We dive in and find out. Liquid chlorine is preferred over chlorine tablets by pool professionals however home swimming pools will benefit too. Liquid chlorine quickly raises or maintains chlorine levels without raising stabilizer. Chlorine tablets maintain chlorine levels and add stabilizer to the pool water.
Chlorinating tablets and chlorinating liquid are both suitable sanitizers for your swimming pool when applied according to label directions. Choose the sanitizer that best suits your individual preferences. *1 gallon of chlorinating liquid delivers the same amount of chlorine as 2 chlorinating tablets.
Unlike liquid chlorine solutions that are nothing more than chlorine mixed into water, chlorine tablets are typically composed of chlorine and a stabilizing component which is usually cyanuric acid or CYA.
Liquid chlorine is generally less costly than granular shock and comes in refillable containers, where granular shock does not. Liquid chlorine does not need to dissolve in your water as it is already in liquid form. In addition, liquid chlorine is non-scaling and leaves no residue.
The most important factor in keeping a pool clean is by adding chlorine to it. Chlorine can be added in many ways, but the most effective and also the most convenient way is to use chlorine tablets.
Yes, when using tablets they can be present in the water while you swim. Also confirm with a test of the chlorine level to be sure the sanitizer level is safe for swimming.
There are alternatives to chlorine including bromine, ionizers, and ozonators, though with each you'll still need to use some chlorine. A fourth alternative is PHMB, which doesn't require the use of any chlorine. All four have drawbacks, including cost.
How much chlorine do you need to shock a pool? Unfortunately, you can't shock your pool using your regular 3-inch chlorine tablets. Common chlorine sanitizing products are great for maintaining chlorine levels, but not necessarily eliminating new waste, bacteria and algae.
There are two types of shock you can use: chlorinated and non-chlorinated. The most commonly used chlorinated shock is a granular version of calcium hypochlorite, which is a 2-in-1 oxidizing and sanitizing chlorine.
It Should Not Be Done Together
This is because when you mix chlorine and algaecide together, it renders both of them useless. Hence, you should first shock the pool and wait for the chlorine levels to fall below 5 PPM.
Liquid Chlorine
The liquid form of chlorine is the cheapest way of adding chlorine to a pool. Simply pour it directly into the water in front of a return jet to disperse it throughout the pool.
All pool chemicals, aside from unstabilised liquid chlorine, are good for up to three to five years as long as they're stored in a cool and dark place away from sunlight and they're packed in air-tight containers.
Add one tablet for every 5,000 gallons of water and always round up. For example, if your pool has 21,000 gallons of water, add five tablets per week. If it has 8,000 gallons, use two tablets.
The benefit of chlorine tablets is that the tablets slowly dissolve over time so therefore you have a supply of chlorine entering the water over a period. Chlorine granules however must be added so there is a higher risk that levels may drop if the hot tub is not attended to, adding risk of bacteria growth.
After Shocking Your Pool
It is safe to swim once your chlorine levels are around 5 ppm or after 24 hours. It is always best to test first!
Liquid chlorine
They are identical in every way, with the exception of strength. Household bleach is usually a 6% concentration (although some of the cheaper stuff is 3%), while pool chlorine can typically be found in strength between 10% and 12%.
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: it depends on the formulation. The label on every bleach bottle should tell you the ratio of sodium hypochlorite (and available chlorine) in the bottle to everything else. A higher percentage is generally better, as you'll need to use less bleach to treat your pool.
Pros of Saltwater Pools
There's less chlorine and less of the heavy chemical scent and content. They're gentler on the skin, with less irritation to the eyes, hair and swimsuits. The water has a softer, silkier feel to it compared to chlorine water. They have lower maintenance costs than chlorine pools.
The shortage is due to increased demand for pool supplies during the pandemic and a chemical fire at a BioLab facility in Louisiana after Hurricane Laura that knocked out one of the country's three main chlorine manufacturers.
As a general rule, we see stabilized chlorine tablets (also called trichlor tablets) last anywhere from two to three days. Slow dissolve cal-hypo tabs may last four to five days.
Typically, a 3-inch pool chlorine tablet is designed to chlorinate from 7,500 to 10,000 gallons of water per week, meaning it'll take seven days to dissolve. If you have a 30,000-gallon pool, you'll need to place three 3-inch pool chlorine tablets in a chlorinator or floater.
For the greatest protection against algae, bacteria, and cloudy water, Intex pools should maintain a chlorine level of 2.0-4.0 ppm at all times. If you opted for the Intex Salt Chlorinator, you can make your own chlorine by adding the correct amount of Pool Salt to the water.
Floating pool dispensers can be used in aboveground and inground pools, but make sure your pool manufacturer says it's safe to use one. The chlorine floater must be removed from the water when people are in the pool.
Can you put too much shock in a pool? SKIMMER NOTES: It's unlikely but it could happen. It would take a lot of shock to really make the water unsafe for swimming. The best way to make sure you're safe to swim is to test your pool water and make sure free chlorine levels are between 1-4ppm for healthy swimming.
Shock is liquid or granular chlorine. You should add one gallon (or one pound) of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water every week to two weeks. During hot weather or frequent use, you may need to shock more frequently.