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I've had my pool for many years. (16x32) Always used granular or 3" tabs.....I don't bother w/ either anymore..Last year I used household bleach.. (the cheap stuff) Pool never looked so good...Do U use chlorine or bleach?
Bleach is a helluva lot cheaper.....The 3" tabs always left a residue in the seams...
I think you'll find a lot of the pool owners here use bleach or liquid chlorine (high test pool store bleach) mostly to maintain control of CYA level.
And, the ones that use trichlor tabs or powdered shock (dichlor) year after year after year are the ones that have trouble keeping algae out of their pools as their CYA levels get out of control.
Chlorine or Bleach?
Bleach IS Chlorine.
Chlorine is chlorine, whether it comes from bleach, tri-chlor tabs, di-chlor or cal-hypo powder, liquid chlorine, gas, or an SWCG. All of them release chlorine into your water to sanitize it and metabolize stuff you don't want.
All the various forms of chlorine have trade-offs and you have to decide, right now (meaning right at the moment you've tested your water and it needs something) which trade-off is best. I've used all but gas chlorine (that's for pros and large public pools).
If you use nothing but bleach or liquid chlorine, you can't go wrong. It will sanitize your water and won't change your pH, or affect your stabilizer level.
If your pH is high and your stabilizer is low, then Tri-chlor will add acid and stabilizer while adding chlorine.
If your pH isn't too high but your stabilizer is low, then Di-Chlor will add even more stabilizer than Tri-chlor
If your pH is good and so is your stabilizer, but you either need calcium (concrete pool) or your calcium levels are low and you don't care (vinyl) then Cal-Hypo may be right for you.
If money is burning a hole in your pocket, and you've got a lot of it, then lithium-based chlorine is what you need (Where's that facepalm smiley when you need it?)