| Swimming Pool Chemicals Part One | | | | available chlorine but as it is unstabilized sunlight |
| As owner and operator of a retail site selling pools | | | | quickly burns it out. If used as a regular source of |
| and everything to do with pools and spas I am | | | | chlorine, stabilizer (cyanuric acid) is usually added |
| constantly amazed by the need for information | | | | to the pool to keep the Cal Hypo from |
| on many of the basic products used by pool | | | | disappearing so quickly. Cal Hypo makes an |
| owners. Since chemicals are a universal, this and | | | | effective shocking agent because it does its job |
| subsequent articles will hopefully give pool owners | | | | and quickly disappears. There are several |
| a better idea of what they're putting in their pools | | | | drawbacks to Calcium Hypochlorite. It is the most |
| and how it will perform. | | | | powerful oxidizer (Class II) available for pool |
| Chlorine is still King of Sanitizers for swimming | | | | owners and the most dangerous to store and |
| pools. Chlorine and its relative Bromine are | | | | handle. It can react explosively when mistakenly |
| members of the halogen family of chemical | | | | mixed with other chlorine products. It must also |
| elements. Halogens share the characteristic of | | | | be pre-dissolved before use to avoid bleaching out |
| being powerful oxidizers, which makes them ideal | | | | vinyl liners. |
| for swimming pools and spas. The oxidizing | | | | Sodium Dichlor (Dichlor) is always sold as a |
| property breaks apart chemical contaminants | | | | granular product and provides 56 percent available |
| from swimmers and the environment making the | | | | chlorine. Typically more expensive than other |
| pool unattractive for infestation by algae and | | | | forms it doesn't lend itself well to automatic |
| bacteria. Having said this swimming pool chlorine is | | | | feeders and provides a little less bang for the |
| available in a number of different forms each | | | | buck in available chlorine. On the plus side it is a |
| possessing unique properties. This article will | | | | Class 1 oxidizer and somewhat less dangerous to |
| discuss each popular type. | | | | handle than other forms of chlorine especially |
| Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) is a liquid form of | | | | bleach and Cal Hypo. It also makes an excellent |
| chlorine identical to the bleach used for laundry but | | | | shocking agent as it dissolves in water quite well. |
| in a more concentrated form. Laundry bleach | | | | Dichlor has cyanuric acid added during production |
| usually provides 4-5 percent available chlorine while | | | | to stabilize the material so it stays around up to 6 |
| pool bleach is 10 percent or a little more. Bleach | | | | hours in direct sunlight. |
| isn't a very good pool product compared to other | | | | Sodium Trichlor (Trichlor) is the most widely used |
| types of chlorine available today. It's expensive; | | | | form of chlorine for swimming pools. Almost |
| chorine in other forms delivers 56 to 90 percent | | | | always sold in the form of tablets or sticks |
| available chlorine compared to 10 percent for | | | | Trichlor provides 90 percent available chlorine. This |
| bleach. Bleach also has a pH of over 13. This will | | | | is the highest percentage available which makes |
| tend to raise the pool pH unless pH reducer is | | | | this type of chlorine the most cost effective. One |
| added regularly. Bleach is unstabilized and easily | | | | 3 inch Trichlor tablet provides nearly seven times |
| broken down by the UV rays in sunlight. Once | | | | as much chlorine as a 4 gallon case of bleach. The |
| added to the pool it will be gone in about 2 hours. | | | | formed product is ideal for automatic feeders and |
| Bleach may also add dissolved solids that can | | | | because it is also stabilized Trichlor will stay around |
| make pool water cloudy and unattractive. Given | | | | for a while. Like its cousin Dichlor, Trichlor will not |
| the drawbacks and availability of better sources | | | | affect pH nearly as much as other products. |
| of chlorine bleach shouldn't be an option for use in | | | | Trichlor is also ideal for feeders because it |
| a swimming pool. | | | | requires flowing water to dissolve. |
| Calcium Hypochlorite (Cal Hypo) is usually sold in | | | | Each of these types of chlorine, except bleach, |
| granular form although tablets are available, | | | | has its place in keeping pools clean and sanitary. |
| typically for use in septic systems. Cal Hypo is | | | | Knowing the characteristics of each will help save |
| most commonly found in 1 lb. bags sold as pool | | | | money, time and effort caring for a swimming |
| shock. Cal Hypo provides a healthy 65 percent | | | | pool. |