How long between different types of chlorine

[Jblieu]

I can not remember anymore, how long until it is safe to pour plain bleach in my pool after using tri-chlor powder or calcium-hypochlorite?

TIA.

[CarlD]

If your adding the bleach directly to the water, there's no issue at all. Sometimes I like to walk around the pool dribbling it in. Sometimes I just pour it in front of the return.

What you don't want to do is pour bleach in the skimmer IF you are using a automatic chlorinator or put pucks in the skimmer (some people do that).

Otherwise, if you add it to pool directly, you don't have to wait at all.

[cleancloths]

Carl, I would not pour bleach into the skimmer if I had trichlor pucks in the skimmer - but pouring it in the skimmer when you have an automatic chlorinator is not likely to cause a problem. If your pump is circulating something like 60 GPM and you have two skimmers and a maindrain the concentration of bleach when it hits the chlorinator is going to be very low.

[CarlD]

Carl, I would not pour bleach into the skimmer if I had trichlor pucks in the skimmer - but pouring it in the skimmer when you have an automatic chlorinator is not likely to cause a problem. If your pump is circulating something like 60 GPM and you have two skimmers and a maindrain the concentration of bleach when it hits the chlorinator is going to be very low.

Your pool, your risk. I wouldn't do it because I know if a bolus of bleach hits the chlorinator there could be trouble. It's not worth the risk.

In that situation it's just about as easy to pour the bleach in front of the return, and it's completely free of risk.

I will not recommend pouring bleach in a skimmer where there is an automatic chlorinator. Period.

[PhantomAndy]

I agree on the risk aspect:

I have have a trichlor feeder (that I use, I know, I know . . . ) and I also use bleach at times (when it is convienent).

I add my bleach at one of the returns normally, but when I want quicker dispersion, I'll just shut my feeder down to Zero before adding to the skimmer.

Regarding the types of chlorine - all are right on this one. No worries about pouring bleach into your pool after adding cal-hypo or other chlorinating chemicals. Once in the water the chemical reactions between the chemicals and water make things safe.

I shocked two weeks ago when getting my water in shape after opening, 2 bags of super shock (cal-hypo), followed 5 minutes later by 2 1/2 gallons of bleach. No worries

[CarlD]

Pouring bleach in front of the return jet is going to be just as fast as pouring it in the skimmer. But it's easier to add chlorine via the skimmer. That's all.