Chlorine tabs yay or nay?

[Loriacoates]

Hello newbie here! I've been reading and following along for several days now. Just set up a pro series 20x48 vinyl pool. I do plan on replacing the pump as it appears they fail very quickly.

I do have one question. Am I supposed to use the 1 inch chlorine tabs IN ADDITION to testing and adding chlorine as needed? Or do I test and add and NOT use the tabs.

Thanks so much for all the great information. We spent DAYS leveling and placing foam etc to get this right. I am determined to keep this darn thing pretty!!!

[Watermom]

Hi and welcome to the Pool Forum!

I have some questions for you:
-- How long has the pool been filled?
-- What have you put in the pool so far --- meaning ingredients and not just product names like 'shock.'
-- Do you already have the trichlor tabs? If so, have you opened the bucket yet? Look at the ingredients and see if copper is listed. How many do you have and are they wrapped or unwrapped? (If you haven't yet opened the bucket, don't.)
-- Do you have a drops-based test kit and if so, what kind?
-- What size (hp) pump and what kind and size filter do you have?

Repost with the requested information and then someone here can better advise you.

[Loriacoates]

Of course!

The pool has been up for about 48 hr. I bought a pool starter kit from the pool store. It came with two 1lb bags of dichlor granules or "Chlore Brite". The instruction for a new pool were 1 ounce per 500 gallons of water. I used the 1 whole 1lb bag (my pool holds 9400 gallons). Then I ran my pump for 12 hrs per the instructions. I am supposed to use 1 pint of algecide now but I haven't done that. All I've put in was the 1 lb bag of Dichlor.

I have ordered a test kit from Amazon and waiting. I did use a test strip the starter kit came with. This morning it read FC 0, pH 7.8, TA 180, TH 100.

I have not ordered any tricolor tabs yet!

This is a pro series 20 x 48 pool with a through the wall skimmer. The pump is listed as F2000C And uses a type C filter.

Thanks for any help!

[Watermom]

Don't order any tabs. You don't need them and people often get into trouble using them.

Don't add the algaecide!! Unless it is Polyquat 60%, and I doubt it is, it may cause you problems!! Besides, you don't need an algaecide. I never use it. Chlorine is the best algaecide of all.

Did you order the K2006 kit?

What are the ingredients in the Chlore Brite? Dichlor is a good way to start a new pool but some dichlor is blended with stuff you don't want in your pool. Please read our Super Simple Start-up Recipe here:> http://pool9.net/ssr/

If your chlorine was 0 this morning (Monday) and you didn't add anything all day, you better get something in there in the morning! It doesn't take long for a pool to turn green. I would suggest just getting some of Walmart's generic 8.25% bleach and adding 3 quarts. That will take care of anything that may be trying to start. Then, from this point on, start following the recipe. It gives instructions for using bleach until you have time to get some of the good unblended dichlor. Once you have it, switch over to using that and the Borax instead of bleach. (But, if your pH is above 7.3, skip the dose of Borax that it tells you to add.)