Is liquid chlorine cheaper?

[phxdesertdweller]

I recently started up a new pool and was shocked at chlorine tab prices. It's been a while since I maintained a pool and I don't remember chlorine tabs being this expensive. So I've been chlorinating with bleach and then discovered big box stores sell liquid chlorine for pools. The brand I've been using lately is 10% chlorine, comes in a gallon bottle.
My question is what is the cheaper form factor?

• 2 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine run about $9.
• 25 lbs of clorox tabs costs $150.

Any other considerations when choosing one over the other?

 

[jeffchap]

Tabs add stabilizer (CYA) to your water whereas liquid forms of chlorine do not. The chlorine burns off but the stabilizer remains, so over time the stabilizer level builds up to a point where you can no longer add enough chlorine to sanitize your water. This is what pool stores call "chlorine lock" and the only solution is to drain and refill your pool.

This is why the TFP method involves only adding the amount of stabilizer desired and then using only liquid forms of chlorine to maintain the free chlorine (FC) level.

Knowing your CYA level is critical to maintaining the proper chlorine level in your pool. Do you have one of the recommended test kits to measure CYA? We do not trust pool store testing, especially for cya. It is frequently wildly inaccurate.

 

[Bperry]

I recently started up a new pool and was shocked at chlorine tab prices. It's been a while since I maintained a pool and I don't remember chlorine tabs being this expensive. So I've been chlorinating with bleach and then discovered big box stores sell liquid chlorine for pools. The brand I've been using lately is 10% chlorine, comes in a gallon bottle.
My question is what is the cheaper form factor?

• 2 gallons of 10% liquid chlorine run about $9.
• 25 lbs of clorox tabs costs $150.

Any other considerations when choosing one over the other?

The Clorox tabs also many times include copper which can do some damage to swimsuits and blond hair.

 

[Mdragger88]

How to Chlorinate Your Pool

Before chlorinating your pool, you should know these simple tips. Learn the best way to add chlorine to your pool.

www.google.com

Many tabs like those with “xtra blu” in the name also add copper to your water which can stain surfaces & turn hair, fingernails, & pool water green when levels get too high. The only solution is to replace the copper laden water.
Trichlor & dichlor are also acidic & can tank ph & ta in short order if those aren’t monitored properly.
Here’s an example of the effects of each in my pool volume
27 gal of liquid chlorine $122

25# of trichlor tabs @$150

This doesn’t account for the costs other chems to balance ta & ph & water exchanges required to offset the effects of the trichlor

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Big Box Stores purchase chlorine/acid in large quantities and typically store outside and at times in direct sunlight. A local small pool store will rotate through their supply faster and in turn purchase more often so the product is newer.

 

[PowerPigg!!]

The liquid chlorine is the FAR better choice that also happens to be cheaper. The tabs are not good for regular chlorination because the stabilizer and other extra stuff that is included can build up to problematic levels.

You can get more details in this page of TFP's Pool School:

How to chlorinate your pool

 

[almostakeeper]

It's almost a mission impossible to find liquid chlorine in central Texas where everybody and their brother has a pool. I spent so much free time driving all over to be disappointed in finding it I finally gave up and switched up to a swg a few months back. Couldn't be happier with my Circupool RJ-30.

 

[pjt]

Any other considerations when choosing one over the other?

Get a SWG and generate your own chlorine. Aside from a quality test kit, a SWG is the best money you'll spend on your pool.

 

[PowerPigg!!]

I second the SWG suggestion! The bigger your pool the more economic sense this could make for you vs liquid chlorine, both in cost and convenience.

We are spoiled in SoFla by dirt-cheap liquid chlorine--2.5 gallons at 12% for less than $5!

 

[willygee]

I second the SWG suggestion! The bigger your pool the more economic sense this could make for you vs liquid chlorine, both in cost and convenience.

We are spoiled in SoFla by dirt-cheap liquid chlorine--2.5 gallons at 12% for less than $5!

Where you getting it? Ace here now $7.00 2.5gal 10%.

 

[PowerPigg!!]

Where you getting it? Ace here now $7.00 2.5gal 10%.

Suncoast brand refills from Pinch-a-Penny pool stores common down here. Note that while the labeling on the refillable jug lists it as 10.5%, it's usually near 13% on day of purchase right now per FAS-DPD test of properly diluted sample, so it's very fresh.

I think they have some stores in the Orlando area. If you are nearby and the price is right, it might be worth a try. I recommend testing to get a sense of the initial concentrationthe day you buy it, to make sure you get your money's worth vs Ace.

 

[willygee]

We have 2 PAP's here...i'll check it out. They were higher than ACE a year ago. Ace was [email protected] gal.

 

[srovi]

Try a power wash supply company. I am able to get 12% for $3 a gallon still.

 

[Master]

Tabs add stabilizer (CYA) to your water whereas liquid forms of chlorine do not. The chlorine burns off but the stabilizer remains, so over time the stabilizer level builds up to a point where you can no longer add enough chlorine to sanitize your water. This is what pool stores call "chlorine lock" and the only solution is to drain and refill your pool.

This is why the TFP method involves only adding the amount of stabilizer desired and then using only liquid forms of chlorine to maintain the free chlorine (FC) level.

Knowing your CYA level is critical to maintaining the proper chlorine level in your pool. Do you have one of the recommended test kits to measure CYA? We do not trust pool store testing, especially for cya. It is frequently wildly inaccurate.

Greetings Chap - just to clarify (lol), CYA is never consumed and stays in the pool "forever"? And once our CYA hits the magic 30-50 range, stop using the tabs?

 

[Mdragger88]

Greetings Chap - just to clarify (lol), CYA is never consumed and stays in the pool "forever"? And once our CYA hits the magic 30-50 range, stop using the tabs?

Yes - cya degrades a little bit over time & when the water temp is really high but not enough to outpace how quickly solid forms of chlorine add it when used for daily chlorination (trichlor & dichlor).

 

[jlbaker999]

Here in Lubbock, 13 % bleach goes for $4.50 a gallon at Home Depot or Walmart. Where did the $2.59 days go?
Next question, it seems liquid bleach raises the Ph which seems to lower the FC level. CYA has to be monitored periodically, it seems to decrease slowly over time as well (we add water periodically which may account for it), but I can't figure why the Ph increases which seems to reduce the FC as well. Any ideas?

 

[Bperry]

Here in Lubbock, 13 % bleach goes for $4.50 a gallon at Home Depot or Walmart. Where did the $2.59 days go?
Next question, it seems liquid bleach raises the Ph which seems to lower the FC level. CYA has to be monitored periodically, it seems to decrease slowly over time as well (we add water periodically which may account for it), but I can't figure why the Ph increases which seems to reduce the FC as well. Any ideas?

pH increasing doesn’t affect FC. Your FC will go down 2-4ppm every day by itself due to sunlight, heat, and oxidizing stuff in the water.

The pH will increase with water aeration, or a high TA.