We just bought a house last summer with a pool. The pool has an in-line chlorinator, so we had been using that for a while with tri-chlor tabs and everything was going fine. However, once we became aware of the CYA issue, we looked into non-stabilized tabs. We found some, but the new tabs quickly clogged up our chlorinator, which is a problem we never had with the stabilized tabs. We have switched to just using liquid chlorine for now, but I was wondering if this is an issue with all non-stanilized tabs, or if maybe it was the particular brand I had. Has anyone had success using non-stabilized tabs with an in-line chlorinator? If so, what brand? Can we use the tabs by placing them in the skimmer basket instead? If we do that, would we need to run the pump 24/7, or could we continue to run it on a schedule? Thank you!
Non-stabilized chlorine tabs?
- Thread starter belle4397
- Start date
Hi, welcome to TFP! It sounds like you found some cal-hypo tabs. They don't contain CYA but they also do not dissolve completely. You are also very luck, because they could have reacted with any trichlor residue and started a fire in your chlorinator. Cal-hypo and trichlor do not mix, and should never be used in the same chlorinator. I would remove the in-line chlorinator, and stick with the liquid. If you must use cal-hypo tabs, get a seperate floater for them, and they will leave a gloppy mess. Do not put them in the skimmer. Cal-hypo will also raise your calcium levels so you will need to keep an eye on that too. You do not want calcium to go above 400 ppm. If you are looking for automated chlorine, consider a saltwater chlorine generator. It will not add CYA or calcium to the water and is as close to maintenance free chlorine as you will get.
Oh wow, sounds like I got lucky then!!! Thank you for the info! We will definitely be sticking with liquid bleach from now on then! I mostly was hoping to be able to use the tabs when we go out of town, so I will get one of the floaters for that purpose I suppose.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,351
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Use the trichlor tablets when you will be out of town for more than a couple days. Just be sure to account for the addition of CYA. Your CYA will degrade some each month and if you get any over flow due to rain your CYA level will drop some.
Now I'm afraid to go back to the trichlor tabs since we have the cal-hypo tabs in the chlorinator now. We haven't been very successful getting the clogged parts entirely cleared out.
- Jul 17, 2019
- 3,713
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
After science figures out this Corona thing, I vote they focus on chlorine tabs that work and do not add CYA, calcium, or anything else. They could be rich.
- May 3, 2014
- 58,351
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Don't use the chlorinator thing. Get a floater. As Zea said, best thing for the chlorinator is for it to be removed and a SWCG installed in its place!