When it comes to maintaining a clean and safe swimming pool, choosing the right disinfectant is of utmost importance. Two common options are chlorine tablets and trichlor granules. Let’s take a closer look at these two choices.
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Cost Comparison
Disinfectant Price per 1kg Cost Evaluation
Chlorine Tablets: Relatively cheaper, making it a more budget-friendly option for pool owners. Trichlor Granules: Cost has increased more than chlorine tablets in recent years.
Ease of Use: A Delicate Balance
Chlorine tablets offer a certain convenience for pool owners. They can be placed in a floating dispenser and then left to do their job, much like a “set it and forget it” approach. However, when it comes to boosting the chlorine levels, it can be more challenging with tablets. Pool owners using chlorine tablets might find themselves reaching for trichlor granules when the chlorine level drops too low. On the other hand, trichlor granules provide more flexibility in adjusting the dosage. Users can more easily control the amount they add compared to dealing with slow-dissolving tablets. So, ease of use really depends on personal preference and one’s experience with maintaining a swimming pool. For instance, consider a pool owner named Mark. He initially started using chlorine tablets as he liked the ease of not having to think about adding disinfectant too often. But as the summer months brought more people using the pool, he found it difficult to quickly adjust the chlorine levels with tablets. He then switched to trichlor granules and found it much easier to control the dosage and keep the pool water clean.
Bacterial Control: Both Have Their Strengths
Both chlorine tablets and trichlor granules are effective in killing bacteria and ensuring the safety of the swimming pool. Chlorine tablets have the advantage of slowly dissolving over time, providing a continuous supply of chlorine. But here’s the catch. Trichlor granules must be added manually, and if the pool is unattended for a while, there’s a higher risk of the chlorine level dropping. This increases the chance of bacterial growth. On the flip side, the “fill the dispenser and leave it” approach with chlorine tablets also comes with risks. If not enough chlorine is dissolving into the water and the user assumes everything is okay, bacteria may start to grow without warning.
We had a customer, Jane, who had been using chlorine tablets for her pool. One day, she went on a short trip and forgot to check the chlorine levels before leaving. When she came back, she found that the water had become cloudy and there was an unpleasant smell. She realized that the chlorine tablets hadn’t been dissolving properly and bacteria had started to grow. After switching to trichlor granules and being more vigilant about monitoring the chlorine levels, she hasn’t had any issues since.
Impact on Swimmers: A Significant Difference
Chlorine tablets are acidic in nature (trichloroisocyanuric acid). As they slowly dissolve in the pool water, they can reduce the pH and alkalinity levels. If these levels aren’t properly balanced over time, it can lead to itchy skin and stinging eyes for swimmers. In contrast, trichlor granules (sodium dichloroisocyanurate) are relatively neutral in pH. This means they have minimal impact on swimmers. Another concern with chlorine tablets is their presence in dispensers or skimmers in the pool. These must be removed when the pool is in use to prevent people from tampering with them. If not handled correctly, they can be harmful. Trichlor granules, on the other hand, dissolve instantly in the water, so this issue doesn’t arise. One of our customers, Amy, had been using chlorine tablets for a few weeks. She started noticing that her skin was getting itchy and her eyes were stinging after swimming. She did some research and realized that it could be due to the acidic nature of the chlorine tablets. She switched to trichlor granules and immediately noticed a difference. Her skin and eyes were no longer irritated, and she could enjoy swimming without any discomfort.
Impact on Pool Water Chemistry: An Important Aspect
The acidic nature of chlorine tablets can have a significant impact on other aspects of the pool water chemistry. Excessive use of chlorine tablets can cause the pH to drop too low, which can affect the balance of other chemicals in the water and potentially damage pool components. Trichlor granules, being relatively neutral, are much friendlier to other aspects of the water chemistry. We had a customer who had been using chlorine tablets for a long time and noticed that the pool components were starting to deteriorate. The water chemistry was off, and the pH was too low. After consulting with us, he switched to trichlor granules and started monitoring the water chemistry more closely. Over time, the pool components stopped deteriorating, and the water chemistry stabilized.
Usage Instructions
Chlorine Tablets: Place the tablets in a floating dispenser or inline feeder. Make sure to check the dispenser regularly to ensure the tablets are dissolving properly and that there is an adequate supply of chlorine in the water. Remember to removethe dispenser when the pool is in use to prevent tampering and potential harm. 
