Chlorine 3 Kinds and Which One Would Be Best For Your Pool

In this video I'll teach you about the 3 typical forms of pool Chlorine, the 'pros' and 'cons' of each and which one I choose for my pool service needs.
Helpful Links:
Changing Your Pool Water - Why and When: • Changing your pool wat...
Total Dissolved Solids: • Total Dissolved Solids
Cyanuric Acid - What You Need to Know: • Cyanuric Acid - What Y...
Pool Start Up - Chemicals and How To Add Them: • Pool Start Up - Chemic...
Hope you’ll subscribe to my channel and also, please check out my website poolschooler.com for exclusive DIY pool maintenance tools and more direct and priority communication with my for your pool maintenance needs.
DIY Pool Care

[@husseinbinteam2142]

Recently, I have been watching your channel. I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart. You're truly a talented instructor! Language used is clear ; instructions are crystal clear and on top of that I sincerely believe that your audience benefit a lot from your videos. To bring a long story short, I am a non-native, yet I benefited from videos more than from videos on the same topic in my mother tongue. Thank you for great effort.

[@PoolSchooler]

Thank you for your kind and encouraging comments. I'm so glad my videos have been helpful and hope they will continue to benefit you. Please do like the videos you watch, subscribe to my channel and share my channel and videos with other pool owners.

[@elainenilsson5472]

The best explanation. Thank you.

[@PoolSchooler]

Glad it helped. Hope you'll subscribe.

[@andrianatreasure7004]

Thank you,great information.greetings from Australia

[@PoolSchooler]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting. Hope you subscribed. Hope all is well down under.

[@brianp5579]

Man you have aged so gracefully over the years...enjoy your golden years my friend

[@Todd-tz9qq]

The way I understand it, CYA does not evaporate. So when you mention in your video that as water evaporates, you are replacing that saturated water with fresh water, it's actually a net sum zero. It has no impact to your CYA level; only replacing the water will have a positive effect.

[@eliasvaladez1797]

That's correct

[@marwan6767]

hello Mr Kenny glad you made this video about all chlorine question specially now winter time lets say your pool has zero chlorine what you at tabs or liquid thanks

[@marwan6767]

add

[@PoolSchooler]

I’d recommend adding liquid chlorine to get the chlorine level up as quickly as possible. Then maintain levels with the tablets.

[@darkphantom507]

A 1 gallon liquid chlorine at Home Depot is between $7 -$8 dollars. A 2.5 gallons of chlorine at the pool store is about $8 dollars.

[@PoolSchooler]

Good to know thanks for the info

[@kevingray8616]

I use tablets. I do keep some calcium hypochlorite and liquid chlorine on hand to make quick adjustments if I'm negligent. We usually have very high humidity in Houston, so I'm not going to get the evaporation like in Arizona. I deal with the increasing CYA level by watering my yard with pool water and backfilling with fresh water. (my pump piping has hose bibs) This is usually during the hottest 2-3 months of summer; particularly when we're not getting rain. Besides lowering my CYA level and watering my yard, I also decrease my pool temperature which can get high during the dog days of summer.

[@PoolSchooler]

Kevin Gray that’s a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

[@travist7777]

...so balanced, non-salt system pool water is okay for plants, obviously?

[@kevingray8616]

@@travist7777 Never had any problems. I just set it up to spray pool water on my grass.

[@ceedlc8646]

I'm in Las Vegas and today I am draining my pool due to the high cyanaric acid. I need to fill up quick because it's about to heat up, thank goodness for these last two days of cool weather. The strips were reading 300, I also did a 3:1 test and it was extremely high. Instead of an 80% drain, I'm draining it almost completely since it's been 5 years since we drained it. Both the FC and TC were high as well but the algae was not disappearing. I purchased the chemicals you suggested for phosphates, I'm also switching to liquid chlorine. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I've learned so much from your pool school! One question, I cleaned my filters two weeks ago, should I hose them down again or should i replace because of the high cyanuric that was in the pool? Thanks again!

[@ceedlc8646]

On a different note, I sprayed some of the pool water in my yard, rock landscape and it helped with the smell of the dog urine. I have three big dogs, I saved from having to purchase other chemicals for that!

[@PoolSchooler]

No real need to clean your cartridges again as long as you cleaned them thoroughly. The amount of residual CYA on them after that would be negligible.

[@blakebeyett6471]

You could always pre dissolve granular chlorine in a bucket of water first so it won’t stain the bottom. I’m guessing most pool guys don’t have time to mess around with that though.

[@PoolSchooler]

That’s a great idea but you are right it does take time to to do that. But for DIY pool owners it’s a great idea.

[@Bunkysworkshop]

What is the big difference between the trichlor or the dichlor tablets? When I hear someone say stabilized tablets I think trichlor tablets so is what you’re saying?

[@ThunderStruckMTB]

What about a 4 person above ground spa (with cover)? I have been using a couple of cap fulls of granular "shock" mixed into a red solo cup (so it all dissolves) but it seems I have to do this every other day when my wife and I use it. Would liquid be better? Thanks for the videos!

[@PoolSchooler]

Id suggest using bromine tablets. less fumes. they make them for spas and are smaller and you can get a floater for them as well. Way better for a spa than chlorine.

[@larrybanford5196]

Hey thanks for the Awsome vids! Had a question thou. I test my pool here in AZ and test strips look pretty good, then I take it to pool store to get tested and they tell me I need to drain and start over. I live in Maricopa and our water is $$$$! Please help! Thanks for all the Help.

[@atolk]

In my layman's opinion, "drain and start over" is not a test result, but a recommendation based on a test result. My test strips and the water tests at the local pool store look about the same. Calcium high, PH high, cyanuric acid high, chlorine normal, etc. But the test strips can tell you whether to add chlorine or acid to lower pH. They will not tell you to drain the pool, because they don't care. My pool store is telling me to drain half the pool to lower hardness and cyanuric acid level (as no chemicals will fix that). I just don't know what the big deal is about those two numbers, so I am in no hurry. The pool looks and feels good to swim in. If anything, chlorine goes too quickly. But cyanuric acid is the chlorine stabilizer, so I don't know how getting rid of it is going to help me.

[@jaredebeling1412]

Thanks for video. What should I do if chorine is very high even after turning my chlorinator (salt pool) down to zero after 5 days the chlorine is still showing in the test strip as very high? Also my Alkalinity is ultra low too for some reason. Any help would be very much appreciate and thanks so much all the way from Australia 🇦🇺

[@PoolSchooler]

Jared Ebeling I responded to your question in my other video comment section, but regarding high chlorine, really only evaporation and dilution can lower your chlorine level once it gets really high. Since you’re in Australia and it’s summer time for you all, it shouldn’t take long for it to go down, maybe another week or two, make sure you test it every few days so it doesn’t get too low As far as your alkalinity being very low, I have a video that I did about a month ago on adjusting the alkalinity of your pool without affecting the pH too much. I would suggest watching it, but in a nutshell, if you use bicarbonate of soda you’ll be able to raise your alkalinity without affecting your pH too much.

[@ethanjacob123]

Please make a video about calcium

[@PoolSchooler]

Ethan Jacob will do. I’ll get one out after my next one. Promise.

[@agjr85]

I have a new pool being built, has a Pentair Inline Chlorinator. Can you share how that would work? I assume it replaces the floater?

[@descendantoffools9767]

We used to install Rainbow, which I think is now called Pentair , back in the 90's. Yes it takes the place of a floater. Couple of important things with any inline chlorinator. Each time you need to add more tabs to the chlorinator, make sure you run the system for a few minutes then turn it off. This is because the chlorine gas fumes that have been sitting in the chlorinator while you pool was off can build up very high and then when you're standing over it and remove the lid you get hit with a heavy dose of chlorine gas which have you coughing for about 10 minutes. Runnning the system for those few minutes will remove the gas. Also never put anything other than the trichlor tabs in the chlorinator. All chlorines are not compatible. We had people use the 3 inch jumbo tabs and then decided to put shock treatment granules (calcium hypochlorite) in the same unit. Put the lid on and later that day the whole chlorinator exploded sending plastic pieces all over the yard.

[@tukulitozakayamas2103]

are above ground pool is 5.000 gals. i want to try the clorine tablets but we also use a pool cover cause there is trees around are pool.. what you think is are best option out of the 3.or how can we make it work with the tablets

[@PoolSchooler]

You can still use a floater as long as the pump runs regularly the water will circulate under the cover.

[@timothyrogers4825]

I like the video but im always concerned balancing a pool with just tablets here in AZ . How many would you use a week? I like the concept but ive been using DYchlor for a long time?? and it cost !! Thoughts.. Id love to use just TABLETS but ?????!!!!!! Comments

[@PoolSchooler]

Since I've been doing pools, in my own business and for others we've used primarily tablets. as far as how much. That depends. I did a video on that subject. Maybe it'll help. Here's a link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXPMh6Z-fbOUiZo

[@Bunkysworkshop]

What are your thoughts on using a liquid chlorine pump?

[@PoolSchooler]

Unfortunately I don't have any experience with them so I can't really comment. Sorry.

[@gcjabo]

My Dekchlor in-deck cannister is overflowing on a regular basis. What causes this?

[@PoolSchooler]

gcjabo Usually it’s one of two reasons, you may have too much water dedicated to flowing into your dekchlor so try adjusting the valve so there’s not quite so much water going to it. The other possibility is that the opening in the wall that allows the chlorinated water to flow into the pool could be blocked with debris you might want to get something in there and try to clean it out also. It’s probably one of those two things.

[@justinegarcia8771]

Can I put liquid chlorine im a fiberglass pool? Thank you

[@PoolSchooler]

Absolutely

[@tomrobertson6747]

I ordered chlorine and got trichloroisocyanuric acid. I wrote back to the seller and he responded that trichloroisocyanuric acid is a form of chlorine. I had never heard of trichloroisocyanuric acid. Is it a substitute for chlorine?

[@saraw112]

Thinking of trying liquid chlorine... I’m going to try to find this... what brand do you recommend? Thanks so much for your videos!!

[@PoolSchooler]

I would say anything you can get at Walmart or Home Depot or Lowe’s or something like that. The supplier I get my liquid chlorine from does it in bulk and there’s no brand name on it because they’re in reusable containers.

[@saraw112]

@@PoolSchooler thanks so much!!

[@PoolSchooler]

@@saraw112 You're welcome. And please check out my new membership website www.poolschooler.com

[@timothyfrank3473]

Interesting discussion of chlorine. I've never used liquid chlorine, for the reason you stated: it's inconvenient. And, expensive. For years, I used stabilized chlorine 3" tabs; however, I discovered excess cyanuric acid level (I take care of two pools). The health agencies recommend 100 PPM or less, and the pools were well over 300 PPM. So, I switched to granulated chlorine (Leslie's Power Powder), which works great. And, I didn't need to drain and refill, because over time enough water was backflushed out to lower the cyanuric acid below 100 PPM. Well then. What's the problem? In Arizona's wicked hot summer and ferocious sunshine, the granulated chlorine just doesn't "keep" in the water. When things get "one tenny and above" especially. So now I'm using a blended method. I use the 3" stabilized tablets over the hot summer months, and they work great: chlorine remains stable, I can service pools only twice a week, and for the few months of summer the cyanuric acid levels don't climb too high. Which, is why I wrote this tome for you and your watchers. It only takes a season to cause the cyanuric acid levels to climb above 100 PPM. In a year, with Arizona's hot sun and hot summer, the level climbs well above 200 PPM. It's simply not possible to go more than a year with stabilized chlorine and remain within health department recommended values. Going 5 to 7 years using stabilized chlorine, without draining a refilling, is exactly how my original problem started. I don't know whether the health department is right or wrong. Their number is 100 PPM. There may be other folks that believe higher numbers are safe also. If that's true, that higher numbers are safe, can you please provide reference or references? Great videos, by the way. There's a lot to do to keep a pool sparkling clear!

[@kevingray8616]

Really good article about CYA. www.lowrycg.com/cyanuric-acid-it-controls-your-pool/ I use tablets. I try to start each season at 30 PPM. I consider the maximum CYA level for me to be at 70 PPM. (the article says the max is 80 PPM) This is how I do it as I use pool water to water my yard. See my other comment on this video. Leslie's uses 100 PPM as the max. At 100 PPM a lot of chlorine is going to be bound up with CYA, unable to effectively clean the water. It's going to take a high chlorine level to be effective. BTW, I also use a phosphate remover. A few ounces a week is like magic.

[@Zeric1]

I only use tablets in the summer (minimally), while topping off the chlorine level with liquid 1-2 times/week. During off season I only use liquid. When changing the water, I add a minimal amount of CYA. Anything else results in CYA > 100. Commercial pool guys only come once a week so they heavily rely on tablets and end up with CYA higher than is ideal. A home owner is absolutely going to be able to maintain their chemistry much better than a commercial pool guy if they are willing to put in the effort of checking and adjusting multiple times a week during the summer. Most people are not that disciplined though, so once a week testing/adjusting is still much better than ignoring it weeks at a time.

[@darkphantom507]

What 3” tablet brand should I get, or what should I look for in a tablet? Thank you

[@PoolSchooler]

I’ve used many different brands and have not had problems with any of them I’d suggest not buying from some bargain, basement or website. Typically any reputable retailer call supply store, or even a Home Depot/Lowes/Costco, etc. reliable brands.

[@darkphantom507]

@@PoolSchooler Thanks, I just bought a 40lbs bucket from Sam’s on sale $30 off, came out to $169.98.

[@PoolSchooler]

@@darkphantom507 Given the price of tablets right now that's a pretty good deal. Thanks for posting.

[@lindachapman1353]

Do I need to add stabilizer when using a 3 inch chlorine tablet.

[@PoolSchooler]

It depends on your CYA (stabilizer) level. This video will help a lot: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lauYZoZ4qM-Umtk and please subscribe to and share my channel

[@descendantoffools9767]

If it's trichlor tabs which are the most common, they already contain cya

[@lindachapman1353]

I have a 5,300 pool

[@feliciam7422]

Thank you for these videos I'm a new pool owner. Can you a video (if you haven't done one) on salt water generators and managing them.

[@PoolSchooler]

Hello Felicia. I did a series on Salt Water Generators. Here's some links to the videos: Salt Systems Part 1: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZCxg4yhe62oeMk Cleaning Your Salt Cell: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eovYfpagbLqsmq8 Hopefully these videos will help. If you need something more specific let me know and I can try to do a video on that for ya.

[@mitchelld7130]

Does it matter what brand of 3 inch tabs you use and is there a way to tell if one is better than another

[@PoolSchooler]

Typically it really doesn't matter as long as you purchase them through a reputable place. Costco, WalMart, Home Depot, Lowes and most any pool supply store. I'd be wary of some sketchy online source offering extreme low prices on tablets tho. But I've not really run across any of those.

[@mitchelld7130]

Thank you very much for your quick reply and all of your videos

[@PoolSchooler]

@@mitchelld7130 you’re welcome. I hope you will subscribe to my channel and share my channel with all your friends.

[@arien3258]

If ctya is already introduce to your water and it doesnt evaporate, using stabilized chlorine will add up more cya in youre water, is that right?

[@PoolSchooler]

You are correct, however depending on how many tablets you use on your pool each year/season the amount of CYA that gets added to your pool is not necessarily negligible but should not jack your CYA too high too fast. One of the biggest reasons for chlorine tablets and yes they are stabilized, is convenience. Unless you’re willing to check your pool chemistry and add chlorine daily using liquid chlorine The convenience of the tablets and only having to add them once every week as needed is worth the slow and gradual increase of CYA in your pool. That is just my opinion but that is what works best for most people who own pools in Arizona. It could be different in your area like if you lived in California where there is drought protocols in place having to change your water every five years or so might not be beneficial

[@arien3258]

@@PoolSchooler thank you so much i have a brand new pool and everything is new to me , im observing and still learning, your video is very educational.

[@PoolSchooler]

@@arien3258 The key is when you refill your pool with fresh water and add start up chemicals DON"T over add CYA. Keep it on the low side.

[@tomrobertson6747]

Are you sure that evaporation dilutes water? I thought that only water evaporates, so that chlorine and whatever else is in it wouldn't.

[@PoolSchooler]

Well, indirectly. As the water evaporates and new, fresh water is added to the pool dilution occurs due to the fresh water being added which has not come in to contact with the pool chemicals yet. So that's how the dilution happens.

[@kennethsmith5050]

Hey Ken do you have another job other than doing pools?

[@PoolSchooler]

Kenneth Smith I do. I teach dancing (tap and jazz) and martial arts (Jeet Kune Do and the Filipino Martial Arts).

[@kennethsmith5050]

Nice..👍

[@Patrick-rd5vh]

I think you are a little bit wrong, you can't pick or say one chlorine form is better than the other. Each chlorine form has its own use. It's like saying a sports car is better than a 4x4 Pick-Up Truck

[@PoolSchooler]

I believe the point I was making was exactly that. The different forms I describe work good for different needs and frequency of use.

[@triciaw5802]

Drop the sunglasses

[@gastcast2959]

No, bad. Sunglasses good.