How to Properly and Safely Add Granular Chlorine to Your Pool

How to add chlorine granules:

1. Prepare your equipment
2. Test your pool water for available chlorine
3. Calculate your pool’s volume
4. Mix chlorine granules and pool water in a bucket
5. Slowly pour the dissolved solution
6. Let the water circulate

When it comes to cleaning your pool water, very few products can do as well as chlorine granules can. This product is a sanitizer, oxidizer, and disinfectant all in one. Adding it regularly to your pool is essential to keeping it clean and safe to use.

But, as powerful as this product is, it’s also highly volatile. Handling it wrong, or adding it incorrectly can have disastrous consequences for your health. So, if you’re wondering how to add chlorine granules properly and safely, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to see our step-by-step guide!

Prepare your equipment

First, you need to prepare the necessary tools. As we mentioned, chlorine granules are a relatively volatile chemical. So, handling it without the right gear can hurt you. Stray granules can irritate your skin and eyes, and their vapors are also bad for your lungs.

Likewise, you also need a few things to help you measure out the right amount of chlorine to add to your pool. This is important in achieving the ideal pool water chemistry.

What you need to prepare to avoid these hazards are the following tools:

• A pool test kit.
• A 5-gallon plastic bucket — we recommend using one with a lip and handle.
• Safety glasses and gloves.
• Something to stir with, such as a wooden stick.
• A dry measuring cup, spoon, or similar.

If you choose to proceed with chlorine granules, only use that specific product — never mix different chlorine products. We also recommend avoiding adding chlorine to your pool in the dark or on windy days. These conditions put you at risk of an accident while handling your chlorine granules.

Test your pool water for available chlorine

You need to test your pool water for available chlorine. If you don’t know how to use a pool test kit, read this.Ideally, your chlorine levels should be somewhere around 1 to 3 parts per million (ppm). This range is best for protecting swimmers from germs and bacteria and avoids the risk of having too much chlorine. If it’s below this range, then it’s a good idea to add some chlorine granules.

Calculate your pool’s volume

If you don’t already know your pool’s volume, you need to calculate it. If you don’t know how to find this value, we have another guide on this topic in a previous post.

This information is important in determining how many chlorine granules you need to add to your pool to raise the level to the ideal range. Without it, you might overshoot or add too little.

Mix chlorine granules and pool water in a bucket

Take your bucket, and dip it in your pool. Fill this up with pool water up to 3/4ths of the way. We recommend getting warm water for this step, as it makes it easier to dissolve the chlorine granules

Measure out the appropriate amount of chlorine granules using a measuring cup, spoon, or similar tool. Slowly pour the chlorine granules into the bucket. Avoid dumping or throwing it in, as you don’t want stray granules or vapor from hitting your skin.

Grab your stirring tool and use it to mix the granules into the water. This needs to be completely dissolved. If you put undissolved chlorine into your pool, it may cause the water to be cloudy, depending on the kind of chlorine you use. Japan-made chlorine, such as our Starchlon, rarely causes this. To avoid this from affecting your pool tiles and pool fixtures, always pre-dilute your chlorine granules.

Depending on the quality of the chlorine granules you’re using, some types will leave undissolved granules at the bottom of your bucket. These are calcium deposits, and will not dissolve in your pool water no matter what you do — and they do nothing for your pool chemistry, either. So, avoid adding this to your water, and throw it out.

Slowly pour the dissolved solution

Once you have a fully dissolved chlorine solution, check if your pool pump is on. You need it to run so that the water is circulating as you pour the solution into the pool. This prevents the chlorine from settling at the bottom of the pool. And, it ensures that the chlorine granules are fully mixed into your pool water.

Once the pool pump is on, grab your bucket. Slowly pour the solution into the pool. Pour it slowly as you walk around the perimeter of the pool. This helps distribute the chlorine evenly throughout the pool. Once your bucket is half empty, pause and fill your bucket up with more pool water. Mix the solution again before continuing to pour it around your pool.

We don’t recommend adding your chlorine granule solution directly into your pool skimmer. If the chlorine is added into the skimmer, and there’s no water flowing, then it will just sit there. It will create an acidic batch of water that will slowly eat away at your skimmer walls and the basket.

Let the water circulate

Once your solution has been added to your pool, all you need to do is wait. Leave your pool pumps on to circulate the water and disperse the chlorine. We suggest waiting for at least two hours before swimming again to give it enough time to disperse in the pool. You can also re-test your pool water to double-check if your chlorine levels are ideal for swimming.

Key Takeaway

Sanitizing your swimming pool is easy and relatively straightforward — especially when you know how to add chlorine to your pool. Follow our guide to make sure you’re doing this critical maintenance task safely and properly!

In need of more chlorine granules for your pool? Check out Oktakem’s store! We carry a variety of chlorine products and all the other pool chemicals you need to maintain your pool.