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How To Use Chlorine Tablets For Your Pool

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Calendar Icon December 21, 2022

How to use chlorine tablets for your pool?

  1. Place it in a floating dispenser 
  2. Use a pool skimmer
  3. Use an automatic chlorinator

All pool owners want a pool that is clean and free from debris. It’s crucial to keep in mind that even a pool that appears “clean” may not be suitable for swimming in. Waters that appear to be clear can contain microorganisms and other pollutants. The good news is, one of the easiest ways to sanitize a pool is to add chlorine. This swimming pool chemical comes in various forms —  including in tablets.

In this post, we will discuss several ways on how to use chlorine tablets for a pool. Continue reading on! 

Why Add Chlorine Tablets To Your Pool 

Chlorine, in general, is an affordable and effective pool sanitizer. It can kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites floating in your pool by breaking up their chemical bonds. As a result, you, your family, and your friends are safer while swimming. So why should you add chlorine tablets to your pool? 

Chlorine tablets are easier to use. Unlike liquid or powder chlorine, you don’t have to measure chlorine tablets. These are designed to gradually dissolve and release chlorine into the water. On top of that, chlorine tablets are known for being highly concentrated, often consisting of about 90% chlorine. Compare that to about 60% pure chlorine. 

How To Choose The Right Chlorine Tablet 

How To Choose The Right Chlorine Tablet 

Chlorine tablets are known for offering a convenient way to sanitize pools. However, choosing the right type for your pool at home is important. 

Chlorine tablets can be labeled as stabilized or unstabilized. Stabilized chlorine tablets contain cyanuric acid (CYA), whereas unstabilized chlorine tablets do not. CYA helps chlorine last longer by protecting it from sunlight. 

For those who have outdoor swimming pools, a stabilized chlorine tablet like the HCT Chlorine Tablets TCCA from Oktakem

How To Use Chlorine Tablets For Your Swimming Pool

You might be considering putting chlorine tablets in your pool and leaving them to do their job. But, it’s important to properly disperse the chemical to prevent pool damage. Here are the 3  ways to add chlorine tablets to your pool: 

Place It In A Floating Dispenser

Place It In A Floating Dispenser

A floating dispenser is a piece of plastic pool equipment that holds chlorine tablets and keeps them secure until they dissolve. As the floating dispenser floats across the surface of your pool, it will automatically release chlorine into the water at the rate you specify. You may adjust this as needed. 

One potential drawback of using a floating dispenser is it offers a passive method of adding chlorine tablets to your pool. It might get stuck in one spot and release an excessive amount of chlorine in that area, which can discolor and harm your pool liner. 

Use A Pool Skimmer

Using a skimmer is preferable for directly adding chlorine tablets to your pool. Once your filter is running, water will move quickly inside the skimmer basket and dissolve the tablets. 

This is more effective than using a floating dispenser. Why? The water with chlorine is pushed into the pool through power jets, resulting in an even spread. 

But keep in mind that chlorine tablets will continuously dissolve even if the pool filter is turned off. If the chlorine tablets are left inside your skimmer basket, it can lead to high amounts of chlorine. Ultimately, this results in damaging pool equipment. When ingested, high levels of chlorine can also cause stomach aches, vomiting, lung damage, and diarrhea. 

Use An Automatic Chlorinator

The last method for adding chlorine tablets to your pool is through an automatic chlorinator. This equipment is directly connected to your pool pump and filtration system and disinfects your pool water before it is cycled back. Adjusting its feed rate also helps you to control how slow or fast your tablets dissolve.

In addition, you can place your chlorine tablets in the automatic chlorinator and leave it to cycle water for several hours. Check the chlorine levels using a pool test kit to achieve your desired chlorine concentration. 

How Much Chlorine Tablets Should You Add To Your Pool?

For best results, you can use this chlorine tablet dosage chart as a reference when using chlorine tablets for your pool.

Pool Size in Gallons Number Of Chlorine Tablets To Add Per Week
2,500 – 5,000 gallons 1 chlorine tablet 
7,000-gallons 1-2 chlorine tablets
10,000-gallons 2 chlorine tablets
13,500-gallons 2-3 chlorine tablets
15,000 – 17,000 gallons 3 chlorine tablets
20,000-gallons 3-4 chlorine tablets
25,000-gallons 4-5 tablets
30,000-gallons 5-6 tablets

Tip: A single chlorine tablet can sanitize up to 4,000 to 5,000 gallons of water which mean 4 tablets are good for a 20,000-gallon pool. 

To calculate how many chlorine tablets to use for your pool, round your pool’s size (in gallons) to the nearest 5,000th. 

Formula: rounded up the pool size/5,000=number of chlorine tablets required.

How Long Will Chlorine Tablets Last?

So how long does it take for a chlorine tablet to dissolve in your pool? As a general rule, chlorine tablets can last 1 to 2 weeks. These tablets are slowly dissolving due to CYA. 

But it’s important to keep in mind that the dissolving rate of the chlorine tablets depends on various factors, including pool use, sunlight, rain, CYA levels, etc. 

How Often Should You Replenish Chlorine Tablets?

Adding chlorine tablets to your pool should be a part of weekly maintenance. So, it would be best to pick a day when you will be able to perform weekly maintenance and replenish your chlorine tablets. 

If you have a 20,000-gallon pool, you need to add 4 tablets once per week. You may use a pool skimmer, floating dispenser, or automatic chlorinator for replenishing if you have one. Replenish the tablets after they completely dissolved. Make sure also to test your pool water, clean your filters, and backwash your pool if needed. 

Key Takeaway

In this guide, we’ve discussed how to use chlorine tablets for your pool. Chlorine tablets provide a convenient and effective way for sanitizing your pool. 

So before you jump in for a swim, add Oktakem’s chlorine tablets to your pool. These are mess-free and offer an affordable way to keep your pool sanitized! 

Need swimming pool chemicals for quick and effective pool cleaning? Browse our shop here. You can also visit the Chemstore Lazada page (our official Lazada partner) or Oktakem Trading’s official Shopee page here!

Have any inquiries? Contact Oktakem today, the leading swimming pool chemical supplier in the Philippines