Trichlor is the most popular choice of chlorine for regular use in home pools. It does, however, have a higher (and potentially more effective) chlorine saturation and can alter the pH of the pool slightly. However, dichlor has a neutral pH level. This means it won't affect the natural pH of the pool.
Calcium-Hypochlorite
Calcium-Hypochlorite, also known as Cal-Hypo, is one of the most-used pool sanitizing solutions. This solution has a long shelf life, works optimally in fresh water pools, and is a popular type of chlorine to balance pools.
Faster Dissolving: Granules dissolve quicker than tablets, meaning they start working their sanitizing magic sooner. This is especially beneficial for: Shocking your pool: When dealing with algae blooms or cloudy water, a quick chlorine boost is needed.
Chlorine is the so-called “gold standard” of pool water types, known for its efficiency at killing bacteria. It counteracts contaminants in the water such as sweat, dirt, urine, and sunscreen or body lotions through a chemical reaction. Chlorine can be added once per week, using liquid, tablets or granular chlorine.
Liquid chlorine is strong and has the least side effects for your pool. Liquid Chlorine or Bleach is the tried and true standard chemical of choice for most pool service professionals. It is easy to use and relatively inexpensive and it has the least side effects of any of the chlorine you can choose from.
pH Impact: One consideration with liquid chlorine is its effect on pH levels. Since liquid chlorine has a high pH of around 13, it's easy to throw off your pool's chemistry with this chemical. Regular monitoring and adjustment of pH levels are necessary when using liquid chlorine.
Cons of chlorine tablets
The resulting high chlorine, low pH water will then move through your pool equipment once the water turns back on. Over time, this can permanently damage your pool equipment. The low pH level can also lead to staining and erosion in and around the skimmer.
You can pre-mix chlorine granules in a 5-gallon bucket that's 3/4 full of pool water. Add the granules to the water; don't pour water onto the granules. Pour the mixture around the edges of the pool. You can pour liquid chlorine around the edges of the pool.
You should add chlorine within 48 hours of filling your pool with water. In just 24 hours, bacteria and algae will begin to grow and contaminate your water. After that point, you'll need to shock the water with high levels of chlorine, and you'll likely need to do additional vacuuming to get the pool clean.
Ozone: preferred by many public pools
It is twice as effective as chlorine. Ozone makes water pleasant, odorless and good-tasting (it is also used to disinfect drinking water). This is why it is very popular with public pools which can amortize its high cost of acquisition more easily.
Chlorine tabs (placed in a chlorinator, floater, or skimmer basket) maintain a chlorine residual in the water. You do need to use both tabs and shock. Without tabs, the chlorine shock will dissipate quickly out of the water; without shock, the chlorine level will not get high enough to fully sanitize the water.
Hypochlorous acid is the most effective form of free chlorine residual for disinfection. Depending on pH, hypochlorous acid may break down further into a hydrogen ion and a hypochlorite ion. Hypochlorite ions are much less efficient disinfectants.
While both granular and liquid chlorine has their pros and cons, granular chlorine is more common in home pools. It's cheaper, easy to use, easy to store, and lasts a long time. More premium pools often go for liquid chlorine because of its long-lasting effect on the pool. However, there's no watertight categorisation.
Pool chlorine tablets provide a low-maintenance solution ideal for keeping chlorine levels steady, while granules offer quick results and flexibility in adjusting doses. Evaluate your pool usage and maintenance preferences to make the best choice for a clean, safe swimming environment.
While pool shock also works to sanitise your water, it is slightly different from using chlorine as part of a regular maintenance schedule. Shock dosing refers to adding a high concentration of chemical sanitiser in one dose to immediately increase the level of your sanitising chemicals and get your pool clean.
To accurately measure chlorine levels, use pool test strips or a liquid test kit, which you can find at any pool supply store. These tests also help you monitor other important pool chemical levels like pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness. Under normal conditions, you should add a chlorine tablet every 3-7 days.
If you test your pool water and can't get a chlorine reading at all it may be due to very high chlorine demand. High chlorine demand is the inability to keep an adequate level of chlorine in the pool water even though the water appears to be balanced and properly maintained.
Showering after swimming helps wash away any lingering pool chemicals from the skin and hair, reducing the risk of inhaling them and minimising the risk of respiratory issues. If you have any cuts or scrapes on your body, they can become a pathway for harmful bacteria to enter your system.
Artificial chemicals like DE, sand, and cartridges can't replace chlorine when it comes to pool maintenance. Though they work in different ways, various swimming pool artificial chemicals do offer a variety of benefits when it comes to water quality. Therefore, both are needed.
While it may be tempting to toss chlorine tablets into the skimmer for convenience, doing so can have serious repercussions for your pool and equipment. From fluctuating chlorine levels to corrosive water chemistry, and equipment damage, the pitfalls of skimmer placement far outweigh any perceived benefits.
While slightly higher-than-normal levels of chlorine in pools are harmless, exposure to an over-chlorinated pool can have adverse effects on the bathers' health and well-being. The effect of excess chlorine in pools is an alteration in pH levels of pool water, making it more acidic.
One inch chlorine tablets are known as chlorine tablets for small pools. And here, a nice rule of thumb would be one tablet for every 300 gallons.
For the pool owner who wants that instant gratification, liquid chlorine may be the best way to get you back into your pool. But for the pool owner who regularly uses the pool and wants the convenience of not having to perform as much maintenance, tablets may be preferable.
“Each chlorine tablets contains cyanuric acid. This means that using tablets continually will increase the cyanuric acid in the pool water to unsafe levels. This will reduce the effectiveness and killing power of your chlorine and can make the water unsafe over time.”
Trichlor is the most popular choice of chlorine for regular use in home pools. It does, however, have a higher (and potentially more effective) chlorine saturation and can alter the pH of the pool slightly. However, dichlor has a neutral pH level. This means it won't affect the natural pH of the pool.