Chlorine tabs in skimmers

[tonee]

Hi
Have always put the Chlorine tablets in the skimmers but now being advised to use floaters,does anyone use the floaters?

[Dominic]

Did they say why floaters were better, other than they had a floater to sell you?

[Royal]

No. Skimmers are the best as they draw water through when the pump is on. Also, the chlorine in the tablets deteriorate in the sunshine (multi tabs contain an ingredient to slow this process down), so floaters will only increase the rate of breakdown through sunshine.

[cyprusgrump]

Hi
Have always put the Chlorine tablets in the skimmers but now being advised to use floaters,does anyone use the floaters?

I use floaters - very happy with them.

Putting Chlorine tabs in my skimmer (I have just one) resulted in the pipe from the skimmer to the pump swelling up and collapsing requiring significant remedial work.

[Firefly]

We had a pool for years in the UK before moving to Cyprus. The guy who used to winterise our pool, and open it again in the spring, said you should never put chlorine tabs in the skimmer, only in floaters, which we used all the time. As CG has said, they can cause problems if put in the skimmer.

Jackie

[cyprusmax47]

Did they say why floaters were better, other than they had a floater to sell you?

Multi tabs in the skimmers are OK if you have a solar pump moving the water all day long. But if dissolved chemicals from the multi tablets stay too long in plastic pipes (specially flexible ones) then they get blocked up and the diameter reduces to the point that they need replacing. (difficult and expensive) So if one will save electricity running the pump only a couple of hours and uses these tablets will regret this in the long run.
Max
I hate Pools)

[PolemIan]

Our solar pump is combined with a salt water chlorine generator, so we only have to use a couple of tablets over winter when the water temp is below 12 degrees - the SWG shuts down at that point. I was advised to use a float rather than put in the skimmers for the same reasons as Max and Cyprusgrump. Float was €8 from Philippos.
Ian

[tonee]

Hi Thanks folks,this is what I feared,think I will give the floaters a try.

[cyprusmax47]

Why not use granules and put them in the skimmer just after the pump has turned on, that way all will be dissolved before the pump switches off. That's what I do.

Not such a good idea. This can easily lead to a blockage in your pool pump filter and the high concentration of the chlorine will destroy metallic parts as well.
You always throw chemicals direct in your pool, dissolving them before in a bucket of water and then you walk around your pool and poor it in.
The same applies to PH- or PH+ or to algicide. (very important) With every treatment you have an hour between the different chemicals, never mix them. I had my first pool in CY 1984 and know what I am talking about...but I still hate pool cleaning.
Max

[Dominic]

It is amazing the amount of conflicting advice I have read on the internet about this subject in the last 24 hours. However, the general consensus does appear to be that tablets in a skimmer is a nono.

Regarding floaters, surely the best way to use them is to tie one end of a bit of string to the floater, and the other end put under a rock on the side of the pool, directly above the pump outlet. So whenever the pump comes on, the floater is automatically in its stream?

[cyprusgrump]

Why not use granules and put them in the skimmer just after the pump has turned on, that way all will be dissolved before the pump switches off. That's what I do.

Not such a good idea. This can easily lead to a blockage in your pool pump filter and the high concentration of the chlorine will destroy metallic parts as well.
You always throw chemicals direct in your pool, dissolving them before in a bucket of water and then you walk around your pool and poor it in.
The same applies to PH- or PH+ or to algicide. (very important) With every treatment you have an hour between the different chemicals, never mix them. I had my first pool in CY 1984 and know what I am talking about...but I still hate pool cleaning.
Max

For some reason it is the job I've always loathed!

I don't mind doing anything else but I can't seem to get any sense of achievement from cleaning the pool.

So, when my skimmer blocked (due to putting Chlorine tabs ion it) the job became even more difficult. I re-plumbed one of the inlets to make a vacuum point but the best solution I found was to buy a PoolBot and let it do it!

Now I love cleaning the pool... See PoolBot in action below - and my floaters...

https://youtu.be/Cw10qYbGrEg

[cyprusgrump]

It is amazing the amount of conflicting advice I have read on the internet about this subject in the last 24 hours. However, the general consensus does appear to be that tablets in a skimmer is a nono.

Regarding floaters, surely the best way to use them is to tie one end of a bit of string to the floater, and the other end put under a rock on the side of the pool, directly above the pump outlet. So whenever the pump comes on, the floater is automatically in its stream?

I've never needed to 'force' the floaters - I have two. Just bung in the tablets and let them go.

With practice, you can very accurately adjust the release rate by opening or closing the valve on the bottom.

[cyprusmax47]

It is amazing the amount of conflicting advice I have read on the internet about this subject in the last 24 hours. However, the general consensus does appear to be that tablets in a skimmer is a nono.

Regarding floaters, surely the best way to use them is to tie one end of a bit of string to the floater, and the other end put under a rock on the side of the pool, directly above the pump outlet. So whenever the pump comes on, the floater is automatically in its stream?

Good idea Dominic as floaters tend to get stuck somewhere,... can be the wind, pool ladder, steps...
Max

[panoscouse]

CG

Thanks for the vid.
Going to have to get one of those.

[Polemi Dave]

As posted above tabs are OK if your pump is on a lot of hours every day. In winter they are a no-no because of the damaged refereed to above.

Another down side to tabs often missed by pool owners is that they contain fairly high levels of Cyanuric acid (sometimes called stabiliser). While about 50 ~ 100 ppm is needed in every pool to stop the chlorine degrading too quickly, levels above this block the disinfectant effect of chlorine. Cyanuric Acid does not degrade and high levels require changing lots of water.

Di-chlor granules are also very high in Cyanuric acid.
Tri-chlor has less and Cal-Hypo none.

There is nothing wrong with putting granules in a skimmer (pump on,basket removed) if you make sure all chlorine is washed into the pipework. No damage to the pump is caused and the chlorine is distributed quickly. This is particularly important with tri-chlor that is almost impossible to dissolve in a bucket - it needs a positive flow of water to dissolve.
Tri-chlor is acid in nature and makes the water acid, whereas Cal-hypo is alkaline. A good tip given to me was to use both (of different days obviously as you never mix chlorine) depending of what ph adjustment is needed. Saves money on soda ash or ph-.

I have 2 pools the moment and don't ever use tabs. Usually people who are unsure on chlorination feel comforted by knowing that tabs are putting chlorine into the pool. The premise is false because with tabs it is almost impossible to regulate the chlorine accurately. If you need to raise the chlorine quickly it just can't be done with tabs.

[cyprusgrump]

CG

Thanks for the vid.
Going to have to get one of those.

It is brilliant!

Additional advantages are that I run the pool pump much less - just a couple of hours a night.

PoolBot only uses a tiny amount of electricity compared to the pool pump and I don't have to backwash the pool - thus saving water too.

[Polemi Dave]

I should have added that pool owners can save a lot of cash by avoiding the pool shops on the main roads and shopping in the outlets used by the pool men. 25kg or more is the size most professionals use for all dry chemicals. These will be sealed packs by European manufacturers like Astral. You know what you are buying, whereas some pool shops have been know to pack up chemicals and print their own labels, so its vague if the customer is buying Chinese or European chlorine, even what the brand it originally was.
I recommend two mainly wholesale outlets.
PH+ inTala
PPC Pools behind AKIS express

[Uncle D]

Multi tabs cause staining around the water line especially on plastic pool liners, this is caused by the algicide contained in the tablet. If you want to use tablets use trichlorine, but not in the skimmers. They are best used in a chlorinator this is placed on the return pipes so as not to damage the pump etc.
If you have algae problems use an algicide a couple of days before you are due to backwash.

[tonee]

Hi Went and saw the extremely helpful people at the pool shop in Stephanie Village,had to get more tablets.Purchased a floater and for just 10 euros,its worth it,just for peace of mind.Have an 8x5 pool and apparently,one floater with 2 tablets in is sufficient.Thanks folks for your input.

[surreyboy]

No doubt in my mind that you have come to the right decision. Tablets in the skimmers can ruin flexible pipes, and the pumps don't like it much either. Granules put directly into the skimmers are also a no-no to my mind, as the pump and filter will complain unless the granules have dissolved completely, and granules thrown directly into the pool can result in bleached patches on your liner (if, like the majority of pools, is what you have) So, unless you have a chlorinator system, the floater option comes out tops. An added plus is that the floater system doesn't need to have the pump running!