Old Chlorine

[Ltmdrichardson]

I live in a place (MT) where the only liquid chlorine I can buy is through Walmart. We’re getting ready to open our pool in the next few weeks so I ordered several gallons. They just arrived and are all dated for the end of December. Should I return and re-buy, hoping for a more recent manufacturing date? Or is that not as old as it seems? I remember it taking 16 gallons to slam my pool last year because the bleach was old. I’d rather not use ineffective chlorine.

Is there a better place I can buy chemicals from online?

 

[PoolStored]

I live in a place (MT) where the only liquid chlorine I can buy is through Walmart. We’re getting ready to open our pool in the next few weeks so I ordered several gallons. They just arrived and are all dated for the end of December. Should I return and re-buy, hoping for a more recent manufacturing date? Or is that not as old as it seems? I remember it taking 16 gallons to slam my pool last year because the bleach was old. I’d rather not use ineffective chlorine.

Is there a better place I can buy chemicals from online?

What % is the chlorine you are buying? I'm a bit remote too and had to buy a couple gallons of late 2022 10%. Has worked as expected. Buying bleach online is a pricey approach.

Test the bleach. Use pool math to calculate how much to add to get to your target FC. Add it. Test FC an hour later. If you got to target, bleach is ok.

 

[Ltmdrichardson]

What % is the chlorine you are buying? I'm a bit remote too and had to buy a couple gallons of late 2022 10%. Has worked as expected. Buying bleach online is a pricey approach.

Test the bleach. Use pool math to calculate how much to add to get to your target FC. Add it. Test FC an hour later. If you got to target, bleach is ok.

It’s 10%.

 

[V___25]

It will most likely be weaker but sometimes you have to work with what you got! Walmart will usually put out last year's leftovers first so you may not get newer stuff until that's gone. Are you attempting to SLAM currently or opening for the year?
Buying online can be risky too because you probably won't know the date on that either until it arrives. I have some bleach from last season I'll use to open the pool. I shouldn't need to SLAM at opening so I just expect to go through that older chlorine quicker.

 

[proavia]

Local janitorial or power washing suppliers may stock liquid chlorine. Also, a farm supply store may sell it.

Instead of ordering it online, do they stock it in store for pickup?

 

[Bperry]

I live in a place (MT) where the only liquid chlorine I can buy is through Walmart. We’re getting ready to open our pool in the next few weeks so I ordered several gallons. They just arrived and are all dated for the end of December. Should I return and re-buy, hoping for a more recent manufacturing date? Or is that not as old as it seems? I remember it taking 16 gallons to slam my pool last year because the bleach was old. I’d rather not use ineffective chlorine.

Is there a better place I can buy chemicals from online?

It’s only 4 months old. It’ll be fine.

 

[mmcwhorter]

When I open the pool in Spring my CH is usually low due to excessive rain over the winter (or snow for that matter) and the necessary draining to keep the water line below the tile line. Therefore, I like to use Cal-Hypo 73%, one pound gets to +4ppm in my pool (23,000 gallons). I buy it in bulk and it stores perfectly if kept dry. Amazon usually has the best deals. Although it seems these days all the good deals are in the past.

This is a 24-pound pack for $154 in today's dollars.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WLWMMAQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I checked my Amazon account and last bought this for $82.99 in early 2021