I should add, my pool store sells chlorine pucks WITHOUT stabilizer added. I didn't know there was such a thing. My husband bought a small bucket, but I'm really not sure about those... good idea?
Bleach shortage
- Thread starter David0408
- Start date
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,204
- Pool Size
- 27000
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- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
The pucks either have stabilizer or calcium to bind with the chlorine. So long as you are managing your pool by considering all the parameters together, high calcium can be worked around by compensating TA and/or pH levels using the Pool Math app (link below) or Calculator (link at bottom of page) to assist.
PoolMath
PoolMath
Here in California, pool stores are open. The fact that they provide sanitation qualifies them as "essential." My local Leslie's has plenty of liquid chlorine in stock.
thefloatqueen
Bronze Supporter
Does anyone know where I can find Cal-Hypo tablets/pucks? I only ever see the powder. Thanks!
- Apr 10, 2018
- 5,156
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- 18375
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- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Cal-hypo tabs are used in special feeders that allow them dissolve slowly. They tend to get gooey and won't work in tablet floaters or trichlor feeders.
Side note, cal-hypo and trichlor should never be mixed.
Side note, cal-hypo and trichlor should never be mixed.
I'm going to be a bit redundant to what Mike said above...... @amy6152 DO NOT use the CalHypo pucks in any previously used puck feeder you may have. They have their own type feeder (floating I believe). There are residual chemicals even in a previously used empty feeder that can actually be dangerous if calcium pucks are then put in there.
Calcium containing chlorine pucks and Trichlor pucks are totally incompatible.
Maddie
Calcium containing chlorine pucks and Trichlor pucks are totally incompatible.
Maddie
What will likely cause a problem is that Chlorine packagers will be producing more product for things like laundry, and less pool products. That tanker full of Chlorine gas, will end up as 3% bleach, rather then 12% pool chlorine.... If you think the 6% stuff is bad, just wait until it gets popular and ends up much less..... Of course there is always that pallet of stuff that has been sitting in the sun for a year and is now 1.2%....
I'm holding out hope that my local bleach dealer will come through n I'll be able to stock up like I have in previous years. I went to Walmart today n checked the pool aisle and they had about 50 gallons of 10%. I will be grabbing some tomorrow. If the liquid trail dries up, I'll be using Cal-Hypo. The little one will never accept me not running her pool. If Cal-Hypo isn't available then I'll go with Dichlor/pucks. We'll see what happens in the next few weeks.
Steve_in_C
Bronze Supporter
2020 North Carolina bleach situation.
I could not find bleach, nor order bleach. First it was the Tennessee tornadoes March 4. Walmart was diverting their resources to those stores. Then COVID came along. I finally drove to Raleigh to a pressure washer store. They had bleach in 5 gallon containers labelled 10-16% sodium hypochlorite. Its $25/5 gallons the first time., then $15/5 gallons to refill the container. They seemed to have a lot of it. https://www.landanc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/83338.Landa-Chemical-Sheet-1_30_2020.pdf - the bleach is the last item on the second page left side. Because of the lower stability of highly concentrated bleach, I cut it 1:1 with water to bring down the concentration and lengthen the shelf life. I got 25 gallons and diluted to 50 gallons. This will last me for a long while. The 5 gallon containers are heavy and diluting it was a pain. I'm going back to my $1.77/gallon 6% Great Value cleaning bleach when it becomes available again.
I could not find bleach, nor order bleach. First it was the Tennessee tornadoes March 4. Walmart was diverting their resources to those stores. Then COVID came along. I finally drove to Raleigh to a pressure washer store. They had bleach in 5 gallon containers labelled 10-16% sodium hypochlorite. Its $25/5 gallons the first time., then $15/5 gallons to refill the container. They seemed to have a lot of it. https://www.landanc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/83338.Landa-Chemical-Sheet-1_30_2020.pdf - the bleach is the last item on the second page left side. Because of the lower stability of highly concentrated bleach, I cut it 1:1 with water to bring down the concentration and lengthen the shelf life. I got 25 gallons and diluted to 50 gallons. This will last me for a long while. The 5 gallon containers are heavy and diluting it was a pain. I'm going back to my $1.77/gallon 6% Great Value cleaning bleach when it becomes available again.
If your pool store has LC at a decent price you’re ahead of the game.
walmart was wiped out (still is) of bleach. Our local pool store wants $9.50/gal for 12%, leslies has 10% for $5. Our Lowe’s has LC 10% for $4. But best deal I’ve found is $10 for 3 gal of LC at Home Depot.
Our city water has low CYA, so if I have to result to granular or pucks, I’ll be ok. Worst case scenario, you dump some water if it gets too high.
10-16%? how/why does it differ?
$5 for15 gal of 10% isn’t too bad.
comes out to around .50/gal more.
check Home Depot for liquid chlorine. They were plenty stocked a couple days ago. Three one-gallon containers was $10.
I wouldn’t stress much about shelf life next time. Seldom in past experience does it drop quick enough if just purchasing one or two carboys to notice. To help dispensing I’d suggest just getting a spigot and pouring from there. I got this one several years ago.
I've also added this listing to the Liquid Chlorine Tracker we're trying to setup.
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Does that mean I can't use cal-hypo tabs in a pool that I also use liquid bleach in? Or am I getting confused about trichlor?
If you touch CalHypo with Trichlor a reaction occurs that starts a fire. Once they get broke down in the water however all is fine, but don't assume they’re fully broke down when adding to a feeder.
Just an FYI- cities never add CYA to water. Perhaps you meant to type Chlorine?
Maddie
It means you can NOT put CalHypo into a chlorine puck dispenser that previously used Trichlor pucks. Calcium + Trichlor = BOOM!
Danger Will Robinson!~ Danger!
Maddie
Wobblerlorri
Bronze Supporter
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
Steve_in_C
Bronze Supporter
I wouldn’t stress much about shelf life next time. Seldom in past experience does it drop quick enough if just purchasing one or two carboys to notice. To help dispensing I’d suggest just getting a spigot and pouring from there. I got this one several years ago.
I've also added this listing to the Liquid Chlorine Tracker we're trying to setup.
It was enough of an effort for me to drive to Raleigh to get the bleach, I got enough to take me through much of this season. I'm going to go high on my CYA to try to use less bleach. I hope to have enough for more than half the season. I chlorinate through October. This needs to last me until August. If the bleach is 15% (the sales guy told me it often was) then the bleach may degrade to half strength before I use it all. If I had a supplier that was close, I'd buy a smaller amount more often. That's why I had concerns about concentration and shelf life. If the bleach situation is still bad in early August, I can make 1 more trip and get me through the entire season.
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Steve_in_C
Bronze Supporter
The company gets bleach in bulk. The concentration from their source varies some from batch to batch. I have only Lowes here, no Home Depot. Grocery stores, Walmart, a Sams club is not that far (but their bleach is tradename Clorox with Chloramax).
- Jun 12, 2011
- 3,763
- Pool Size
- 19500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pureline Crystal Pure 60,000
That’s another reason to go with a SWG. I just have to replace the cell every few years and no lugging chlorine.
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