A common question we get asked is how best to dose chlorine tablets to a pool. There are various ways to dose tablets from floating dispensers, simply putting the tablets in a skimmer or by installing a chlorine dispenser. Today we look at these methods and explore the pros and cons of each method.
Floating Chlorine Dispenser vs. Adding Chlorine to Your Skimmer
First, It is best to stay away from using a floating chlorine dispenser (floater). If you have a vinyl liner, a floater could get hung up near a wall and dissolve chlorine in one area, which will bleach the liner. Also, floaters do not add chlorine to your water effectively because water does not pass through and evenly dispense the chlorine.
However, if using a floater or adding chlorine tablets to your skimmer baskets are your only two choices, it is recommend adding tablets to your skimmer baskets.
Why? When your filter is running, the water will move quickly over the tablets dissolving them properly and push chlorinated water into your pool through the return jets, allowing the chlorine to spread throughout the pool.
Keep in mind, when the filter is not running, the tablets will still dissolve in the skimmer basket. This creates a very high concentration of chlorinated water in that specific area, which can be highly corrosive to your equipment.
If you plan on adding tablets to your skimmer baskets, every time you turn off the pump, remove the tablets so you don’t damage your pool equipment. Alternatively, you can invest in a variable-speed pump that will allow you to run your filter system 24/7 without costing you a fortune in electricity.
An Automatic Chlorinator is Your Best Bet
Your best bet is investing in an automatic chlorinator. Using one will keep your liner safe from bleaching. It will also reduce the frequency of adding chlorine tablets as many can hold 3-4 weeks of tablets at a time.
Chlorinators allow you to add a large amount of chlorine at one time and regulate the output. It is best to avoid chlorine granules altogether. Granules are extremely time-consuming, and again, you risk bleaching your liner.
If you don’t have a liner, any of these methods will be just fine, but the most effective methods are adding chlorine tablets to your skimmer baskets or investing in a chlorinator.
