New Owner, first opening, few questions...

[PoolDoc]

Hi Brent;

1. Trichlor will work; you'll just need to switch to bleach or cal hypo with CYA gets higher.
2. If you have no heater and no SWCG, you can use cal hypo without a calcium problem *IF* the trichlor feeder is DOWNSTREAM of the filter.
3. Actually using cal hypo will work very well with hard water *IF* you do it in the manner I can explain. But, I want to make sure it's safe first. If you get cal hypo inside the feeder with the tabs, the feeder can explode.
4. Don't add stabilizer, if you are going to use trichlor.
5. Do NOT buy trichlor ANYWHERE but Sams Club ("PoolBrand" brand, only) or from Amazon, using my links. Once you've learned to decipher the chemical labels, you can look around, but most of the trichlor being sold is a hodge podge blend, often containing copper.
6. Once you get your routine established, you can probably manage your pool with cal hypo, trichlor, borax, and maybe a gallon of muriatic acid.

[agripnt]

Great info, and thanks for the prompt response. My feeder is after the filter in the return line. Anxious to learn your method. I have no heater or swcg. I had planned on the Sam's Trichlor, very reasonably priced. Also, which strength Cal Hypo is best to use? I have seen a few different strengths.

I am on the fence about whether I should continue a maintenance dose of polyquat weekly or not? thoughts? (fyi, I am not terribly worried about the expense of it)

[Watermom]

If you are good at maintaining your water chemistry, you don't need the weekly polyquat. I never use it at all.

[PoolDoc]

Like Watermom said, it's easier -- if you have the K-2006 -- just to run higher chlorine, than to add in another chemical.

Regarding cal hypo, anything at 65% or above is fine. Usually the 65 - 68% strength is a better deal. The 73+% strength is just made with a somewhat refined process. But, avoid the products below 65% -- as far as I know, they are all blends, with mystery ingredients. They are almost always LESS economical, and sometimes the mystery ingredients cause problems.

[agripnt]

What about the method for applying the cal Hypo?

[PoolDoc]

Add it DIRECTLY to your skimmer, BUT

1. Make 1,000% sure that there are no chemicals of any kind anywhere in the lines or pump, between the skimmer and the filter.
2. Don't add when you've just backwashed the filter; wait till the pump has run 12 hours and loaded a little dirt into the filter.

Just remember, except for borax, cal hypo reacts BADLY with almost everything, including Coke, stabilizer, trichlor, dichlor, and more. It's fine once it's fully dissolved, and the filter will hold it, till it dissolves.

[agripnt]

And because I ask too many questions

1) Add powder direct into skimmer, correct? Not pre-dissolved in a bucket and then add?

2)What is the advantage of this vs broadcasting on the surface?