Unstabilized tablets

[psandro]

Does anyone know of a scource for unstabilized tablets for a floater?

after draining 1/2 way and refilling was only able to drop CYA to 130. Really should not be draining in AZ this time of the year.

[CarlD]

There is only one type of non-stabilized tablet and that is made from Cal-Hypo. If you use it, use it in a new floater as it will react badly with anything left over. Generally, they make lousy tablets anyway. Better to use bleach for chlorine.

Carl

[psandro]

Thanks for your reply - I intend to go the bleach route but I'm thinking tabs have the benefit of dissolving gradually. For those using bleach - how often do you test / add? I just purchased my own test kit and have a lot to learn but I am skeptical of the guys at the pool store(s)

[aylad]

You would need to test daily when using bleach, at least until you get a feel for how your pool acts, and most people add bleach daily. However, since your stabilizer is quite high, it's possible that you wouldn't need to add daily but rather every 2-4 days. Again, it depends on your pool and how fast it uses up the chlorine. I intentionally keep my stabilizer on the high side at 80-90 in full Louisiana sun, and I usually add the larger jug from WalMart about every 3 days.

Janet

[waterbear]

cal hypo tabs (unstabilized) are fast dissolving compared to trichlor and are meant for use in the skimmer, not a floater, since they need a vented dispenser. They really do not offer much advantage over bleach or liquid chlorine except that they are solid and not liquid and have several drawbacks. They are more expensive, they will cause calcium hardness to increase and are dangerous to store and can ignite and start a fire when mixed with other chemicals.

[chem geek]

Cal-Hypo is also a chemical that doesn't bind together well even under pressure when making pucks (unlike Trichlor) which means that they have to add binders/fillers to the Cal-Hypo to help it to stick together to make a tablet. So as these tablets dissolve, they often leave an insoluble residue, especially as the tablets gets smaller and tend to fall apart more quickly.

[CarlD]

There are some that get around Chem Geek's problem by actually encapsulating the Cal-Hypo in plastic, which, when empty, you must discard. I believe PoolLife may still make them but HTH only makes the tablets, which are horrible. They are supposed to last 5-7 days but I found, in my skimmer, they dissolved in less than 12 hours, and into a skimmer clogging wet cement. I will NEVER use them again.