"Chlorine" or not?

Hi everyone. This is my 1st post here. In the past 3 seasons I have been fighting a losing battle with my pool. Between chemicals, hundreds of dollars, shoddy workmanship, leaking liners, undersized cartridge filters and the list goes on I decided to take a whole new approach. The BBB Method. I started this year by draining my 18' round 52" vinyl liner pool, about 8600 gal. I purchased a new liner, from a different store and installed it. I replaced the skimmer assembly as the the that was there was for the cartridge filter. I was also having a problem with the pool wall rusting away inside the skimmer opening. I bought a Hayward skimmer assembly with the new butterfly gasket, it should solve that problem. I also bought a 100 lb Hayward sand filter with a 1hp pump, the Matrix PowerFlo. I also upgraded my hoses to 1 1/2" form the original 1 1/4" corrugated hoses. What a difference the past couple of weeks have been.
On to my question. I have some left over "chlorine", about 3 lbs. I would like to use it up before I get some bleach, unless there would be some detrimental effects of its use. I have already upped my TA with baking soda. The TA is 100, PH 7.2 and CL is 1.5. My CYA is 0 as I have not added any yet, I need to buy some first. I do not have a test for cya, ordered Bens kit a couple days ago. The "chlorine" I haven is in 2 tubs, a 1lb tub and a 2 lb tub. They are from the same manufacturer and carry the same name "Quick Tabs", this may give away my source of my troubles in the past. Anyway the chemical names are different.

2lb tub
Active Ingredient
Sodium Dichloro-s-triazinetrione Dihydrate 63%
Inert Ingredient 37%
Total 100%
Available chlorine 56%

1lb tub
Active Ingredient
Trichloro-s-triazinetrione 63%
Inert Ingredient
Sodium carbonate 37%
Total 100%
Available chlorine 56%

I realize the names are different but the available chlorine is the same. I am assuming the inert ingredient is the same. Am I correct and would it be okay to use these up first? The name of "chlorine" in bleach is different again. Are they all the same thing in the end?

Thanks,
Brian

What you have is dichlor and trichlor, both are stabilized chlorine and using them will cause your CYA(stabilzier) levels to rise. It would be fine to use them now instead of buying stablizer and then when you CYA is 30-50 ppm switch to bleach. Be aware that the trichlor tabs are acidic and can lower your pH...use borax to raise it if this happens. the dichlor doesn't have much impact on pH and would be good to use as shock (if it is in granular form) right now since it dissovles quickly and will help get your CYA levels up. Just keep close tabs on your CYA.

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Originally Posted by waterbear

What you have is dichlor and trichlor, both are stabilized chlorine and using them will cause your CYA(stabilzier) levels to rise. It would be fine to use them now instead of buying stablizer and then when you CYA is 30-50 ppm switch to bleach. Be aware that the trichlor tabs are acidic and can lower your pH...use borax to raise it if this happens. the dichlor doesn't have much impact on pH and would be good to use as shock (if it is in granular form) right now since it dissovles quickly and will help get your CYA levels up. Just keep close tabs on your CYA.

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I agree with about 99% of Evan's comment. One-point of disagreement: Di-Chlor WILL lower your pH, just not as drastically or dramatically as Tri-Chlor, but it will most definitely lower it. That's my personal experience as recently as late April/early May. I used leftover Di-Chlor when opening and had pH drop. No big deal--a box or two of Borax fixed it. But pH dropped. (needed CYA, too).

As long as you need CYA and you pH isn't too low, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with using up your Tri-Chlor tabs and Di-Chlor powder. If you follow our general advice to test chlorine and pH everyday or every other day, and once a week test T/A and CYA, you'll know EXACTLY when to stop using the pucks and powder and switch to bleach. Plus you won't have to spend MORE $$$ on CYA.

You've spent the money, use them up, but use them wisely and you will have NO problems. Test, test, test!

Dichlor has a pH of about 6.9....it might lower the pH a bit but shouldn't have that much of an impact as when compared to trichlor!

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Originally Posted by waterbear

Dichlor has a pH of about 6.9....it might lower the pH a bit but shouldn't have that much of an impact as when compared to trichlor!

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No 'might's about it. I've seen it lower it frequently. And, no, the impact is NOT nearly as dramatic as trichlor. If pH is 7.3 or higher, there's no serious reason not to use di-chlor if that's what's on hand. Just TEST!!!!!

Then again, any form of chlorine can have an effect on pH, either raising or lowering it. sodium hypchorite seems to have the least effect but even it CAN raise you pH, especially if you are adding a lot to supershock! This is why you need to test your pH as frequently as you test your chlorine levels!

Thank everyone for your informative replies. I will use up what I have on hand. I will test clorine and ph daily. I need to get some borax and some more baking soda. I have 1.2 gal's of muriatic acid, from a project I was doing. I do not have a cya test and I am assuming it will be a few eeks until I receive my test kit from Ben. Does Walmart sell a cya test or can I just get one at a pool store?

Thanks again,
Brian

Hi, Brian,

Nice work on upgrading your pool. I'm sure it's a huge difference.

1. Download "bleachcalc" from any of mwsmith2's post and put it on your desktop. You'll use it all Summer.

2. In many areas of the country, Walmart sells an HTH 5-way kit that tests for CYA...it's a decent kit. That said, I would put CYA in now. Shoot for 25-30ppm and let your tri-chlor and di-chlor add the rest up to around 40 or so. You don't need to test because you know you have zero. Dosage will be on the side of the container and "bleachcalc" will do the math for you, too.

Happy Swimming!:)

Dave, Thanks. I am heading out to Walmart in a few minutes. I will pick up some cya and the 5way kit to use untill Ben's kit arrives.

Thanks again,
Brian

Better to buy the 6-way kit instead if it is available as it will also allow you to test cya.

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Originally Posted by Watermom

Better to buy the 6-way kit instead if it is available as it will also allow you to test cya.

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The 5-way kit that Walmart (at least the Walmarts around here) sells will test cya.