Putting chlorine pucks in skimmer baskets.

[cbodie]

Hey folks after 25 years we renovated our pool. The contractor recommended the addition of an in- line chlorinator. They did the plaster this past Saturday and the pool was immediately filled by the water tanker. The agreement is they will handle all the chemistry balance for the next 3 weeks before they turn it over to us for regular maintenance. However, today when the technician came I asked him about chlorine and he said right now no chlorine, they will just balance PH and alkalinity. Three days from now they will pop some pucks in the skimmer baskets. I'm sitting here remembering on various occasions hearing that chlorine added directly to the skimmer baskets is a disaster waiting to happen due to the direct path of intense amounts of chlorine going directly to all the pool equipment , especially my new Rapak heater which is yet to be fired up waiting for the pool chemistry to be in balance. I really want to get started right on this basically new pool so it lasts.
Gunite/plaster ( Diamond Brite quatz
20,000 gallons
Tagelus sand filter TA60D
Pentair Intelliflo Variable speed pump VS-3050
Raypak/Rheem 300,000 BTU Cupro Nickel
Intellibrite lights 5G 12V LED
King Technology Performax 940 In-line chlorine feeder

 

[djdonte]

Its not right but its not going to instantly corrode all of your equipment either. If you have an inline chlorinator why not use it ?

 

[mknauss]

If they insist on using trichlor and you are OK with it, they should use the inline chlorinator you have.

I suggest your read How to Chlorinate Your Pool - Trouble Free Pool

 

[Donldson]

It's not the chlorine in the pucks that are the problem, it is the acid. Trichlor is very acidic and when placed in the skimmer it sends acidic water through your entire filtration system. That's especially not healthy for a heater. This is why chlorinators are positioned at the end of the line.

 

[cbodie]

Its not right but its not going to instantly corrode all of your equipment either. If you have an inline chlorinator why not use it ?

Well that's what I was telling the guy. I told him it was his boss who recommended installing an in-line chlorinator, so what's the point of ignoring it. He also started the system with all the paper work inside the chlorinator!!! I promptly let his boss know. I would appreciate suggestions on the best type of pucks to use. Last year, prior to the renovation I used bioguard sticks in a floating skimmer. I can use sticks in this chlorinator too, just would appreciate advice on what to use. I will most definitely read "How to Chlorinate your pool", Thank You!!!

 

[mknauss]

You should not use trichlor pucks for daily maintenance.
Read the link I posted above.

 

[cbodie]

From reading it sounds to me like the best option is to use liquid chlorine. However now that this in-line chlorinator is installed, and you are not suppose to put granular in it, it seems to me that we might have a piece of equipment that creates more harm than good. The pool company says to put Trichlor tabs in it. On one forum someone mentions that the Bio guard seems to be pretty OK and has Lithium Hypo.. so maybe just using that at a really low setting and combining with liquid chlorine could be a good compromise? In past years I had a terrible time with CYA and alkalinity and if some of these products introduce it I may end up with the same issues as in the past.

 

[Donldson]

Trichlor tablets are pretty much all the same. Every brand just buys them from the same factories overseas. Some have some metals in them that make them extra not-good, or it is cut with boric acid, but otherwise there's nothing special about one brand over another.

Lithium Hypochlorite is not available in tablet form, only powder. Or rather, it was available in a powder until we started using all the lithium in the world to make batteries. You aren't going to have much luck finding li-hypo, but when you do the sticker shock will be powerful.

There's no reason to use a tablet feeder just because it is there. It will sit there empty diligently waiting until you take a vacation or otherwise can't tend to the pool for several days. If you had CYA problems in the past, regular use of chlorine tablets are only going to repeat history.

 

[PoolGate]

Howdy Neighbor!

I was told to and also put the tablets in my skimmers by my builder when my pool was completed 3 years ago. No harm, no foul I don't do it anymore. Too bad you didn't find this forum before your renovation. But no worries! Yes, that chlorinator will be of little use to you unless you go on vacation and have no one to add chlorine while you are gone. With the renovation you should have added a saltwater chlorine generator. They are highly recommended. But moving forward, plain old liquid bleach is the preferred method of chlorinating a pool.

Bio-guard magical mystery chemicals are not well regarded nor recommended at all on this forum.

First thing is to get a proper test kit that uses lab grade reagents. We suggest Taylor kits like this. Test Kits

 

[Rick H]

As many have said, the inline chlorinator may not get much use if you follow the suggestions here. That being said, it does come in handy if you are away for a few days or more to keep chlorine up and the pool clean. Just be aware of what the pucks do and how quickly the CYA levels can climb while using them.

 

[cbodie]

Howdy Neighbor!

I was told to and also put the tablets in my skimmers by my builder when my pool was completed 3 years ago. No harm, no foul I don't do it anymore. Too bad you didn't find this forum before your renovation. But no worries! Yes, that chlorinator will be of little use to you unless you go on vacation and have no one to add chlorine while you are gone. With the renovation you should have added a saltwater chlorine generator. They are highly recommended. But moving forward, plain old liquid bleach is the preferred method of chlorinating a pool.

Bio-guard magical mystery chemicals are not well regarded nor recommended at all on this forum.

First thing is to get a proper test kit that uses lab grade reagents. We suggest Taylor kits like this. Test Kits

Thank you. Yes I am starting to see the light on this. I may have to live with this now for a year or so, but maybe upon opening next year, if I don't have to swap out too much I might go to that . Pouring liquid chlorine and getting it at the store is also not a big deal. Thank you so much. If you don't mind is there a particular brand you would recommend?

 

[sarah4one]

Hey folks after 25 years we renovated our pool. The contractor recommended the addition of an in- line chlorinator. They did the plaster this past Saturday and the pool was immediately filled by the water tanker. The agreement is they will handle all the chemistry balance for the next 3 weeks before they turn it over to us for regular maintenance. However, today when the technician came I asked him about chlorine and he said right now no chlorine, they will just balance PH and alkalinity. Three days from now they will pop some pucks in the skimmer baskets. I'm sitting here remembering on various occasions hearing that chlorine added directly to the skimmer baskets is a disaster waiting to happen due to the direct path of intense amounts of chlorine going directly to all the pool equipment , especially my new Rapak heater which is yet to be fired up waiting for the pool chemistry to be in balance. I really want to get started right on this basically new pool so it lasts.
Gunite/plaster ( Diamond Brite quatz
20,000 gallons
Tagelus sand filter TA60D
Pentair Intelliflo Variable speed pump VS-3050
Raypak/Rheem 300,000 BTU Cupro Nickel
Intellibrite lights 5G 12V LED
King Technology Performax 940 In-line chlorine feeder

You are absolutely correct. Those stix in your skimmer will destroy your equipment over a period of time. After year 2 of using them in the skimmer my pump totally corroded. Luckily it didn't do damage to my sand filter...that I know of anyway. chances are it did weaken the laterals inside, but I never looked. Everything I've ever read said that the chlorinator goes at the end of the line just before returning to the pool. I also am adding a chlorinator and it sits just below the return jet. make sure they put the sticks where they should go....in the chlorinator, not the skimmer.