*** Hayward Chlorine Feeder Help ***

[PoolDoc]

Sorry about the confusion above -- you had 2 posts in the queue, and I merged them so they both appear before my reply. Unfortunately, I can't undo it. My bad.

Anyhow:

1. Neither a Rainbow 320 nor a Hayward CL200 or CL220 will keep your pool chlorinated for a month.

2. You can check current pricing on the RB320 in the PoolForum / Amazon e-store: http://poolforum/amz/ . Here's the link to the feeder page:
http://astore.amazon.com/poolbooks?node=61

You have 2 options for month-long *chemical* maintenance:
(a) Installing an SWCG. We recommend either the Hayward / Goldline or the Autopilot. The e-store page is http://astore.amazon.com/poolbooks?node=45

(b) A HiC2 pool (high chlorine + high CYA) *PLUS* adding borax to 60+ ppm *PLUS* low phosphate maintenance. This would be cheaper and easier in installation, but not quite as easy in long term operation.

Actually, even with the SWCG, it would be best if you also did borax, and if your fill water is not high in phosphates, reducing your phosphate level will also make the pool much less hospitable to algae.

None of this addresses the physical maintenance issues on your pool. However, since you are in California, that may not be an issue. Here (in N. Georgia) leaf fall, thunderstorms, etc. make that a major issue.

[poolg]

How long do you think the Rainbow 320 or Hayward CL220 will keep my pool chlorinated for?

[CarlD]

Till it runs your stabilizer levels up to astronomical and you have to switch to liquid chlorine or bleach.

[poolg]

"Till it runs your stabilizer levels up to astronomical and you have to switch to liquid chlorine or bleach."

I don't understand your response. Please explain.

[CarlD]

OK. You need to spend some time reading our threads on the B-B-B system and understand the relationship between chlorine and stabilizer (CYA) levels.

Go to poolsolutions.com and start reading.

Chlorine tablets are usually Tri-chlor, a form of chlorine. For every ppm (part per million) of Chlorine it adds, it adds .6ppm of stabilizer.

Check our Best Guess chart to see the relationship.

Stabilizer prevents chlorine from breaking down rapidly in the face of UV rays. However the more stabilizer you have, the more chlorine you need to sanitize your pool. This is NOT necessarily a bad thing, but it can be.

[poolg]

Hi Carl,

I have been using chlorine powder so far, and putting it into my pool using a cup. Is this better than the tablets?

It seems your are inferring that the powder form does not contain stabilizer.

[CarlD]

Di-chlor powder has even MORE stabilizer than Tri-chlor tablets. It adds about as much per pound as it does chlorine.

Cal-hypo powder has NO stabilizer at all. Usually bags of "Shock" are this, but not necessarily. It adds calcium instead.

Both are EXTREMELY common so I cannot guess which you are using.

There is Tri-chlor powder and Lithium chloride powder but both are not common. The latter doesn't have stabilizer either. You probably have neither.

[PoolDoc]

How long do you think the Rainbow 320 or Hayward CL220 will keep my pool chlorinated for?

It depends, but probably not longer than a week during summer. In years past, I used the RB320 on kiddie pools that I serviced weekly. I removed several Hayward units, because I found that the feed rate couldn't be regulated.

I have . . . Chlor Brite Granular Chlorine . . . . and In The Swim 3 Inch Pool Chlorine Tablets

The ChlorBrite is dichlor; the tabs are trichlor. Both add lots of stabilizer. You probably need to get a K2006 test kit, check your CYA level . . . accurately . . . and then make some decisions about your pool.