Using Pool Life NST Calcium Hypochlorite Tablets for a week while on vacation

[ba67]

I was at a pool store the other day and saw some Pool Life NST Calcium Hypochlorite tablets for sale that contain 70% calcium hypochlorite. Directions say that they can be put in the skimmer and last a week. Is this something that I could put in my skimmer before going on vacation to add some chlorine if my calcium level isn’t high? (CH is only 150 currently). Could they harm my pump or skimmer basket if they are in my skimmer basket for a week and my pump turns off each evening and comes back on in the morning? Since we are chlorinating with liquid chlorine now, I normally use Trichlor tablets while on vacation and get the pool to SLAM level before I leave but I hate having to keep my CYA at 30 until I go on vacation. Since I need to increase the calcium level in my pool anyway, I wanted to know if there would be any pitfalls to using these Pool Life NST Hypochlorite tablets and putting them in the skimmer like the directions indicate. Directions say that 1 tablet per 10,000 gallons of water will help maintain a chlorine residual of 1-4 ppms and last up to a week so I assume that I would need to add two of them to my skimmer. I will shock the pool before we leave and someone will be coming over on day 4 to add more liquid chlorine. Is it safe to shock the pool with liquid chlorine if those tablets are in the skimmer or could it cause an explosion since you aren't supposed to mix cal hypo with any other forms of chlorine?

 

[Bperry]

I was at a pool store the other day and saw some Pool Life NST Calcium Hypochlorite tablets for sale that contain 70% calcium hypochlorite. Directions say that they can be put in the skimmer and last a week. Is this something that I could put in my skimmer before going on vacation to add some chlorine if my calcium level isn’t high? (CH is only 150 currently). Could they harm my pump or skimmer basket if they are in my skimmer basket for a week and my pump turns off each evening and comes back on in the morning? Since we are chlorinating with liquid chlorine now, I normally use Trichlor tablets while on vacation and get the pool to SLAM level before I leave but I hate having to keep my CYA at 30 until I go on vacation. Since I need to increase the calcium level in my pool anyway, I wanted to know if there would be any pitfalls to using these Pool Life NST Hypochlorite tablets and putting them in the skimmer like the directions indicate. Directions say that 1 tablet per 10,000 gallons of water will help maintain a chlorine residual of 1-4 ppms and last up to a week so I assume that I would need to add two of them to my skimmer. I will shock the pool before we leave and someone will be coming over on day 4 to add more liquid chlorine. Is it safe to shock the pool with liquid chlorine if those tablets are in the skimmer or could it cause an explosion since you aren't supposed to mix cal hypo with any other forms of chlorine?

Dont put anything in the skimmer. Go get a dedicated tablet floater for cal hypo and use that. Dont try and share a floater for trichlor though.

But 5 trichlor pucks will only raise your CYA ~9ppm so barely noticeable for a vacation and with all the rain we get it youll probably lose it over a month or two. Totally up to you.

 

[ba67]

Dont put anything in the skimmer. Go get a dedicated tablet floater for cal hypo and use that. Dont try and share a floater for trichlor though.

But 5 trichlor pucks will only raise your CYA ~9ppm so barely noticeable for a vacation and with all the rain we get it youll probably lose it over a month or two. Totally up to you.

Why not put it in the skimmer? I know that you can't put Trichlor tablets in the skimmer because it can harm the pump and other equipment but I assumed that Cal Hypo wouldn't be harmful since they aren't acidic like Trichlor tabs are. The reason that I wanted to use these cal hypo pucks instead of Trichlor is because it says that it can be put in the skimmer and they will increase calcium in my pool which I need to increase anyway. I hate using floaters because I'm always worried that they are going to get stuck somewhere and leave a white stain on my pool. I tried one when I needed to increase the CYA once and I had to go outside once or twice a day to move the floater because it got stuck somewhere.

 

[Bperry]

Why not put it in the skimmer? I know that you can't put Trichlor tablets in the skimmer because it can harm the pump and other equipment but I assumed that Cal Hypo wouldn't be harmful since they aren't acidic like Trichlor tabs are. The reason that I wanted to use these cal hypo pucks instead of Trichlor is because it says that it can be put in the skimmer and they will increase calcium in my pool which I need to increase anyway. I hate using floaters because I'm always worried that they are going to get stuck somewhere and leave a white stain on my pool. I tried one when I needed to increase the CYA once and I had to go outside once or twice a day to move the floater because it got stuck somewhere.

All of the pool chemical companies say to put stuff in the skimmer. The tablet and granular CYA vendors do. But they dont have to deal with what happens. Some people tie the floater to something so it cant go anywhere.

 

[ba67]

All of the pool chemical companies say to put stuff in the skimmer. The tablet and granular CYA vendors do. But they dont have to deal with what happens. Some people tie the floater to something so it cant go anywhere.

If I decide to try the Cal Hypo tablets in a floater, do I need to wait after shocking the pool with liquid chlorine to put the floater into the pool and do I need to tell my family member to take the floater out before adding liquid chlorine on day 4? I saw something on here once about not mixing Cal hypo and liquid chlorine so I wanted to make sure I didn't need to make sure the floater isn't in the pool when liquid chlorine is added.

 

[PoolStored]

If I decide to try the Cal Hypo tablets in a floater, do I need to wait after shocking the pool with liquid chlorine to put the floater into the pool

No

and do I need to tell my family member to take the floater out before adding liquid chlorine on day 4? I saw something on here once about not mixing Cal hypo and liquid chlorine so I wanted to make sure I didn't need to make sure the floater isn't in the pool when liquid chlorine is added.

No, this is when you have chlorine feeder...you cannot mix chemicals in the feeder, causes explosion. Adding liquid chlorine would be fine, just don't pour it in, on or around the feeder!

 

[Mdragger88]

Not sure of your set up but I run a fishing line across my pool to tether my floater when on vacation. I have posts for my deck about midway on each side of the pool to attach to. This doesn’t interfere with my dolphin’s daily run.
I also raise fc midway between target & slam level before I go incase my power goes out or my swcg doesn’t run for some reason. Without a swcg I would go full slam & load up the floater.
I only have someone check the skimmer about midway through the week or if it storms - no fc additions. This usually gets me by for 7 days & the pucks aren’t fully dissolved when I return.

 

[ba67]

No

No, this is when you have chlorine feeder...you cannot mix chemicals in the feeder, causes explosion. Adding liquid chlorine would be fine, just don't pour it in, on or around the feeder!

I'm going to tether the floater in front of the return in the deep end so it moves around the deep end but stays out of the skimmer that is on the opposite side of the return. Do I need to tell my relative to take the feeder out when pouring the chlorine in since the chlorine will immediately go towards the floater or is it okay to add it with the feeder in place, as long as they don't pour the chlorine directly on top of the feeder?

 

[PoolStored]

Do you only have 1 return?

 

[ba67]

Do you only have 1 return?

I only have 1 return in the deep end and one skimmer which is also in the deep end. I have another return in the shallow end but no other skimmers. Floaters keep getting stuck in the skimmer in the deep end so I intend on tethering the floater so it stays in the deep end near the return where flow is good but out of the skimmer. When chlorine is poured in front of that deep end return, the chlorine will immediately go towards the floater. I can tell my loved one to take the floater out before pouring the chlorine in if I need to. I just need to know how long to tell him to wait after adding the chlorine before putting the floater back into the pool.

 

[PoolStored]

I just need to know how long to tell him to wait after adding the chlorine before putting the floater back into the pool.

I think you are being overly cautious, but safe. LOL. Pour the chlorine slowly in front of the return, brush around well, wait 60 seconds, put it back in.

 

[ba67]

I think you are being overly cautious, but safe. LOL. Pour the chlorine slowly in front of the return, brush around well, wait 60 seconds, put it back in.

That is what I will tell my loved one to do then. Thanks for the advice!