Quote Originally Posted by bcb1 View Post
I've had good luck with the HTH pucks and the Sam's Club brand pucks - i guess they're all about the same.
Unfortunately, that's not true. HTH is adding copper, which turns blonde hair green and stains liners, just so they can say "Dual Action!" on the label. It is an algaecide, but chlorine is more effective.

Unless you have a specific need for copper in your water (and it does happen) I would avoid Tri-Chlor pucks that are fortified with copper.

Tri-Chlor is tricky enough to use correctly--it adds CYA rapidly and drops pH rapidly as well. That doesn't mean you shouldn't use it--it just means you should watch your pH and CYA levels carefully.

Tri-Chlor is GREAT for people with new hard-surface pools that are still curing. Such pools will need CYA, and Tri-Chlor brings it up gradually enough to allow good control. Also, curing pools tend to drive pH 'WAY up--the acidity of Tri-Chlor helps control that as well.

But Tri-Chlor is sold as a full-time, all-you-ever-need chlorine solution, and it is NOT that. Only bleach/Liquid Chlorine and Salt-Water Generators qualify as that.