Liquid chlorine daily seems like a huge hassle, is TFP sustainable only for SWG?

[Sfii]

Hello!

We recently purchased our home with 18k in-ground vinyl pool, no water features.

I’ve read all the basics, great resources thanks.

We had been using chlorine tabs, but those resulted in super high CYA levels. I drained a few in while vacuuming and am filling back up now, took the floater out and but it seems like a huge hassle to have to pour in a gallon of liquid chlorine every day instead! Is that really the only way? At $7/gal it seems crazy expensive, not to mention the hassle of actually picking up all that chlorine all the time.

We have also been using cal-hypo to shock, CH isn’t too high and it’s vinyl so I think not an issue anyways. But even mixing cal-hypo every day or every other day also would be such a chore!

Otherwise it seems like TFP method is really only low-maintenance for SWG, which is not in the budget right now.

Am I missing anything? Anyone in a similar situation figured a better way to get chlorine?

TK-2006 test kit (from yesterday before draining, I know it’s not balanced yet)
FC 4.5
PH 7.6
TA 120
CH 220
CYA 100

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
You can try to use tablets, it just takes some testing and replacing the pool water very often.
The biggest issue is keeping the FC high enough for the CYA level. If you start at 30 ppm CYA, and once you get to 60 ppm CYA you drain half the pool volume and start over, you might be able to keep 3+ ppm FC in the water with just tablets.
You also will likely need to add baking soda often with just tablets. You keep a higher TA with tablets as they are so acidic.
A SWCG is by far the most economical method over time.
I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

 

[Sfii]

Welcome to the forum!
You can try to use tablets, it just takes some testing and replacing the pool water very often.
The biggest issue is keeping the FC high enough for the CYA level. If you start at 30 ppm CYA, and once you get to 60 ppm CYA you drain half the pool volume and start over, you might be able to keep 3+ ppm FC in the water with just tablets.
You also will likely need to add baking soda often with just tablets. You keep a higher TA with tablets as they are so acidic.
A SWCG is by far the most economical method over time.
I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

Thanks! We are on well also so would not find draining the pool so often realistic either…seems like we may not be able to keep the pool truly balanced by TFP standards without the hassle of adding a SWG or a gallon of liquid chlorine every day.

 

[DrewLG]

it seems like a huge hassle to have to pour in a gallon of liquid chlorine every day instead! Is that really the only way? At $7/gal it seems crazy expensive, not to mention the hassle of actually picking up all that chlorine all the time.

It's probably closer to a quart than a gallon for a pool your size. But yeah -- if you don't want to buy an SWCG, which might be cheaper in the long run, liquid chlorine is the way. It only takes a minute to pour it in, so maybe not as big a hassle as you're imagining.

Tabs are almost exactly the same cost as liquid chlorine. They're easier, but only until you need to replace half your water, which you'll probably need to do a couple times per season.

 

[Sfii]

It's probably closer to a quart than a gallon for a pool your size. But yeah -- if you don't want to buy an SWCG, which might be cheaper in the long run, liquid chlorine is the way. It only takes a minute to pour it in, so maybe not as big a hassle as you're imagining.

Tabs are almost exactly the same cost as liquid chlorine. They're easier, but only until you need to replace half your water, which you'll probably need to do a couple times per season.

Thanks! A quart or even half gallon seems a lot more digestible, and since they come in cases of 6 or so it could just mean picking up 1 case or 2 a month.

I guess we have to just pick our poison! Wish there was a bulk liquid chlorine delivery service.

 

[randytsuch]

Or install a SWG

I did some calcs back in early 2021, and even back then, my calculated price per gallon of Cl from a SWG was cheaper then I was paying locally.
And adding the convenience factor of not dealing with liquid CL anymore, it was an easy decision for me.

Have no regrets.

At today's Cl prices, I think the decision would be even easier.

I was using a stenner pump to add cl, so I was just filling the cl tank every couple weeks. But still more weekly work then a SWG.
So if you don't want to go SWG, you could consider a stenner or other peristaltic pump.

 

[kellyfair]

I get my chlorine at Pinch a Penny. $8 or so for refilling 2.5 gallon container. (I‘m on chlorine right now until I finish plumbing new pump and filter).

 

[mfifield01]

Thanks! A quart or even half gallon seems a lot more digestible, and since they come in cases of 6 or so it could just mean picking up 1 case or 2 a month.

I guess we have to just pick our poison! Wish there was a bulk liquid chlorine delivery service.

Walmart is like a bulk liquid chlorine service. I ordered 10 gallons and got free shipping.

 

[Getitrite]

Possible Bulk Supplier ?

 

[BDY]

The question is - when you say TFP method what is your alternative? TFP method as I understand it is a means of understanding and managing your pool yourself. There are many ways to get to a TFP outcome - there is no one size fits all on method to get there.

if you think chlorine and SWG are out, what are you comparing as an alternative?

(Also, if there was something easier, these guys would have found it a long time ago… )

 

[Mdragger88]

A gallon of 10% liquid chlorine is 5.6ppm in your pool volume. With your location you may need a gallon every two days.
Less in the cooler times. You don’t have to dose daily so long as when you do dose you add enough that you don’t fall below minimum until you dose again.
It is safe to swim with fc up to slam level for your cya so aiming for high target or a few ppm above might give you a couple days. We recommend that you test every day until you know how your pool eats depending on the conditions.

You can also add a stenner to feed your pool if a swcg isn’t your jam but you don’t wanna pour bleach all the time.

 

[Sfii]

By TFP method I just mean the TFP levels which are different and quite a bit lower than other guidelines esp re CYA.
I wish wal mart would ship LC to me, or we had a pinch a penny around here! Pick up only around here.

Thanks for the recommendation on the feeder! Will look into that vs SWCG cost.

 

[BDY]

Not sure what other guidelines you are looking at? in my experience the TFP guidelines are higher for CYA

 

[Newdude]

Will look into that vs SWCG cost.

I got you. Different units obviously have different payouts per purchase price, but this will give you a really close idea for an 18k pool.

Is CircuPool UL40 from Discountsaltpool still the best SWG deal?

I am currently using liquid chlorine for my 18,000 galon pool, and I am considering switching to SWG. The current lowest price on liquid chlorine that I can find in Southern California is $5.44 per gallon from Walmart. I am trying to understand in how many years I will break even if I switch to...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[drsipe]

Otherwise it seems like TFP method is really only low-maintenance for SWG, which is not in the budget right now.

I think you may be missing the point, it's "Trouble Free Pools", not low-maintenance pools,,,, with that being said, if you want to reduce the efforts to have a TFP, you can install an SWG or you can install a Stenner pump and the pump will dose the pool with liquid chlorine. The down side to the Stenner Pump is cost and you still need to fill sodium hypo supply for the Stenner Pump.

I understand your reluctance to manual liquid chlorine addition. I did manual chlorination, during my first year of TFP, and it does increase your workload, you need to purchase and haul all that chlorine, and it's more difficult to go away even for a few days. My second year of TFP, I installed a SWG, and I love it, I can go away for a week with very little worry. The price of liquid chlorine keeps rising and the only way to lock in your chlorine costs is with an SWG.

Good Luck on whichever method you choose, but nothing is maintenance free, and there are no free lunches. Pools cost money and sometimes they cost a lot of money.

 

[Newdude]

Drink the Pool-Aid. Once you get over the learning curve, which we'll CERTAINLY help with, it's like second nature and hardly takes any time or effort.

It's ironic that some effort now to become a master of your pool puts you on easy street down the road.

 

[magiteck]

Do you cover your pool? My chlorine use is reduced substantially when my pool is covered. I’m a bit further north than you, but on average I’m only losing about 1.5-2ppm per day.

The less chlorine you lose to the sun, the less liquid you have to add.

 

[duraleigh]

CH isn’t too high and it’s vinyl so I think not an issue anyways

It will be. Like pucks and the accumulation of CYA, Cal Hypo is steadily increasing the CH content of your pool water. It may take a while but it will eventually become too high.

Save up for that SWG.!

 

[Sfii]

Thank you all! Just found the Wal Mart does deliver LC to our new address, the site was showing not available for the old address. Woohoo! 12 bottles coming in tomorrow. And cheaper than anywhere else I’ve seen.

No cover, I think the pool is at least 20 yrs old. I also love looking at it haha so probably wouldn’t want to cover anyways. I peeked over our neighbor’s fence and they do have a chlorine feeder too!

Got the CYA down to 80! Will keep lowering it slowly as we vacuum so as not to totally wreck our well.