Definations

[jrv331]

I have an inline chlorinator(?) thats still in the box. I was thinking of it installing this year for times when I wont be around for a few days. I got a Leslies catalog and they have chlorine tabs that say they wont effect PH much. I was going to try this and see how it goes.
Thanks
John

[CarlD]

I have an inline chlorinator(?) thats still in the box. I was thinking of it installing this year for times when I wont be around for a few days. I got a Leslies catalog and they have chlorine tabs that say they wont effect PH much. I was going to try this and see how it goes.
Thanks
John

I guess it's true depending on how you define "much".

Tri-chlor tabs are extremely acid and push pH down. Di-Chlor tabs are much harder to find and while they are neutral, adding chlorine has an acid effect that pushes pH down.
Bleach is very basic, but the acid effect of the chlorine in the water negates it giving a virtually zero-change effect to pH.
Cal-Hypo tends to be very basic too, and seems to actually help pH rise. It also adds calcium and calcium hardness to your water.

This is why in general bleach or liquid chlorine (same thing in different concentrations) are the best chlorination over the long term.

[jrv331]

I was looking at Chlor Brite from Leslies, says its PH neutral. But only if they have it in a 10lb or less container. I may end up just using the sock in the skimmer method in the end.
Thanks
John

[waterbear]

Chlor Brite is dichlor, it will cause your CYA to rise. Technically it has a pH of around 6 so it's only slighly acidic. It's as close to neutral (ph 7) as any form of chlorine gets.

[chem geek]

It's funny this thread should appear regarding having friends chlorinate the pool and complaining about bleaching their clothes. I've been recently using Dichlor as my chlorine source because my CYA is low. I discovered that at least for the brand I am using, the granules don't completely dissolve quickly. They would settle to the bottom of the pool even when added slowly over a return flow. So I then got a plastic container with a lid (it used to contain bird seed) and used it to premix the Dichlor with pool water. Even doing this, it would take several fill, mix, pour to get it all dissolved. It also smells different in the pool and the pool water tastes different for a day or two -- perhaps some other binder material???

Lo and behold, I discover the next day that my dark socks that I was wearing when I did the above Dichlor addition have bleach splotches. The container I used for mixing leaked at the top during the mixing (it was designed for solids -- bird seed -- and not for liquids) and I recall some of it spilling out but didn't think immediately about it as if it were bleach.

File this under "it happened to me; it could happen to you"! Ironically, I haven't had any incidents when using chlorinating liquid since I'm consciously much more aware of its bleaching potential so am very careful when pouring and handling drips on bottle edges.

Richard

[aylad]

Keep in mind too that you cannot use the cal-hypo tabs in an inline feeder. The feeders are made for trichlor. There is a difference in the amount of heat and gas that is generated when cal hypo dissolves versus trichlor, making it dangerous to use anything but the trichlor tabs in the feeder. (I don't know about dichlor tabs--don't think I've ever seen them).

Janet