Liquid Chlorine For Pool

Beginner Info, Pool

liquid chlorine for pool
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Liquid Chlorine: Well, in this post, I would be walking you through various aspects of liquid chlorine in order to help you make an informed buying decision.

Moreover, whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned professional, this comprehensive guide on liquid chlorine would definitely add tons of value.

In layman’s terms, the post is both informational as well as transactional.

After reading this post, I can affirm that you would be able to make decisions independently regarding free chlorine.

And, even you would be able to guide others in making decisions related to liquid chlorine with ease.

So, without any further ado, let’s begin…

What is pool chlorine?

Well, chlorine is a naturally occurring chemical element and one of the basic building blocks of matter.

The process involved in the production of chlorine is called electrolysis.

In this process, an electric current is passed through a solution of common salt dissolved in water (brine).

With a chlorine level of 15%, you can keep the bacteria at bay.

Frankly speaking, most of us are well aware of the fact that chlorine is predominantly found in bleach and other household cleaners to clean and disinfect.

Even its presence in salt (NaCl) is well known to us.

The In The Swim Instant Chlorine Shock for Swimming Pools is definitely one of the most popular and effective products that I’ve on my list.

Needless to say, I’ve been using this idiosyncratic superlative chlorine shock quite a few times and I’m well satisfied with its performance.

Personally, I use it for stubborn algae blooms but it can also be used for spring openings as well as regular maintenance.

Definitely, a chlorine shock that you can trust and invest in.

Well, for swimming pools you can use chlorine as an effective disinfectant in both solid and liquid form.

Calcium hypochlorite is the solid granular form.

And, sodium hypochlorite is the liquid form.

However, a majority of our discussion would be revolving around the liquid chlorine as of now.

Unstabilized Chlorine Vs. Stabilized Chlorine

I know many of you would be well aware of the differences between the two, but at the same, the newbies might get benefited from this.

Chlorine can also be differentiated in the form it is present, that is, stabilized, and unstabilized.

Stabilized Chlorine

Many of the newbies would definitely be inquisitive about the stabilized chlorine, right?

Well, liquid chlorine, chlorine tablet, and granular shock, all three fall under the stabilized chlorine category.

Stabilized chlorine is nothing but chlorine mixed with cyanuric acid.

I’ve penned down a comprehensive guide on stabilizers wherein I’ve covered almost all the basic and essential information related to CYA.

If needed, you can purchase CYA separately from a local pool shop or an eCommerce store, but most of the chlorine product comes with CYA and so you don’t need to buy it separately.

So, why CYA is so important for chlorine?

The devil (UV rays) present in the sunlight would eat up the pool water chlorine very fast turning your pool cloudy or even green in an epigrammatic span of time.

In order to prevent such disasters, you need a stabilizer that can protect chlorine and provide it a longer lifespan.

So, here comes CYA into the picture as it provides a protective shield against the devil’s UV rays.

However, if you’re an owner of an indoor pool wherein sunlight doesn’t fall directly on the pool water, chances of chlorine getting eat up by the sunlight is a bare minimum.

To be honest, if you’re not using a stabilizer like cyanuric acid aka CYA for your outdoor pool then you’ve to constantly add more chlorine, costing you more time and money.

Unstabilized Chlorine

As the name suggests, unstabilized chlorine is nothing but chlorine without CYA.

It’s an old proverb that excess of anything is bad and the same holds true with CYA.

If your pool water contains CYA in excess then it might lead to a phenomenon called chlorine lock wherein the pool water test would show the reading zero or lower than the recommended range for chlorine test in spite of you adding it on a regular basis.

In simple words, a very high CYA level would diminish the effectiveness of chlorine in your pool water.

So, when can I use unstabilized chlorine?

Indoor pools or the ones heavily covered wherein the reach of sunlight is the bare minimum is the right place to use unstabilized chlorine.

I also use unstabilized chlorine for giving my pool a shock treatment and my intention behind it is that I don’t want the chlorine level to stay very high for a longer duration.

If you own a commercial pool wherein the use of the pool is extensive, then you can also use unstabilized chlorine for daily treatment of your pool water.

How can I effectively use liquid chlorine for my pool?

As a beginner, first and foremost, you need to understand that liquid chlorine is a hazardous material and you need to be very careful while using it.

In fact, liquid chlorine aka sodium hypochlorite is at least 4 times stronger in impact as compared to regular household bleach which is known to contain a certain percentage of chlorine.

While expediting the process, it is highly recommended that you wear goggles, a face mask, and gloves in order to prevent any unprecedented event.

Nonetheless, if by any chance the liquid chlorine comes in contact with your skin then quickly rinse it off in the shower.

Moreover, I’ve seen newbies doing mistakes when it comes to adding liquid chlorine timing.

Yes, you heard it RIGHT…it’s the game of timing.

If you’re adding liquid chlorine in presence of sunlight then definitely, you’re NOT doing justice to it.

As we all know that liquid chlorine is not a stabilized form of chlorine so it should ONLY BE ADDED to your pool water in absence of sunlight for the optimum result.

As per the CDC recommendation, the free chlorine level should stay above 1 ppm (parts per million).

And, the association of pool and spa professionals recommends the free chlorine level be kept between 2 ppm and 4 ppm.

Nonetheless, chlorine levels above 4 parts per million can cause both eye and skin irritation so as a pool owner it is solely your responsibility to maintain chlorine level by testing pool chemistry on a regular basis.

In case, the result of testing shows the chlorine level less than the recommended range then you need to add chlorine slowly in your pool and keep the pump running so that the water can be circulated well, and homogeneous distribution of chlorine could be easily achieved.

Ideal Levels of Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine, and Total Chlorine

Let’s have a quick look at the ideal level of chlorine variants that needs to be present in your pool water for both safety and healthy ambiance.

Free chlorine is nothing but the amount of chlorine freely available in your pool water to tackle the growth of algae, bacteria, etc.

One of the easiest and most affordable ways to test free chlorine levels in your pool water is by using test strips.

The recommended amount of combined chlorine in your pool water is NOT more than 0.2 ppm.

Well, if you’re not aware of what combined chlorine is then please allow me to explain it to you.

Combined chlorine is a temporary form of chlorine that has been formed due to the reaction between free chlorine and microorganism or other contaminants.

In any scenario, the combined chlorine shouldn’t exceed 0.5 ppm because then it simply means that the pool water doesn’t have enough free chlorine to tackle algae and other contaminants effectively and successfully.

At 0.5 ppm level of combined chlorine, it’s really risky to swim as you may find your eyes and skin etching because of the tangible presence of both bacteria and algae.

Total chlorine is the summation of free chlorine and combined chlorine in your pool water.

However, in an ideal scenario, total chlorine is equal to free chlorine.

How much liquid chlorine should I add in my pool?

First and foremost, jot down the exact gallons of water that your pool is capable of holding.

Moving further, you need to test your chlorine levels in order to know the exact amount of chlorine that is needed for your pool.

On average, most of the chlorine products available on the market consider 10000 gallons of water as a benchmark.

So, if your pool is capable of holding more than 10000 gallons of water then, definitely you’ll have to use more products.

Rest assured, read manufacturer instructions carefully in order to get optimum results from chlorine addition.

If you’re just starting out and still confused, then you can take the help of this fantastic chlorine calculator tool.

Liquid Chlorine Vs. Powdered Chlorine

Let’s have a quick look at the main differences between liquid chlorine and powdered chlorine to help you make an informed buying decision.

Are we on the same page?

Liquid Chlorine

Liquid chlorine is manufactured by bubbling the gas form of chlorine through caustic soda.

You don’t need an instrument to put liquid chlorine into your pool.

All you need to do is to pour the chlorine directly into your pool and also ensure that the distribution is homogeneous.

Liquid chlorine has a pH of 13 and so needs to be balanced to a normal level, that is, between 7.2 and 7.4 pH.

If not handled with care, liquid chlorine can do more harm than good as it is highly corrosive and can damage your pool or the equipment.

Powder Chlorine

Well, powdered chlorine is the most common form of chlorine used by typical pool owners.

Though it is expensive as compared to liquid chlorine still pool owners like me and you prefer it because of its lower pH and usability.

Moreover, powdered chlorine is available in three types.

Lithium Hypochlorite

Well, this form of powdered chlorine comprises only 13 percent chlorine and even pH is on the higher side (pH 11).

So, if you’re planning to use lithium hypochlorite powder for your pool water then you must be aware of the fact that you’ll require more acid to balance your pool water.

This form of powdered chlorine can be good for use with mostly linear pools as it is capable of dissolving very fast so it has less chance of bleaching the pattern in your lining.

Di-Chlor

Unlike the lithium hypochlorite powder, the Di-Chlor has a pH on the lower side (pH 7).

Moreover, it dissolves quickly and gets to work right away.

The Di-Chlor is popularly used as shock chlorine because of the fact that it contains approximately 62% chlorine.

Calcium Hypochlorine

Lastly, we’ve in our list is none other than calcium hypochlorite.

This cost-effective chlorine powder is by far the most popular in its category.

With a pH of 12 and a chlorine percentage of 65, this chlorine powder is bound to deliver high performance.

Though the pH is on the higher side and you would be needing to add acid to balance your pool still it is the most sought alternative to liquid chlorine.

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It’s A Wrap

All in all, as a pool owner it is really important for you to test the pH and alkalinity levels each time you test chlorine levels in order to ensure that everything is in place and no need to worry at all.

Needless to say, whether you’re pouring liquid chlorine or any other chemical into your pool, make sure that you are well equipped with goggles, a face mask, and gloves to prevent any misadventure.

Thank you so many folks for being with us till the end.

I hope you would’ve thoroughly enjoyed our team effort in the form of this comprehensive guide on liquid chlorine.

In case, you want to appreciate us for our effort then please rate us on a scale of 1 to 5 with the latter being the best.

We tried to cover almost all the important questions revolving around the topic, and it is you who will tell how successful we were in doing so.

Last but not least, share this piece of information with the ones who are in need of it.

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