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[Watermom]

You can use any form of chlorine that you want but you just don't want to mix them outside of the pool. If this is a freshly filled pool, the reason your chlorine is disappearing so fast is because there is no CYA (stabilizer) in the water. The tablets have CYA in them so if you use them, it will slowly add CYA. What kind of granules do you have? Cal-hypo or Dichlor?

If you have no chlorine in their right now, you need to get some in there before the pool turns green! It doesn't take long!

Is your test kit an OTO/Phenol Red kit (yellow and red drops)? That kit is useful at times, but doesn't give you all the test readings you need. It cannot measure alk or CYA. We suggest the Taylor K-2006 or 2006C that you can get through the testkit link in my signature below. You cannot buy it locally. You may be able to find an HTH 6-Way test kit at Walmart. that would also be ok.

[amyjtaylor]

Thanks for your help watermom.I have not yet purchased any type granules,will I also need them along with my chlorine tablets?When do I begin to add my BBB method to my pool and what amounts for a 18X48 easy set?This is my first time to try this method instead of pool chemicals.Is it safe for my children?

[PoolDoc]

One of the easiest ways to manage a pool like that is use trichlor tablets in a floater, combined with plains 6% bleach to 'shock' the pool, or boost the chlorine level as needed.

No pool chemicals are 'safe' applied directly to children, but chlorine is about as safe as anything can be, once it's dissolved in the pool.

What sort of tablets (EXACT name and brand) do you have?

[amyjtaylor]

The chlorine tablets I have are Aqua Chem 3" chlorinating tabs.Do I also need the granules to go along with these?And do I only use the borax and baking soda when I need it for my ph level?Other than that just bleach every week or so for shock,and about every 2 weeks for algaecide?Sorry so many questions just trying to get it all right.

[PoolDoc]

You can use bleach to 'shock' and the tabs in a floater.

BUT . . . check the label: those tabs may have copper. If so, you run a small risk of blue stains on your pool, and a larger risk of turning blond hair in family green.

[aylad]

The chlorine tablets I have are Aqua Chem 3" chlorinating tabs.Do I also need the granules to go along with these?And do I only use the borax and baking soda when I need it for my ph level?Other than that just bleach every week or so for shock,and about every 2 weeks for algaecide?Sorry so many questions just trying to get it all right.

You don't necessarily need the granules if you have the tabs, unless you need to return the tabs (see Pooldoc's warning about copper). You only use borax when you need to raise pH (which will probably happen if you use tabs, since they tend to drive pH down), and use baking soda if you need to raise your TA. You don't even really need to shock every week unless you just want to--if you keep your chlorine levels where they need to be in relation to your CYA level (see the best guess chlorine chart linked in my sig for more info about that), then you will hardly ever need to shock, and you won't need any algaecide. (I don't know what kind of algaecide you have, but if it's not polyquat 60 I wouldn't put it in my pool at all ) Chlorine is really the best, and only, algaecide that you should need.