Trichlorxxxx....dichlorxxxx....??

[new2pools]

So, I picked up the Bleach tonight (btw, got Clorox regular not Ultra from Walmart and it says it's 6% not 5.25%.....maybe it's changed??)
Was reading the label and it says Sodium Hypochlorate or something like that. Went over to the pool isle just to check out the products there and the pool shock, tabs, etc either say Trichlor-something or Sodium dichlor-something. I've read on here about others using Trichlor tabs and such is this what they mean?
What is the difference, ingredient/chemical-wise, in Clorox bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and the trichlor, dichlor stuff?

Also, if at some point I need to raise my CYA do you think it would be okay to throw some tablets I already have in the skimmer since they raise CYA anyway? Seems to be a good and easy way to raise it if needed.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

Ok, Dichlor and Trichlor contain chlorine, just like the bleack. However, they also contain other ingredients. For a while these ingredients are ok, but after a while they can build up and cause trouble in your pool. You can get the same sanitation from good ol' bleach without the added stuff.

The puck (trichlor tabs) are fine while you are trying to raise your CYA, or if you go on vacation. The trouble is that with long-term use, your CYA eventually rises so high that the amount of Cl in the pucks is no longer effective (while the CYA 'keeps' the Cl in the pool, it also limits its effectiveness.)

Ultra bleach is 6%. Regular bleach is 5.25%. Either is fine, just be sure you know which one you have. The Great Value brand is the same as the Clorox and usually costs less. Make sure it is unscented, and not the splash-less or other fancy stuff.

 

[Buggsw]

I don't know, MQ, she just may have regular Clorox that is 6% Sodium Hypochlorite. Their site says that they have recently also added sodium hydroxide to their entire line of bleach, so perhaps the formulation has increased.

According to the Clorox company data sheet it is 6.15% for Regular Clorox bleach.
http://www.thecloroxcompany.com/product ... h0505_.pdf

Here's their msds on the ultra http://www.thecloroxcompany.com/product ... bleach.pdf
Which can be betwee 6-7.35%

Perhaps it depends on the area/plant where it is manufactured?

 

[new2pools]

Thanks for the quick response!

I have Regular Bleach, it doesn't say Ultra anywhere but when I look at the ingredients label it say 6%. Hmmm, actually they didn't even have any "Ultra" except in the Walmart brand---I got Clorox. Wasn't sure about Walmart brand so that's good to know!

I was just over at the Pool Forum reading and noticed someone who posted about Cal Hypo and Sod. Dichlorxxxx and someone told him not to mix those chemical because it could be deadly, etc. Okay, so that freaks me out!
Do you mind if I tell you what all I've put in my pool to make sure it's okay??

27ft round, 17,200 gal, vinyl AG pool

I was going to go with Baquacil when I first got the pool (2 weeks ago or so) but changed my mind just before I put in the Baquacil Sanitizer. I had already put in the Baquacil brand Calcium Hardness and Baquacil brand Alkalinity Increaser per my instructions sheet from them.
I went to another pool store and they ran my water and told me to add 5.5 lbs Stabilizer(CYA), 4 bags of shock (Burn Out), and 1.5 lbs Alkalinity decreaser, which I did at the beginning of the week.

So, that is all that has gone into our pool since we got it.

Got my test kit today so I will be able to get real numbers tomorrow but is everything I've added compatible with bleach or whatever I'll need to put in?

 

[chem geek]

The Baquacil Calcium Hardness increaser and Alkalinity increaser should be fine as they are the same Calcium Chloride and Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda) as used in non-Baquacil products.

As for mixing Cal-Hypo and Trichlor, that's only a no-no for concentrated product or for putting one into an automatic inline feeder (or any feeder, for that matter) that has had the other product in it at any time. There is no problem having the two in your pool water since the Cal-Hypo in the pool becomes calcium and hypochlorite (chlorine) and is no longer dangerous. It's Cal-Hypo in concentrated form that is dangerous if mixed with any acid (and Trichlor is very acidic).

As for the Regular vs. Ultra issue, it appears that Clorox has changed their Regular bleach to now be 6% (plus it will say "5.7% Available Chlorine" on the bottle as well -- a requirement of EPA registration since this is allowed to be used in pools). The store brands have not apparently caught up with the new Clorox nomenclature so Regular for those products is usually 5.25% (or sometimes less -- even 3% -- and is often unmarked) while Ultra is 6%. The Clorox MSDS is apparently incorrect and confusing (and they are old as well).

Richard

 

[new2pools]

Thanks so much.

I just added my 9 cups of bleach tonight. (to get cl level from 1 to 3ppm) Will check tomorrow to see what my numbers are.

As an added bonus (not) we are supposed to have rain all day tomorow here, some heavy. So, I'm guessing I'll be re-checking to be sure all is well after that on Monday, correct?