Chlorine Talk

Let’s Talk Chlorine

Perhaps this wouldn’t be your first idea for a discussion topic around the dinner table, but if you own a swimming pool it is important to know that all types and brands are not the same.

Liquid chlorine/pool shock.

Simply put, there is a ticking clock on pool shock’s effectiveness. It is a volatile, gaseous sanitizer with a short half-life. At six months, it’s down to 50% of its original strength. Even at just 30 days, it is down 30%. Fortunately, Eastgate Pools sells LOTS of pool shock in a short time, with new, fresh inventory arriving several times a month. We strive to offer our patrons the freshest shock available.

I like to snoop around at box stores and groceries that sell pool shock and will relay one short story. One area box store that sells liquid pool shock makes it available by the case or individual gallon jug. This past October, well after the pool season was over, I saw a clerk there restocking the individual gallon shelves. When she finished, I marked one of the back row jugs with an exceedingly small blue mark on the back side of the container. Nothing highly noticeable and certainly not damaging, but I wanted to see how long it stayed on the shelf. As of April 16th, it was still there. That’s over six months and was likely down to less strength than what would be found in generic clothing bleach.

If you live in the Greater Cincinnati area, I naturally recommend getting it at Eastgate Pools. If that isn’t feasible, go to a professional pool store for your best opportunity at finding fresh shock.

A couple of tips: Shock is a gaseous chemical and has breather lids. Keep the case upright when transporting to avoid spills that will bleach car carpet white. I wonder how many box store shoppers learned this the hard way with their single gallon purchases? Once home, store in a cool, dark place out of direct sunlight. Shock stored in the hot sun can lose half its strength in as little as forty-eight days. Lastly, I recommend adding it to the pool once the sun sets. That minimizes any gas off from harsh summer sun.

Chlorine tablets.

Chlorine tablets come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and canister quantities. Unlike liquid shock, tablets have a great shelf life. Estimates are that sodium trichlor tabs are good for as long as five years if kept in a cool, dry, shaded area. You can save a lot of money by purchasing larger containers as unused tablets will still be good next season.

To me, the biggest selling point of trichlor tabs is their ‘available chlorine’ analysis. Eastgate Pools offers several options, but all have available chlorine listed at 90% to 99% making them concentrated, extremely strong, and highly effective in sanitizing pool water and combatting algae. Plus, each is enhanced with cyanuric acid, better known as conditioner or stabilizer. This helps minimize UV effects and adds life to the effectiveness of chlorine.

Many discount houses offer trichlor with a lesser available chlorine rating meaning you get more filler and less effectiveness. They are also more likely to carry calcium-based chlorine tablets which usually have an available chlorine rating of less than 70% and zero cyanuric acid/stabilizer.

To summarize…

Assuming that all chlorine is the same is like saying all houses are the same, or all cars are the same. Read the labels. To minimize the likelihood of green pools that are not properly sanitized, I recommend getting the good stuff at Eastgate Pools & Spas, and if that is not possible, visiting a professional pool store for chemicals.