What Are The Best Chlorine Tablets
Most chlorine tablets will do an equally good job at keeping your pool clean. And thats because most brands use the same, or similar ingredients in their products. So it mostly comes down to your pools specific needs and budget.
But for outdoor pools, as long as you choose 3-inch stabilized tablets, youre good to go.
On that note, here are a few specific brands of chlorine tablets worth checking out :
- Pool Time Max Blue 3 inch chlorine tablets
- Clorox Pool and Spa chlorine tablets
- In The Swim 3 inch chlorine tablets
- Swim Best 3 inch Trichlor chlorine tablets
How To Use Chlorine Tablets In Your Swimming Pool
Have a few questions about chlorine tablets? Want to know the best way to use them?
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know to get started
Owning a pool comes with its share of fun and responsibility. On one hand, you get to swim whenever you want. You can enjoy a cool, refreshing dip in the Summer, or heat up the water for a warm and cozy swim in the Fall. And a pool is the perfect spot for get-togethers, and spending time with family and friends.
But, if you want to actually enjoy your pool, then you have to keep it clean right? Because no one wants to swim in a dirty backyard pond.
So that means skimming the water, scrubbing the walls, vacuuming the floor, cleaning the filter, and so on. In other words, keeping your water visibly clean. But that still leaves the other side of pool care
A pool that looks clean, isnt necessarily clean to swim in. Seemingly clear water can be filled with micro bacteria and other contaminants. Which is exactly why products like chlorine tablets exist. As you know, chlorine is what sanitizes your pool and keeps it germ-free and safe.
And in this post, we show you how to use chlorine tablets in your swimming poolthe right way. Yes, despite their simplicity, there are right and wrong ways to use chlorine tablets. Using them the wrong way can damage your pool, and waste your money which are two great reasons to keep reading this post.
Why Pools Need Chlorine
As mentioned earlier, chlorine is what keeps your pool safe and swimmable. It sanitizes your water and kills the germs, bacteria, and other contaminants that would otherwise pose health hazards.
But for those of you who want the nitty gritty details, here they are:
Chlorine s sanitization process starts when it enters your pool. As it begins mixing with the water, chemical breakdowns occur. During these breakdowns, two important compounds are formed: hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ions.
Both compounds actively sanitize your water by oxidizing the contaminants in your pool. But while hypochlorite ions are more slow release and oxidize over long periods of time, hypochlorous acid begins working on contact. Together, they keep your water germ free and safe for swimming in a variety of situations.
So if youve ever wondered how its possible for a bunch of people to swim in a single rectangle of water without anyone getting sick, you can thank chlorine for that.
And on that note
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How To Add Chlorine Tablets To Your Swimming Pool
Finally, the most important part of this post how to add chlorine tablets to your swimming pool.
What do you mean how to add, why cant you just throw them in the water? Thats what theyre made for.
Great point. Yes, chlorine tablets are designed to go in your water. However, theyre not mean to be left dissolving on the floor of your pool.
Why?
Leaving chlorine tablets on the bottom of your pool can cause permanent staining and bleach liners. Its also the least effective way to use them.
Tablets sitting at the bottom of your pool are nowhere near your pools skimmer line. So they dissolve slower and release sanitizer unevenly. When you use chlorine tablets this way, most of the chlorine gets wasted, and you end up having to use even more.
So instead of doing that, here are 4 much better ways to add chlorine tablets to your swimming pool.
Youve probably seen this classic pool accessory a few times. You may already be using one now.
Theyre the small plastic containers that float on the surface of your water. Sometimes they have funny looking duck or animal on top, other times theyre blue and look like the one in the picture above.
The beauty of floating dispensers lies in their simplicity. They hold just a few tablets and keep them safely contained to gradually dissolve. As the dispenser floats across the surface of your pool, it releases chlorine into your water.
How Many Chlorine Tablets Do You Get In A Bucket
If you use chlorine tablets for your pool, chances are you have probably wondered how many tablets are in a pack. Perhaps youre planning how long a box of chlorine tablets will last? Or trying to figure out how many chlorine tabs you need?
Many manufacturers only give you the weight of the box or bucket. But weve done some research and were able to list how many tablets are in each package.
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How Many Chlorine Tablets To Add To Your Pool
Heres the question youve been waiting to get answered:
How many chlorine tablets should you use?
The answer? It all depends on the size of your pool.
For the best results, use this chlorine tablet dosage chart as a reference:
- 2,500 5,000 gallon pools
- 1 chlorine tablet per week
To keep things easy, remember that a single 3-inch tablet can sanitize up to 5,000 gallons of water. Which means four tablets are enough to sanitize a 20,000-gallon pool.
To calculate how many chlorine tablets to add to your swimming pool, first round your pools size to the nearest 5,000th. So if you have a 14,000-gallon pool, youd round up to 15,000 gallons.
Heres a little formula to remember: Rounded up Pool Size/5,000=number of chlorine tablets needed
Since a single tablet can treat 5,000 gallons of water, youd only need 3 tablets to treat up to 15,000 gallons. So you would use 3 tablets for your 14,000-gallon pool.
Using our formula, that would look like this: 15,000 gallons/5,000 gallons = 3 chlorine tablets
Clorox Pool& spa Active99 3 Inch Chlorinating Tablets
Chlorinating Tablets, Active 99, Step 2, 3 Inch
Each tablet weighs 1/2 lb. Step 2 chlorinate. Individually wrapped tablets. Feeder. Floater. Skimmer. 4 in 1 Formula: kills bacteria controls algae keeps water clean protected against sunlight to last longer. Questions? Pool care tips? 1-800-SOS-Pool. cloroxpool.com. Concentrated, stabilized, slow-dissolving sanitizer for convenient use in above-ground and in-ground pools.
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Average Number Of Chlorine Tablets In A Bucket
There are 50 three-inch chlorine tablets on average in a 25 lb bucket or box. For one-inch tablets, on average, there are 80 tablets in a 25 lb bucket or box. Chlorine tablets usually weigh around 8 oz for 3 tabs and 6oz for 1 tablets. There is variance between each manufacturer, though.
| Bucket Size/Weight |
Closing Thoughts On Chlorine Tablets
There you have it -everything you need to know about using chlorine tablets. To recap, you typically only need around 2-4 per week, and using them is as simple as adding them to your skimmer. From there, your pool pump does the rest of the work for you.
Of course, always remember to buy the right tablets for your pool size and set up. Overall, 3-inch stabilized chlorine tablets are best for outdoor use, while unstabilized 1-inch tablets are ideal for small indoor pools and spas.
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Other Pool Chemicals And Supplies
- pH Balancers: Increase or decrease your pools pH levels as needed.
- Alkalinity Increaser: Help your pool resist changes to pH levels.
- Algae Removers: Work in tandem with chlorine to help prevent a variety of algae outbreaks, including mustard, black or green algae.
- Test Strips: Necessary for testing pools for things like chlorine, pH and alkalinity levels.
Need help? Call 1-866-290-5334
What Do Swimming Pool Chemicals Do
- Adding chlorine to your pool reduces the risks of spreading waterborne illness, from minor infections and stomach upsets to more serious issues caused by bacterial growth.
- Chlorine also helps stop the buildup of algae and other water contaminants, helping to ensure a pleasant swim all through the summer.
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What Chlorine Tablets Are Used For
Chlorine tablets are a safe, effective, and affordable way to sanitize your pool. Theyre designed to gradually dissolve, releasing chlorine into your water as they get smaller and smaller.
Theyre a popular choice amongst pool owners because of how easy they are to use. For the most part, its as simple as putting them in your water and leaving them to do their job. Of course, where you put them matters, hence this entire post.
Unlike granular or liquid chlorine, theres no precise measuring involved with tablets. So its much faster. Just add the right amount of tablets for your pool size, and your good to go in just a few seconds.
BUT, as we mentioned earlier, there are right and wrong ways to use chlorine tablets, which well be getting to in just a minute.
For now, lets talk about the different types of chlorine tablets youll find at the pool store.
Chlorine Tablet SIZES
Chlorine tablets come in two main sizes: 1 inch and 3 inches
In most cases, youre best off with 3-inch chlorine tablets, as one single tablet can treat up to 5,000 gallons of water.
On the other hand, 1-inch tablets contain far less chlorine , so theyre better suited for smaller indoor pools and spas.
Chlorine Tablet INGREDIENTS
Beyond size, there are also a few other differences between chlorine tablets when it comes to ingredients.
For instance, youll notice that certain tablets are labeled as either stabilized or unstabilized.
If your pool is outdoors, choose stabilized chlorine tablets.
