This is part 1 of a multi part blog series on chlorine sanitizers.
Sure, all pool pucks look similar, but dig a little deeper and you will see that all brands of chlorine are a little different from the other.
Even a label can be disappointing in your research for the perfect chlorine for your pool. It contains only the federally regulated label requirements and not a detailed listing of what you are putting into your pool.
Just like our bodies, when we eat food, each choice we make has chemical repercussions and side effects. There is nothing you add to your pool that has a greater impact on the water chemistry, both short and long term, than your chlorine choices.
Many professional grade pool brands have “proprietary” secret ingredients to bring value to their chlorine. To help you work less, spend less and enjoy your pool more. You will not find this care and attention put into 99% of the chlorine you will see on your travels.
Did you know that all the chlorine products Aqua-Tech carries are from North American suppliers that have guaranteed consistent recipes and performance? When you purchase the most expensive chemistry adjuster in your pool, make sure you get these guarantees – they are important.
Additionally, HOW the chlorine is manufactured makes a difference. The machinery to hydraulically compress chlorine into pucks and sticks is incredibly expensive and difficult to use with success. It is much cheaper for a manufacturer to add binding agents and fillers to the products to hold them together. The problem is that these ‘glues’ also dissolve into your pool water causing filter problems and water balance issues that cost lots of time and money to work around. Plus they can clog your equipment AND MAKE THE POOL CLOUDY – ARGH!
A chlorine product’s solubility, hardness and bulk density change how much sanitizer is released into your pool. Add to this the ingredient composition of the chlorine tablets themselves. All to successfully equal the magic sweet spot of 1-4 ppm of chlorine residual in the water CONSISTENLY.
Long story short, there are significant differences in the quality of chlorine tablets (and pool shock – just wait for part 2). This results in tablets that dissolve too rapidly and leave a gummy residue, or products that separate too slowly, and leave behind a cloudy residue.
There are many ways to make a cheap chlorine product, so stick with a major brand; and avoid private label brands and sales on “Generic” pool chlorine from big box retailers, home stores or discount clubs, which are domestically packaged with imported chlorine.
No matter what type of chlorine you use – Trichloro, Dichlor or Cal Hypo – look for a respected brand of domestic pool chlorine, and steer clear of chlorine products of dubious origin or of poor materials and workmanship.
Got questions, we’ve got answers – www.findmyanswers.ca
