Calcium Hardness

[00xavier]

What is the most cost effective way to increase calcium hardness? We are getting a lot of rain here in Houston and it been getting expensive to maintain the proper calcium hardness levels (250-350).

 

[ComputerGuyInNOLA]

I am in the same boat. I just added 5 pounds and it brought me from 210 to 250. Had to add a lot of CYA also. You can purchase calcium increaser at Walmart. Below is a link to Amazon for the same thing. My wife said Walmart was the cheapest she found.

Amazon.com: Pool Mate 1-2808B Calcium Increaser for Swimming Pools, 8-Pound: Patio, Lawn Garden

 

[00xavier]

Lowe's sell a 50lb bag of calcium chloride for $ 18.97. This seems to be a much more cost effective approach to increasing calcium levels. Do you know if it is OK to use this product?

 

[Bob_Funk]

Morton sell it as ice melter but you are so far south I doubt you have a need for ice melter.



http://www.mortonsalt.com/for-your-business/packaged-ice-melters/packaged-melters/176/morton-professional-grade-calcium-chloride



You can check the where to buy on that page, maybe a local hardware store can order you a bag from their warehouse? Ace hardware maybe? walmart ship to store?



I got a bunch last spring on closeout

 

[DMS2014]

Yep, we've got the same problem. Rain, rain, rain. After we dumped 110lb of salt in, it poured and we had to drain water off! GRRRRR. AND I agree, that calcium stuff is expensive. it costs us $50 each time. Can we use calcium whatever from Lowe's????? anyone?

 

[Richard320]

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CH - Calcium Hardness

Calcium hardness can be raised with calcium chloride or calcium chloride dihydrate. They are available in some areas as Peladow, Dowflake, Tetra Flake, or Tetra 94, often sold as a deicer by hardware stores, and some big box stores, in colder climates. Pool stores will carry either calcium chloride or calcium chloride dihydrate under a variety of names, including Hardness Plus, Balance Pak 300, Calcium Hardness Increaser, etc. Calcium products should be spread across the surface of the deep end of the pool.

 

[jojoman]

CH has been dropping the last 2 months with all this rain. Started out at 375 when i first got the TF-100, now down to 325 this weekend. Tested the fill water and found that there is almost no calcium in our water. One drop and it changed color. So in the near future we'll be needing to add calcium to keep the pool balanced. Just one more thing to keep an eye on in having a balanced pool. CH up, Ph down and FC steady is going the be the summer program. Oh, and keep the trash that the wind and rain keep putting into the pool out