I've become lost: bleach or CaHypo shock

[pairadocs]

Walmart has bags of hth super sock it calc hypochlorite that states available chlorine is 53%/CaHypo is 54.6%.

Does this one bag of shock equal 10 gallons of 5% bleach?

If not, then what part of this equation am i not understanding?

I have been reading the forum for several days, and now I don't know what to buy. I stood there with a shopping cart full of 12 1.5 gallons of bleach, and wasn't sure if I should just get the shock instead.

[waterbear]

Cal Hypo is a non stabiized chlorine and is fine to use if you like the convience factor. The biggest problem with it is that it will add calcium to your pool. Depending on where your calcium hardness and alkalinity are right now this might or might not be a problem. Liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) does not have this problem. Cal Hypo might possibly cause your pool to go cloudly for a while.
It's second biggest problem is that it is slow to dissolve. It needs to be predissolved first in a bucket of water (There goes part of the convience factor!).
Both product might raise your pH slightly.

NEVER let cal hypo get near any form of stabilized clorine (trichlor tabs or dichlor granules). It can create a very dangerous and explosive chemical reaction. Once it is dissoved in the water it is not a problem.

2 oz. of 65% strength cal hypo will raise the chlorine level in 1000 gal of water 10 ppm (The walmart stuff will need aobut 2.5 oz. to do the same)
10 oz. of 12.5% Sodium Hypochlorite (liquid chlorine from the pool store) will raise the chlorine level of 1000 gal of water 10 ppm (so you would need approx. 21 oz of ultra bleach or approx 24 oz. of regular bleach)
http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/ehs/chem.htm

A 1 lb bag of the walmart shock will raise the chlorine level about as much as 1 gal of ultra bleach or 1 gal, 1 pt. and 10 oz. of regular bleach if I did the math right (anyone, if I am in error please correct me!)

The price on a gallon of bleach is probably less than the price on a bag of shock (haven't checked prices at walmart lately but at the hardware store that I work at part time in the pool department...Very large and complete...pumps, filters, AG pools (not just the Intex ones!), cleaners, parts, chemicals etc., we sell a gallon of bleach in the housewares section for a LOT less than a bag of cal hypo!
Hope this helps to clear it up.

[pairadocs]

thank you.

it seems that it is mostly a convenience debate - gallon jugs, or small bags that must be dissolved. Cost is relatively the same.

[waterpro]

I think it would take 2 1/4 gals of 5% regular bleach to equal one pound of 65%cal.hypo....That walmart 54.6% bag sounds fishy to me.....Oh by the way I pay $2.15 per pound (thats including shipping) of cal. hypo from "in the swim".
Although it does cloud the water some what, if you put it in late in the evening its cleared up by morning.......You must make sure that all the cal hypo disolves and you should brush the pool floor after you add it, if you dont it will bleach your liner.........I like to use cal hypo as shock but I wouldnt use it just to keep my residual up unless I could find a cheap supply of those plastic covered cal hypo sticks, does anyone even sell those sticks any more???

[Poconos]

I use cal hypo in addition to bleach and pucks (only when CYA needs to go up). Got a 100 pound pail of CH 67% in 2003 for $116 at a pool store. Of course everything has gone up since then. 100# is going to last me 3 seasons. Lot cheaper than individual bags. I'm careful not to mix the types but I do throw the CH right in the skimmer and let it dissolve in the filter. It does dissolve pretty fast. Also my calcium hardness is low so I can get away with adding a little more and having the convenience.
Al

[waterbear]

I think it would take 2 1/4 gals of 5% regular bleach to equal one pound of 65%cal.hypo....That walmart 54.6% bag sounds fishy to me.....

Just double checked my math with BleachCalc and it said it would take 3 cups, which is 24 oz. of 5.25% beach to raise 1000 gal. 10 ppm, 2 cups and 5 oz (21 oz) of 6%, and 1 cup and 2 oz (10 oz) of 12.5%.

Don't know why I didn't do that in the first place instead of figuring it out on a calculator. It took me a good 10 minutes the first time to do the calculations! Once again Michael's BleachCalc proves it is worth it's weight in gold!

HTH (and some other companies) are selling Cal Hypo with fillers in them that reduce the amount of chlorine so, I assume, they can sell them cheaper at discount outlets.

[waterpro]

"Just double checked my math with BleachCalc and it said it would take 3 cups, which is 24 oz. of 5.25% beach to raise 1000 gal. 10 ppm, 2 cups and 5 oz (21 oz) of 6%, and 1 cup and 2 oz (10 oz) of 12.5%. "

So according to that it would take 1 1/2 gals of 5.25% bleach to equal 1 pound of 65% cal hypo? Thats good information to have if your switching back and forth from bleach to cal hypo (like I do)..........