PRACTICAL is the key word here. I've read a number of posts/articles on how to properly store pool chemicals. I get it. There's an ideal way to do it. What I need is a PRACTICAL (though imperfect) way that won't be dangerous, catch my house on fire, corrode the container it's in, etc. I live in southeast Texas where it's hot and humid, so "store in a cool place away from humidity" is not an option. The best I'm going to be able to do is to store it behind my house in some kind of plastic chest. Anybody have practical suggestions for the way they store theirs? I understand chlorine will corrode metal (my previous box had metal hinges and pistons and got completely rusted away), so I'm guessing I need something with no/minimal metal, correct? What brands of container are people using? I also understand you need to keep chlorine away from acid, but how are people accomplishing this with outdoor storage? Could I simply separate the dry chemicals form the acid by putting them in separate closeable plastic storage containers within the same chest? Anything else I need to be aware of? Thanks.
Practical Chemical Storage
- Thread starter Mozartk626
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 58,787
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,952
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
How many different chems are u trying to store?
I keep liquid chlorine in the shade under my deck, a deck box or plastic storage shed etc would do the trick here as well especially if u need to lock things up.
Muriatic acid is under my patio on a shelf in the open air (because it’s near my hot tub & that’s usually the only thing that needs acid)
The separate bucket/ plastic container/ deck box would be fine too & allow u to lock it if kids are a concern.
My test kit, extra reagents, & small pool stuffs like xtra skimmer socks, live inside my laundry area in a basket.
If i have any baking soda, borax, or washing soda it lives there too as it’s not used much in the pool.
I have a deck box that houses my dip net, cordless vac, dolphin brain, & various pool toys & I often keep a bag of cya in there.
Luckily I have a she shed on my property for various pool & garden items so big items, spares, or occasional use stuff like xtra salt gets put in there - the left side is for pool & the right side is for garden/yard.
I keep liquid chlorine in the shade under my deck, a deck box or plastic storage shed etc would do the trick here as well especially if u need to lock things up.
Muriatic acid is under my patio on a shelf in the open air (because it’s near my hot tub & that’s usually the only thing that needs acid)
The separate bucket/ plastic container/ deck box would be fine too & allow u to lock it if kids are a concern.
My test kit, extra reagents, & small pool stuffs like xtra skimmer socks, live inside my laundry area in a basket.
If i have any baking soda, borax, or washing soda it lives there too as it’s not used much in the pool.
I have a deck box that houses my dip net, cordless vac, dolphin brain, & various pool toys & I often keep a bag of cya in there.
Luckily I have a she shed on my property for various pool & garden items so big items, spares, or occasional use stuff like xtra salt gets put in there - the left side is for pool & the right side is for garden/yard.
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,576
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
It's not chlorine that corrodes metal - it's muriatic acid. So I store it in one of these out by the pool: 22 Gallon Small Deck Box with Storage Seat - Stoney
My liquid chlorine stays in my (attached) garage where it doesn't get too hot and is away from the sun. My dry chems are near it too.
My liquid chlorine stays in my (attached) garage where it doesn't get too hot and is away from the sun. My dry chems are near it too.
Good info, folks.
#1: I can't have bottles and containers sitting out/around, so they need something to go in.
#2: It's Texas. My garage gets insanely hot, so I need to get the chemicals out of there.
I'm thinking this (tell me where I'm wrong):
- Get a mid-sized to large plastic "deck box" style container with minimal metal hardware. ALL chemicals will go in this box.
- Each type of chemical will be stored inside this ONE box, but each will be separated and sealed in its own dedicated hard plastic storage container within the larger box.
- Chemicals I need to store: - Cal Hypo granulated chlorine; Triclor pucks; Muriatic Acid; Granulated Calcium; Sodium bicarb.; Soda Ash
Thoughts:
- I'll need to keep the Trichlor separate from the Cal. Hypo, correct?
- Do I need to keep the acid by itself, or can I store it in the same container as the calcium, baking soda, and soda ash?
- Can I store the baking soda and soda ash together?
- Can I store the calcium with the baking soda and soda ash?
- My 4 year old's bedroom is along the same wall where the chest will go. Should I be worried about any of this starting a fire? If yes, why wouldn't I be worried about a fire anywhere else that I'd store these chemicals?
Thanks.
#1: I can't have bottles and containers sitting out/around, so they need something to go in.
#2: It's Texas. My garage gets insanely hot, so I need to get the chemicals out of there.
I'm thinking this (tell me where I'm wrong):
- Get a mid-sized to large plastic "deck box" style container with minimal metal hardware. ALL chemicals will go in this box.
- Each type of chemical will be stored inside this ONE box, but each will be separated and sealed in its own dedicated hard plastic storage container within the larger box.
- Chemicals I need to store: - Cal Hypo granulated chlorine; Triclor pucks; Muriatic Acid; Granulated Calcium; Sodium bicarb.; Soda Ash
Thoughts:
- I'll need to keep the Trichlor separate from the Cal. Hypo, correct?
- Do I need to keep the acid by itself, or can I store it in the same container as the calcium, baking soda, and soda ash?
- Can I store the baking soda and soda ash together?
- Can I store the calcium with the baking soda and soda ash?
- My 4 year old's bedroom is along the same wall where the chest will go. Should I be worried about any of this starting a fire? If yes, why wouldn't I be worried about a fire anywhere else that I'd store these chemicals?
Thanks.
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,576
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Calcium, baking soda, soda ash, all fine. I wouldn't hesitate to store them with the solid chlorine, either. (I'll let others speak to if it's an issue to store cal hypop and trichlor together, but if they're sealed off, it should be fine.)
I wouldn't store the muriatic acid with them. I'd do a separate deck box for that. Too scary for me to have it in the same box as any chlorine products as it will offgas and the chlorine might too, and that would be an issue.
(Separate issue is chlorinating only with solid products. That's gonna make your CH / CYA go nuts unless you have a way to deal with it.)
I wouldn't store the muriatic acid with them. I'd do a separate deck box for that. Too scary for me to have it in the same box as any chlorine products as it will offgas and the chlorine might too, and that would be an issue.
(Separate issue is chlorinating only with solid products. That's gonna make your CH / CYA go nuts unless you have a way to deal with it.)
DrewLG
Gold Supporter
Correct. I keep the Trichlor floater with the Trichlor, and the Cal-Hypo floater (I actually have Cal-Hypo pucks) with the Cal-Hypo. Each floater has a permanent-marker label -- "White Trichlor Only" and "Blue Cal-Hypo Only" -- and there are notices taped to the top of each container that say not to let them touch each other or be placed in containers that have ever held the other.
I mean... Obviously, buckets and bottles in sealed boxes don't open themselves and mix with each other. But what does happen is that people make mistakes and have accidents.
I store all my dry chemicals as you've described, in separate closed bins or buckets inside a big plastic deck box. But I store the liquid chemicals separately, outdoors in the shade, behind the fence that surrounds my equipment pad. That way, there's little chance that I'll carelessly open a bottle of acid while holding it over the open deck box and accidentally spill some on the dry chemicals inside. Or do some similarly dangerous thing.
I'm not a chemist, but that all seems safe. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and soda ash (sodium carbonate) won't react with each other. If you mix the calcium chloride and the sodium carbonate in water, they'll react to form salt and calcium carbonate -- that's happening in my chlorine feeder at the moment -- but the reaction won't generate heat and start a fire or anything.
There are real chemists here; maybe one of them will tell you for sure.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,952
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
The ma needs to be in a totally separate container- or fumes can combine. 
Other than that it seems like a solid plan.
I agree with @IceShadow about determining how you will chlorinate daily- all the chlorine types u mentioned have multiple effects on water chemistry besides just adding fc.
www.google.com
PoolMath effects of adding with show u how each 8oz puck or 1# of “shock” effects your water in various ways.
Other than that it seems like a solid plan.
I agree with @IceShadow about determining how you will chlorinate daily- all the chlorine types u mentioned have multiple effects on water chemistry besides just adding fc.
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
Makes sense. For the separate issue you raised, I use trichlor only at times when my CYA is a little low and I want to raise it back up. The rest of the time I use Cal Hypo in small enough amounts to just maintain my pool at around 2-3.5 ppm. I find that if I do that, my CH stays in line for long periods of time without having to add calcium. The calcium hardness level tends to go down at a slightly faster rate than it increases with the Cal Hypo use, so it works out fine.
So okay, looks like the acid will need to go in the garage, while everything else can go in the box together outside. (Possibly keeping the two types of chlorine separate). One more thing I'm still worried about is the possibility of either the Cal Hypo or the granulated calcium starting a fire. How worried should I be about either of those things?
jgofnj
Silver Supporter
- May 28, 2013
- 357
- Pool Size
- 18500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
- Jun 1, 2018
- 13,952
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I used to keep my ma on top of the upright freezer thats under my carport- it rusted the entire top of the freezer.
I store my gallon jugs of MA in big box store buckets w/ lid. E.g.:
They are relatively cheap and stackable.
They are relatively cheap and stackable.
Muriatic acid will rust steel. Your car and anything steel you have in the garage will rust. I store mine
outdoors in a plastic tub that has a rubber gasket in the lid. Fumes are a bit intense when it is opened
so I hold my breath and move back for a few seconds waiting for it to dissipate. You get a good idea
of how much off gassing takes place. Store MA by itself.
outdoors in a plastic tub that has a rubber gasket in the lid. Fumes are a bit intense when it is opened
so I hold my breath and move back for a few seconds waiting for it to dissipate. You get a good idea
of how much off gassing takes place. Store MA by itself.
zimdogg
Bronze Supporter
I recently purchased this to store my MA out near the pool. No metal at all, hinges are just plastic that snaps into place, and the whole thing assembles by snapping it together. Even has a little hole in the lid that would allow for a small lock if needed. It's a little big for my single bottle of MA that's stored in it, but it's away from chlorine so all good.