I'm currently have really high cya and am going to drain to lower that level, but I've read in the summertime that floating a tablet is recommended because liquid chlorine will diminish to fast. My question is if my cya level is at 80 already, would there still be the need to float a tablet? Or is floating a tablet also needed in the summertime for the added FC levels as well as the cya?
Do Ineed to float a tablet in summertime if my cya is already 80?
- Thread starter AO1up
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,931
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Hello and welcome to TFP! 
Since you're new to our forum, I would also recommend reviewing and bookmarking the other links you see below, starting with our Pool School, because there may be a learning curve for you as you continue with our TFP practices. They work, but you certainly don't want to confuse them with pool store advice or testing. Speaking of which, we highly encourage all owners to test their own water with either a TF-100 (Link below) or Taylor K-2006C. The results of your water hinge on proper home testing from one of those kits. Hope that helps.
Actually, chlorine is chlorine is chlorine. By that I mean whether it's a stabilized tablet, liquid pool shock, or regular bleach, the free chlorine (FC) lasts the same time in the water regardless of the source. What influences the rate of dissipation is the current CYA, sunlight/heat, and amount of organics or other products in the water the chlorine may be fighting. What is different however about those chlorine sources is that tablets/pucks are stabilized and increase CYA all the time. That's probably why your CYA is so high already, so the last thing you want to do is add another puck to the water. You should be using only regular bleach right now and maintaining it at the proper level based on that elevated CYA of 80. See the Chlorine/CYA Chart link below.
Since you're new to our forum, I would also recommend reviewing and bookmarking the other links you see below, starting with our Pool School, because there may be a learning curve for you as you continue with our TFP practices. They work, but you certainly don't want to confuse them with pool store advice or testing. Speaking of which, we highly encourage all owners to test their own water with either a TF-100 (Link below) or Taylor K-2006C. The results of your water hinge on proper home testing from one of those kits. Hope that helps.
Thanks for the info! I've found this site very helpful and plan to using it frequently. I was assuming that adding a puck in the summertime was mostly for the benefit of the cya it added, but mine already being high, that I didn't need to do that. I just wasn't sure if there was any other benefit to that. I plan on using only liquid 12.5% chlorine for here on out and adding a little every evening to keep the FC levels appropriate.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,931
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
You're very welcome. You're right to use a puck when you know your CYA isn't too high and the pool can handle it (i.e. vacation). A lot of folks simply don't know that. The 12.5% should work well for you. Thanks for using the forum, and have a nice weekend.
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,211
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
You are all set now! I did want to highlight that the key ambiguity in the above sentence is "because liquid chlorine will diminish too fast". What is too fast? Some people, many people in fact, would think that quicker than every few days is too fast. But in reality, proper chlorine levels will only last for a day or so during the summer unless chlorine is replenished with more with bleach, a SWCG or a tab (if CYA or CH is also needed).
Yes, your all set if you just use bleach for here on out until CYA decreases!
On this whole "because liquid chlorine will diminish too fast" line. I heard this when I was trying to get started last year and I was asking about getting bleach delivered. I think it's a general misunderstanding that some folks have that work in the industry that think using Chlorine and Stabilizer is somehow different than using Stabilized Chlorine, as if the stabilizer already in the water doesn't help newly added chlorine. When I heard this line I responded by asking "What about SWCGs?" and "Then why do you sell Stabilizer at all?" and "What about all those commercial pools and water parks that use bleach?". Needless to say, I got a blank stare and further insistence that I needed to use the chlorine pucks.
On this whole "because liquid chlorine will diminish too fast" line. I heard this when I was trying to get started last year and I was asking about getting bleach delivered. I think it's a general misunderstanding that some folks have that work in the industry that think using Chlorine and Stabilizer is somehow different than using Stabilized Chlorine, as if the stabilizer already in the water doesn't help newly added chlorine. When I heard this line I responded by asking "What about SWCGs?" and "Then why do you sell Stabilizer at all?" and "What about all those commercial pools and water parks that use bleach?". Needless to say, I got a blank stare and further insistence that I needed to use the chlorine pucks.