Ok here we go

[Watermom]

Yes! Bleach is the only thing I ever use as a chlorine source. I have never had a puck in my pool since day one, not any chlorine granules either. My water is always great and I don't spend a fortune.

Watermom

[cnix]

I don't use pucks either. (Well, actually I used some last year after a drain/refill to add stabilizer.) It took only about 2 doz (from memory) over the course of 4-6 weeks and my stabilizer was up to 30 ppm starting from zero. The tri-chlor can really add CYA quickly.

I switched to bleach and never looked back. I'll use maybe 30-40 gal of 6% bleach during a long Tennessee season, and about 3 gal of muriatic acid. That's all. The pool is sparkling clean and stays that way. In the heat of the summer I check Chlorine every 2-3 days; this time of year, about every 2-3 weeks.

It takes maybe 5 minutes tops twice a week to get a rough chlorine check--close enough to monitor the level. Far simpler than trying to get rid of CYA. (I know--the previous owner's use of tri-chlor was what caused the drain/refill--CYA was in the 250+ range--looked like whole milk in the test vial)

Chuck

[IMherDad]

all the answers and help. So now I am purchasing one of Ben's new kits and waiting until we pull the winter cover off to start testing. I sure hope there are some great directions and instructions in the kit.

Of course the wife is already looking for deals on bleach.

[cnk]

We recently changed over. The pool looks great now, but be prepared for some neon green water. My husband thought that I had ruined the pool.

[TfromNC]

[QUOTE=Watermom]Yes! Bleach is the only thing I ever use as a chlorine source. I have never had a puck in my pool since day one, not any chlorine granules either. My water is always great and I don't spend a fortune.

Watermom[/QUO

Thanks Watermom.
How do I add CYA if needed. Should I use trichlor pucks like cnix did until I get CYA right, then swith to straight bleach.

[mwsmith2]

We recently changed over. The pool looks great now, but be prepared for some neon green water. My husband thought that I had ruined the pool.

This will only happen if you have a baquacil pool and you are converting it over to Chlorine.

Michael

[mwsmith2]

So you don't use chlorine pucks at all? You just use bleach for normal chlorination?

I know this has already been answered, but yup, that's all I used. Easy too. Now I have a SWC, and life is even easier!

Michael

[Watermom]

TfromNC:
Either way is fine - whether you add cya directly and then just use bleach or if you use trichlor pucks for awhile to build up your cya and then switch to bleach. Both will work. Personally, I just add cya and then use only bleach. Some others use the pucks until their cya starts to get too high and then switch. Really just a matter of preference. If you do use trichlor, you'll have to test cya periodically because it will continue to rise. But, you'll be killing two birds with one stone - adding cya and chlorine at the same time. On the other hand, if you just add the cya outright, you'll only have to test it a couple of times until you get it where you want and then the level should stay put for the summer. Your choice.

If you do decide to just add cya separately, add enough per label directions to take your cya to about 30ppm. Add it directly to the skimmer. Then wait about a week to give it time to dissolve in your filter and don't backwash during this time. Be patient. If you don't give it enough time to dissolve completely, you may end up adding more than you should. Then you have another problem because the only way to lower cya is to do a partial drain. Better to aim a little low initially and then sneak up on the desired level of 30-40 than overshoot it. Hope this helps.

Watermom

[CarlD]

I occasionally use pucks--when both my pH is high and I want to raise my CYA level slowly. Or I'll use up some of my di-chlor powder. When both are gone, I'm back to my mainstays anyway, bleach, CYA, dry acid or muriatic acid.

IF you test your water everyday for chlorine and pH, and check all the tests once a week (FC, CC, pH, T/A and CYA) then you can control it. Sooner or later using pucks your CYA will hit the max you should be using (it's different for each situation and owner's preference).

The key to EVERYTHING in pool maintenance is proper, frequent, concistent testing. Takes 2 minutes a day to run the OTO kit chlorine and pH test. Even with Ben's kit and the FAS DPD powder it only takes 5 minutes a day to test chlorine and pH. The full battery of tests takes about 15 minutes, once a week. It will save you are WORLD of trouble and a heap of money.

[matt4x4]

I can't speak for MWSMITH2, but I don't use any at all, it adds stabilizer, then you have to use more chlorine to have it be effective - it snowballs, only add stabilizer when the CYA level drops, teh ONLY way CYA will leave your pool is through pumping it out (backwash/drain/Leak), otherwise it should remain stable pretty much all year.
As for pucks, the only time you will see pucks in my pool is when I go away for over a week because the pucks will insure keeping the Cl levels up.