pucks?

so, now that I am a pool forum convert, I have another question.

Veterans: do you use chlorine pucks in the skimmers, or simply rely on bleach for all chlorination?

thank you

rjf

After using pucks (in a malfunctioning Hayward feeder) and granular shock for 1 full season and CYA >100, I now will only ever use bleach.

CaryB
Go 'Canes!

No pucks here, bleach only

Neither. We don't recommend generally that you put pucks in the skimmer. When the pump is off, the dissolved chlorine can damage components. Better to spend $10-$15 on a floater and use that.

Usually, we recommend bleach--there's never ANY reason not to use bleach as your chlorinator.

However, if your CYA/Stabilizer is low, and your pH is high (like in new concrete/plaster pools) , Tri-Chlor pucks are a great way to fight the high pH, add CYA, and keep a constant level of chlorine in your water. But when CYA hits 50ppm (or whatever your desired maximum is) you need to switch to bleach.

Also if pH takes a nose-dive and dips below 7.3, or below 7.0, you should stop using the pucks.

I use pucks in my chlorinator if I'm going to be out of town for a few days. I also use them for a few weeks at the beginning of the season when my CYA needs a boost (from draining, etc.).

95% of the time it's strictly bleach.

I use pucks in my chlorinator - is this OK? If not, what is the harm? If it is OK, what number should I set the chlorinator to?

What is CYA?

I keep using them in the chlorinator, but set on low for a maintenance "security" dose. Otherwise, I add bleach and calhypo. Just keep monitoring all chems, use 60% poly as a algae preventative, keep the CL up, and enjoy!

Pucks in a chlorinator are not necessarily a bad thing, IF you take care to not let your pH get too low, and not to let your CYA (stabilizer) get too high, which is the usual problem. As your CYA level increases, your chlorine becomes less effective against "stuff" in your water, so your minimum Cl level must also increase to compensate. See Ben's Best Guess Chart for a guideline that a lot of us use to calculate necessary Cl levels for a given CYA.

Janet