep a better handle on the CYA.

3) If the HTH tabs don't normally lead to "other issues", could I use them one week, and use the Tri-Chlor tabs the following week, so they aren't all sitting in the chlorinator canister together?

4) Just remembered the HTH unstabilized tabs are labeled as "Skimmer Tablets"...can I use them in a chlorinator?

5) Should I just keep using the chlorinator & stabilized TriChlor tabs (and make sure I keep my FC high enough to not get algae again) until I learn what the heck I"m doing (since I've now owned a pool for a total of 6 WEEKS) and figure out a new chlorine feeder system once I'm experienced enough to actually make sound decisions (which I have consistently failed to do so far during these first 6 weeks).

Advice anyone?

 

[Bama Rambler]

DO NOT put the Cal-Hypo and Trichlor in the same container or chlorinator EVER! Even if one isn't in there any more.

You can alternate using them but not in the same feeder.

 

[jblizzle]

Do you drain most/ all of the pool in the winter? The CYA is not going to go down unless you are removing water. So even if you slow down the rate of using the tablets, you are still adding CYA.

Best to switch to liquid chlorine for the rest of the season and store the tablets to use for start up next year and vacations.

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[anonapersona]

No need to worry about wasting those tablets, you will get to use them later on, when CYA is lower.

Since you are in Michigan, how much longer is your swim season? How is the pool going to be dealt with over the winter? Will it get rain and snow into the pool? if so that will dilute the CYA a little or a lot. If you drain some of the pool you will refill and dilute the CYA. Sometimes the CYA mysteriously goes to zero over the winter in covered pools.

So until spring, we are really not sure what your situation will be next year. Next year you will very likely need to use some of that trichlor, either to gently boost your CYA in the spring or later when you want to go on a vacation and your CYA is low enough that you have the luxury of using tablets.

For now, your CYA is high and you need to just put those trichlor tablets into storage. Go to using 6% or 10% bleach, or 10%or 12% Liquid Shock from the pool store if that is a better deal per gallon.

I doubt that you will want to use the cal-hypo skimmer tablets (never never in the trichlor feeder, as discussed above) for they are not likely to be cost effective. Cal-hypo is great if you tend to need to add calcium over the long run and if you get it in the humongous buckets and use it slowly over time as a way to get chlorine at a decent price and get the calcium for nearly free. But, if you do not need calcium you are paying for stuff you will regret later on. All this depends on whether you NEED calcium. A good test kit will tell you that.

The easiest thing really is to go to bleach for now. Get a great test kit and begin tracking what your pool does day to day, week to week, month to month. For now, add the different chemicals individually as they are needed, in exactly the quantities needed. Later on, when you get the big picture you can start to kill two birds with one stone by using combined products like chlorine&CYA (trichlor or dichlor) or chlorine&calcium (cal-hypo).

A new pool is sort of like a new pet. You have enough to learn at this point just getting to know your pool and taking care of the basic needs before learning how to put it to bed for the winter. Next year you can learn how to make your pool do tricks for company, just get the basics down now.

Oh, and you really must get the right test kit. I suggest the TF100, sold online at www.tftestkits.net by a beloved forum member. Best prices and value and great service too. Or get the other test kit suggested in Pool School. Pretty soon you will be preforming tricks.... like making the water dissappear! (a recent post titled something like "the ultimate compliment")

 

[Hiesman84]

Thanks for the help...and I did get the TF100 last week...in fact I've already had to refill/replace the 0871 solution since I ended up with Algae and have had to keep it at shock level for a week.