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Last summer, or maybe it was the summer before that, I bought some slow dissolving Chlorine tablets made by HTH that you could put in your skimmer. They were non-stabilized. As I recall, they were quite expensive. I can't find them locally, and they're not on HTH's website. Anybody seen them lately or know if they still make them?
Thanks!
Those are called Cal-Hypo Duration tablets. I have them too. But I don't use them--they are supposed to last 5-7 days in the skimmer, but the new ones dissolve in less than 12 hours. They don't add stabilizer, but they do add calcium.
I do not recommend them because they do not perform as advertised even if you EXACTLY follow the directions.
Ah yes, Duration - that's it. I had the same experience with them dissolving quickly.
Thanks.
I was in WalMart recently and came across the Duration tabs. Just as Carl said, they were only 46% (or 48) chlorine not the 68% so I didn't bother with them. This weekend I stopped in a pool store that carries HTH products and their Duration tabs were 68% with the plastic case around them. I also found an on-line vendor that sells the Poolife version (same parent company - Arch chemicals) that also looks like the 68% version (I googled Poolife Active Cleaning Capsules).
I wonder if the 46% versions are a "special version" of the product that sell for less $$. I've heard about this happening with the big box stores - they want a lower price and the manufacturer meets that price by cutting corners. I didn't notice what WalMart was selling theirs for so I can't compare but a 6 capsule pack at the pool store was 10.99 and they had a bigger bucket (25 lb?) for 59.99.
Anyway, I picked up a few to use mainly when I go away - I figure I can put one in the skimmer before I leave and ask a neighbor to put another one in later in the week.
Peter
I cannot answer your questions too accurately, but I know that Arch claimed something about WalMart demanding the lower chlorine level. I personally think that's BS.
Arch has been, in my opinion, "ruining" the HTH line for the last couple of years. Unless I could find the 68% tablets or the 5-way drop test kit, I will no longer buy HTH stuff.
Vanhout,
I remember reading on this forum last year that HTH had discontinued this product. However, last year I was able to buy it online. This year, the 68% type is also on clearance at www.poolsupplies.com $49.99 for 23.5 pounds. I've decided to skip it this year and rely 100% on the bleach. We'll see how that goes.
By the way, it's called HTH Duration Capsules.
Alex
Just wanted to let anyone who's interested know that BJ's Wholesale Club, at least the one in Pasadena, MD, has the Duration tabs. I don't remember what they are charging but most likely less than the pool stores.
I don't think this applies with the Cal-Hypo tablets of HTH products, but I believe their Tri-Chlor (PACE Tablets I think they are called) are now a lower chlorine than they used to be - and they also have a copper based algaecide in them - which can lead to problems long term.
As always - check the labeling closely before buying.
Also - if you have a heater on your pool - it's probably not a good idea to do any chlorination via the skimmer - bad for the head exchanger.
Hmmm, well, we're sort of hi-jacking this thread but I'm not sure I follow that reasoning. What makes you think that is the case? :)Quote:
Also - if you have a heater on your pool - it's probably not a good idea to do any chlorination via the skimmer - bad for the head exchanger.
Getting back to the one question asked, when going away, short of having a neighbor dose the pool with bleach, what is a good solution for maintaining chlorine levels without over stabilizing?
We were away last August for 2 weeks. We loaded up our three floaters with three 3" trichlor tabs each. The CYA killed the value of the chlorine and it was getting green by the time we returned (no neighbors to help with bleach).
If you're going to be gone for a few days, you can shock with bleach before you leave and when you get back, and all will probably be well. The only solution that I know of for time periods of a week or more is to get someone to come bleach it for you.
Janet
I don't know how long you could make it last for, but I remember a story about a guy maintaining a semi commercial pool that compensated for a broken feeder by uncapping jugs of chlorine and droppping them into the deep end. The chlorine would gradually be released into the water. This probably only works well with continuous circualtion, otherwise chlorine might collect in places and do damage. It seems like the smaller the hole you made in the jug, the longer it'd take to release all the chlorine.
I simply punch one small hole on top and one to two small holes on the bottom of about 7 or 8 bleach bottles and string them across my pool. The bleach slowly leaches out adding chlorine to the pool. Last vacation I came home and have 2ppm free chlorine which is fine with my 30 CYA. Here's a couple pictures.
http://www.jreece.com/bleach1.jpg
http://www.jreece.com/bleach2.jpg
Cool, jereece. It didn't bleach out your liner? We jsut replaced ours 2 years ago, so I am still antsy about it! Our first liner lasted from 1982 (install) to 2004.