Ok here we go

[Watermom]

TfromNC:
Either way is fine - whether you add cya directly and then just use bleach or if you use trichlor pucks for awhile to build up your cya and then switch to bleach. Both will work. Personally, I just add cya and then use only bleach. Some others use the pucks until their cya starts to get too high and then switch. Really just a matter of preference. If you do use trichlor, you'll have to test cya periodically because it will continue to rise. But, you'll be killing two birds with one stone - adding cya and chlorine at the same time. On the other hand, if you just add the cya outright, you'll only have to test it a couple of times until you get it where you want and then the level should stay put for the summer. Your choice.

If you do decide to just add cya separately, add enough per label directions to take your cya to about 30ppm. Add it directly to the skimmer. Then wait about a week to give it time to dissolve in your filter and don't backwash during this time. Be patient. If you don't give it enough time to dissolve completely, you may end up adding more than you should. Then you have another problem because the only way to lower cya is to do a partial drain. Better to aim a little low initially and then sneak up on the desired level of 30-40 than overshoot it. Hope this helps.

Watermom

[CarlD]

I occasionally use pucks--when both my pH is high and I want to raise my CYA level slowly. Or I'll use up some of my di-chlor powder. When both are gone, I'm back to my mainstays anyway, bleach, CYA, dry acid or muriatic acid.

IF you test your water everyday for chlorine and pH, and check all the tests once a week (FC, CC, pH, T/A and CYA) then you can control it. Sooner or later using pucks your CYA will hit the max you should be using (it's different for each situation and owner's preference).

The key to EVERYTHING in pool maintenance is proper, frequent, concistent testing. Takes 2 minutes a day to run the OTO kit chlorine and pH test. Even with Ben's kit and the FAS DPD powder it only takes 5 minutes a day to test chlorine and pH. The full battery of tests takes about 15 minutes, once a week. It will save you are WORLD of trouble and a heap of money.

[matt4x4]

I can't speak for MWSMITH2, but I don't use any at all, it adds stabilizer, then you have to use more chlorine to have it be effective - it snowballs, only add stabilizer when the CYA level drops, teh ONLY way CYA will leave your pool is through pumping it out (backwash/drain/Leak), otherwise it should remain stable pretty much all year.
As for pucks, the only time you will see pucks in my pool is when I go away for over a week because the pucks will insure keeping the Cl levels up.

[aylad]

Lots of the posters on this forum only use bleach. You'll find that there aren't very many who use trichlor pucks, and even fewer who use them on an ongoing basis. Creates too many problems with high CYA levels.

Janet

[leejp]

After a couple of years with Tri-Chlor pucks, I'm thinking about switching to bleach this year as well. Some questions...

How do you add Bleach? into the skimmer? the deep end of the pool?

How often? Duh... as often as the water requires. So I knew that.. But how often is that? With the tri-chlor tablets, I just dialed the chlorinator up/down depending on the test results. But since there isn't the continuous feeding that one gets with a chlorinator or a floatee, how often can one expect to have to add chlorine once the switch is made?

How much? Duh... as much as the water requires. So I knew that too... but here in upatate, NY (season is June through August with temps generally between high 60s to mid 80s during this perios), how much bleach can I expect to go through is a season? It's generally been $4/day to run the pool around here ($2 to run the pump and $2 for the chemicals... mostly the tablets). Can I expect to save significant $$$ by switching to the 3 Bs?

[duraleigh]

Some questions...

How do you add Bleach? into the skimmer? the deep end of the pool?

Skimmer...pump running

How often? Duh... as often as the water requires. So I knew that.. But how often is that? With the tri-chlor tablets, I just dialed the chlorinator up/down depending on the test results. But since there isn't the continuous feeding that one gets with a chlorinator or a floatee, how often can one expect to have to add chlorine once the switch is made?

Short answer...almost daily depending on the test results

How much? Duh... as much as the water requires. So I knew that too... but here in upatate, NY (season is June through August with temps generally between high 60s to mid 80s during this perios), how much bleach can I expect to go through is a season?

How big is your pool? How many people swim? Does it get full sun? etc. etc.

It's generally been $4/day to run the pool around here ($2 to run the pump and $2 for the chemicals... mostly the tablets). Can I expect to save significant $$$ by switching to the 3 Bs?

No, not huge amounts but significant. You'll also head off a future problem if you've only used pucks to this point.

Dave S.

[mwsmith2]

Down here in Houston, TX I had to add 0.75 gal every three days during summer. BUuuuuuuut, it all depends on your pool.

Michael

[aylad]

You can use mwsmith's bleach calculator to figure out how much bleach you need to add at a time to maintain your minimum chlorine level. If you'll test daily, it won't take you long to begin to anticipate how much/when your pool uses it up.

When I add the bleach to my pool, I never pour it into the skimmer--I pour it slowly into the stream from my return, and let it mix that way.

Janet

[mwsmith2]

Acid lowers pH and and only lowers alkalinity temporarily (sort of).

That's not completely correct. For those who might be confused, here's the quickie answer: Lowering your pH down to the 7.0 range will result in some permanent reduction in alk, due to offgassing of co2 during the low pH period. If you can areate the water to offgass more co2 while your pH is low, your alk will drop even more. Simply put, acid WILL permanently lower your ALK, if you drop it low enough.

Michael