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.
Dichlor is perhaps the most “best of all worlds” chlorine sanitizer. It is typically found in concentrations of 60-65%, which is comparable to cal-hypo. It is a powder sanitizer, which makes it easier to spread or broadcast around the pool than chlorine tablets.
1-inch chlorine tablets are a good option for small pools, hot tubs, and spas because they release a small amount of chlorine at a quick-dissolving speed, rapidly increasing the chlorine level to the correct concentration. However, these tablets are ineffective in larger pools that exceed 5,000 gallons of water.
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%.
The Advantage of Chlorine Tablets for Swimming Pools
The most significant benefit of using chlorine tablets for your pool is its longer-term nature compared to granules. Once you get the right dosage, you shouldn't have to add another chlorine treatment for at least a few days.
Liquid chlorine and granular shock have the same active chemical that sanitizes your pool, what changes is the strength and the way you use it. Liquid chlorine is less costly, unstabilized and comes in liquid form. Granular shock is stabilized and comes in a solid form that dissolves in your pool.
In most cases, you're best off with 3-inch chlorine tablets, as one single tablet can treat up to 5,000 gallons of water. On the other hand, 1-inch tablets contain far less chlorine (about half as much as 3-inch tablets), so they're better suited for smaller indoor pools and spas.
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.
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.
Sodium hypochlorite (also known as liquid chlorine) is another frequently used option for shocking pool water. This is a common choice in pool shock because you can pour the solution directly into the pool without having to dissolve the chlorine in water beforehand.
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.
You can use half tablets too, score them with a screwdriver, and break it in half with your hands, underwater in the skimmer basket.
He told me liquid chlorine was better and cheaper than tabs. For a 60,000 gallon pool open 3.5 months/year, I estimate it would use between 1400-1600 gallons.
If the tablets are not dissolving, and you get a strong smell of chlorine when you open the chlorinator, you probably have a bad check valve in the chlorinator. It is not allowing any water to move through the chlorinator, and any water that is there simply sits there and builds up a yellowish chlorine gas.
Shock has a more intense chemical strength than the traditional chlorine sanitizers, and it also differs in how you should apply it to your swimming pool. Short answer: No. Chlorine sanitizers and shock are similar but different in strength.
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 leaves no residue and can be up to 80% less expensive. Also, it's the most commonly used pool sanitation method. It's available in refillable containers, and it doesn't need dissolving as it's a liquid. On the other hand, powder shock is easier to carry and lasts longer.
Place one tablet in the skimmer basket per 45.450 litres (10,000 gallons) and adjust tablet numbers as necessary to take account of your water flow to achieve 1 - 3 mg/I (ppm) relatively consistently.
Answer: It is true that pool chlorine is stronger than bleach. For bleach and water to be the same strength as pool chlorine and water, you would have to adjust the ratio, increasing the bleach and reducing the water. But no matter which chlorine you use, make sure to test a small area before doing the job.
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.
To superchlorinate, add AT LEAST 2.5 ounces (5 tablespoons, 75 grams) of chlorine for every 100 gallons (400 litres) of spa water or part thereof. Adding more is fine and never a bad idea.
Brown pool water is often caused by metals (iron) becoming oxidized in the pool water. If you shocked your pool water and it turned brown you probably have metals. Oxidized iron usually turns a brown or rusty color in the water.