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Is the formentioned stuff the same as calcium hypochlorite ?
I normally use one pound of shock (calcium hypochlorite) in the one pound bags for convenience (15,000 gal pool).
I was at target and they were clearing out the formentioned chemical for 1.25/pound. The label states, 56% available chlorine.
Anyway, is the stuff acceptable to use in a normal chlorinated in-ground pool (GUNITE) ? Any side effects in using this stuff vs bleach vs regular shock (cal. hypo.) ???
Thanks,
-d
No. Not at all. This is the stuff we call Di-Chlor. DO NOT MIX IT WITH CAL-HYPO! VERY, VERY DANGEROUS!Quote:
Originally Posted by dlong
There are many threads here on the side effects of ALL the various chlorinators.Quote:
I normally use one pound of shock (calcium hypochlorite) in the one pound bags for convenience (15,000 gal pool).
I was at target and they were clearing out the formentioned chemical for 1.25/pound. The label states, 56% available chlorine.
Anyway, is the stuff acceptable to use in a normal chlorinated in-ground pool (GUNITE) ? Any side effects in using this stuff vs bleach vs regular shock (cal. hypo.) ???
Thanks,
-d
Di-Chlor tends to lower pH and adds Cyanuric Acid, also called CYA or Stabilizer. While you need CYA (except in indoor pools, too much is a problem.
Cal-Hypo tends to raise pH and adds calcium. You need calcium for gunite pools and for any pool with stone and morter/plaster work, but not for vinyl. Too much is a problem. It is also the most volatile. Be careful with it.
Tri-Chlor is the typical tablets. Like Di-Chlor, it lowers pH and add CYA, but a lot more than Di-chlor.
Regular bleach or liquid chlorine has essentially NO side effects. While its pH is high, the chlorine reactions in the water offset that virtually perfectly. It adds a little bit of salt, but it's not like adding several hundred pounds.
Hope this helps.
This post has a table that shows what gets added to the water with each type of chlorine source. Dichlor actually adds more CYA, for the same amount of FC, as Trichlor. Really, the only advantage of dichlor is that it dissolves rather quickly (so it's sometimes used in hot tubs) while trichlor dissolves slowly so is better for use in floating and dispensing feeders.
Richard
Ah, no wonder when I searched for Dichloro-s-Triazinetrione-Dihydrate, I found nothing.Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlD
I wasn't planning on mixing the two in a bucket. :)
I meant, could I broadcast the Di-Chlor into a pool that when it was shocked last, used Cal-Hypo and currently uses Tri-Chlor tablets in an automatic chlorinator?
Thanks,
-d
You can certainly add Dichlor to your pool by just throwing it in, but just keep in mind that for every 1 ppm FC that you add (i.e. the amount that you throw in that produces 1 ppm FC), you also add 0.9 ppm (almost 1 ppm) of CYA. So if you are low in CYA, then there's no problem; otherwise, I wouldn't use the Dichlor. I suspect that since you are using Tri-Chlor in an automatic feeder that your CYA level might be high already. Have you tested it? Unless your pool is small-ish (10,000 gallons or smaller) and do frequent backwashing, your CYA is probably already too high due to your use of Tri-Chlor.
Richard
Not lately. 6 Months ago it was 0 (I stopped using Tri-Chlor for 3-5 months because it was high, over 100). Last time I check 4 months? It was low. I don't have a backwashing mechanism and I also don't drain and fill the pool (I also don't use the pool).Quote:
Originally Posted by chem geek
If I didn't live in FL (where the water level is high), I would of drain the pool 3 years ago ... :)
I guess, I just need to key an eye on the CYA if I plan on using this Di-Chlor stuff.
-d
Of course, Chem_Geek is correct. Once it's dissolved in the water, chlorine is chlorine--and all the additives are a seperate issue.
If you've been using Cal-Hypo, it is perfectly safe to use Di-Chlor or Bleach for additional chlorination. Again, once it's been dissolved in the water, it's safe to use another form.
But you NEVER mix chlorine types together--You don't use floaters with Cal-Hypo that had Tri-chlor in them before. If you have an in-line chlorinator ONLY use Tri-chlor in it.
This last statement concerns me. I do have an in-line chlorinator using Tri-chlor tablets. I seems like you're implying, I shouldn't broadcast (granular) Di-chlor into the pool?Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlD
Thanks,
-d
No, no, you can broadcast it safely. I would NOT, however broadcast Di-chlor and Cal-hypo together or one right after another. I wouldn't put it in the skimmer though because some un-dissolved Di-Chlor might make it into the chlorinator. Never put di-chlor or (ESPECIALLY) Cal-Hypo in the chlorinator. Very dangerous, even deadly.Quote:
Originally Posted by dlong
Ah, good. Just to be safe, I'll turn off the inline tri-chlor to isolate it from the system before broadcasting the di-chlor into the pool and turn it on 24 hours later.Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlD
Thanks!
-d
The wife picked some of this up at costco today. I asked her to pick up some shock at the pool store. She saw this at costco and figured shock is shock. I think they need to be more clear on what effects these things will have on pool chemistry.
I AGREE!Quote:
Originally Posted by scarywoody
-d