CalHypo instead of Bleach theory

[Mean Jean]

Hi gang I may be new to TFP but I've been doing the BBB method for years. This season I opened with a nice amount of CYA (40/50) and I have a vinyl liner so I usually don't care about calcium. That dropped to like 40 over the years. I hate how liquid chlorine splashes so I picked up some CalHypo and am using that in place of bleach for awhile. Does anyone know any 'gotchas' I should be aware of doing it this way ? Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum! :handshake:

Cal Hypo can add chlorine. As you know, it adds calcium. If you manage how much, no issue.

Just be sure the cal hypo is completely dissolved when added to the pool. Many vinyl liners are damaged in the area solid chlorine is broadcast as it can settle on the liner.

 

[Mean Jean]

Thanks!

 

[cfherrman]

Cal hypo and triclor don't get along

Don't add it in the skimmer

Use pool math effects of adding chems and add up howuch Cal hypo it takes to get to 250 ch, buy that much and use it up.

When you go back to bleach open the cap and float the jug on the water and tip it over, 0 splashes

 

[Grape Ape]

I can certainly relate on the splashing bleach (I just lost a really nice Tommy Bahama shirt to it), and I like that the powders are shelf stable; but a little care will mitigate the splashing.

The trick is to dip the jug into the water before you tilt it and don’t tilt it so far that it doesn’t pour smoothly. A smooth pour of an inch or two will produce roughly 0 splashing.

 

[zea3]

I've lost a few shirts to the powders as well. The dust blew back on me and later I found little white speckles all over my shirt! I started keeping an old shirt of my then husband's around to throw on before adding dry chlorine.

Back the the original question, use effect of adding chemicals section in PoolMath to see how much calcium 16 ounces of cal-hypo is going to add to your pool, and you can estimate how many bags of cal-hypo you can use over time. It comes in varying strengths so check the label to see which one you are using. Once your CH reaches the 300s start scaling back on the cal-hypo.

Also keep your pH on the low end and that will help prevent calcium clouding. Some folks pre-dissolve cal-hypo, but it takes a while to dissolve completely. I would just broadcast it in the pool and brush well.