CYA granules or Tri-Chlor tabs... Which is more economical for raising CYA?

[Westovers]

With how quickly Tri-Chlor tabs seem to raise CYA levels, is it possible that its more economical to use tabs vs. CYA alone to raise CYA levels? (CYA seems to deplete very quicly from my SWG pool...)

 

[mknauss]

Depending on where you purchase CYA, it can be $2-$5 per pound. Trichlor is about 33% CYA. Most pucks cost about $2.50 to $3.00 a piece (8 oz) (unless you buy the monster tubs). So it is much cheaper to use CYA/stabilizer.

 

[Westovers]

Depending on where you purchase CYA, it can be $2-$5 per pound. Trichlor is about 33% CYA. Most pucks cost about $2.50 to $3.00 a piece (8 oz) (unless you buy the monster tubs). So it is much cheaper to use CYA/stabilizer.

So simply evaluating by each of their weight works? I thought it might be more complex in light of the way I've heard 'Tri-Chlor' described as one molecule or something... Thought that it might be more complicated than just comparing weight, utilizing the FC/CYA ratio of the tabs, that maybe the tabs are more condensed/concentrate... No?

 

[Richard320]

If you're just adding 10 CYA or so to replace normal degradation and splashout and are in no particular hurry, then pucks are a good way because they also are acidic and can counter the pH rise you'll get from fill water and the SWG. But they take time. I know if I stuff 4 pucks into a floater with the openings wide, they'll take a week or so to dissolve, and there's always one or two thin slivers left for another three days or so.

Thus, if you want to raise CYA quickly, just buy the granular stuff.

A tip: down at the bottom of PoolMath there is Effects Of Adding Chemicals. Assuming you input your pool volume up top, it will tell you what adding each chemical will do. Each 8 ounce puck will add abpout 1.3 CYA to your 25000 gallon pool.

 

[mknauss]

I simplified --

Technically, working with a 10000 gallon pool, 8 oz of trichlor adds 3.3 ppm CYA. 8 oz of CYA granules adds 6 ppm CYA.

So if CYA is more than twice the cost, per ounce, than trichlor, then trichlor is cheaper in adding CYA.

Richard is right, for small CYA adjustments, trichlor is fine. For large, dry granules makes much more sense.

 

[ajw22]

I pay about $2.25/lb for dry stabilizer at my local pool store and that gives you 100% CYA/lb.

 

[Etchase]

You also get about 5.5 ppm Chlorine out of the puck in 10,000 gallons which for me tilts the scales toward trichlor.

 

[anotherpyr]

The trichlor tabs don’t raise it very quickly. They have to dissolve, and they dissolve slower than the CYA granules. The bonus as stated above is they add chlorine and reduce ph slightly.

 

[pookiesunshine]

The best prices i've seen for both are about $2 per pound. Since the beginning of last season i've gone through 20 pounds of cya, way more than i expected. makes me think trichlor tablets may not be a problem for me...

 

[red-beard]

I used Tri-chlor this year only because I had them on hand and wanted to use them up. I expect I'll use another one after the rain this weekend, to get my CYA back up.