Having your swimming pool safe and sparkling clean sits at the top of the priority list for any swimming pool owner. From killing algae blooms to destroying unwanted bacteria, chlorine remains the king when it comes to the sanitation of pools. However, when it’s all about using liquid chlorine or using chlorine tablets, the best option isn’t as black-and-white as you may assume. They both keep your swimming pool clean, but with vastly different use, efficiency, and most importantly, price tags. Pool owners wish to know: Is using liquid chlorine or chlorine tablets more budget-friendly?
Table of Contents
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- Learning About Liquid Chlorine and Best Chlorine Tablets
- Cost Calculation: Liquid Chlorine
- Cost Estimation: Chlorine Tablets
- Pros and Cons of Using Liquid Chlorine
- Pros and Cons of Adding Chlorine Tablets
- Which Is More Cost-Effective: Liquid Chlorine or Pool Chlorine Tablets?
- Practical Advice on Saving on Pool Maintenance
- Conclusion
- FAQs
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In this informative guide, we’re comparing the price, benefits, and drawbacks of both so that you can make the smart decision. From the up-front costs to ongoing upkeep, we’ll break it down so you can keep your swimming pool sparkling without emptying your bank account. Let’s get down to the brass tacks and find out which gives the better bang for your buck.
Learning About Liquid Chlorine and Best Chlorine Tablets
Let’s learn about chlorine tablets and liquid chlorine as well as their uses prior to comparing prices. Liquid chlorine, in the form of sodium hypochlorite, is an active, fast-acting sanitizer for cleaning any pools. Its chlorine strength stands at 10-12% and higher than that found in domestic bleach(usually 6%-7%), and has chlorine, water, and a bit of added salt. Its application is simple: add it to the pool, and it’s dispersed quickly to eliminate the bacteria and algae.
Chlorine tablets, on the other hand, are solid, compressed tablets, usually manufactured by using trichloroisocyanuric acid (trichlor) or dichloroisocyanuric acid (dichlor). Chlorine tablets usually contain 60-90% chlorine with a stabilizer, for instance, cyanuric acid (CYA), added to prevent degradation by UV light. They’re dispensed by using floating dispensers, chlorinators, or skimmer baskets (although the latter is less recommended) and slowly dissolve to slowly dispense chlorine.
The major differences are in form, use, and chemical composition. Liquid chlorine acts quickly but has to be dosed regularly, whereas tablets are easy to use and last longer but add more stabilizers to the water. These differences form the background for our price comparison.
Cost Calculation: Liquid Chlorine
Regarding the price of liquid chlorine, several factors come into play. First, liquid chlorine tends to be less costly per gallon compared with the best chlorine tablets. Generally speaking, one gallon of 10-12% liquid chlorine would cost $4-$6 in a swimming supply store, based on your location or the store location. For a 10,000-gallon pool, you would use approximately 1-2 gallons per day to maintain 1-4 ppm available chlorine, and that would be $4-$12 per day or $120-$360 per month, especially for those busy swimming months.
The increased frequency of application raises cost. As the liquid chlorine is not so stabilized as other forms of chlorine, and sunlight degrades it by 90% in two hours with repeated applications being necessary. In addition, its shelf life is also comparatively short(generally 4-6 weeks) and bulk buying is not feasible, in this circumstance, you’ll be making multiple store visits. What’s more, liquid chlorine also needs to be stored in cool and protected areas since the heat increases degradation, which may entail indirect costs on storage facilities if you have to set up special storage facilities.
You may need to buy cyanuric acid separately (about $20-$30 for a 4-pound pail) to stabilize chlorine levels, which would add $5-$10 a month depending on pool size. Although the liquid chlorine has low up-front cost, its high usage rate and greater auxiliary expense balance out, and it is less cost-effective over the long haul for ongoing use.
Cost Estimation: Chlorine Tablets
Chlorine tablets come with another price compared with liquid chlorine. 3-inch chlorine tablets packaged in a 50-pound pail might cost $100-$150, and one tablet can disinfect about 5,000 gallons of water. For a 10,000-gallon swimming area, you would need to use 2-3 tablets per week by spending about $4-$6 or $16-$24 per month. This assumes even dispensing of chlorine with a chlorinator or floater while the constant daily monitoring is not a must.
The price of best chlorine tablets is higher than that of liquid chlorine. However, they can last 2 years or even longer for use under properly stored. Moreover, their longer shelf life allows you to buy or wholesale these chlorine tablets in larger quantities by making fewer store runs. For instance, the upfront payment for a year’s supply of the best chlorine tablets might be more economical than the repeated purchases of liquid chlorine.
However, chlorine tablets do include CYA that accumulates and may need to be water-diluted (10-20% per year, potentially $50-$100 per year in water fees) or other chlorine sources to maintain the chlorine levels. Despite all that, the lower application and storage benefits usually make chlorine tablets a value for the long-term upkeep that is inexpensive.
Pros and Cons of Using Liquid Chlorine
Pros
Liquid chlorine has some attributes that gained the favor with budget-conscious swimming pool owners. It’s fast-acting, with on-contact chlorine action that kills algae or break-out bacteria, making it perfect for shock treatment in pools. Its low upfront price, combined with ease of application—pour and go—is a bonus. And, it’s safe for use on all swimming pools, including vinyl and fiberglass, without destroying surfaces.
Cons
On the downside, liquid chlorine requires frequent dosing since it’s not stabilized, leading to higher overall consumption. It’s also short-lived, so you can’t purchase it in bulk. At the same time, it’s easily deactivated by incorrect storage, which is a waste of funds. The high pH (around 13) can also disrupt pool chemistry, requiring the application of pH-reducing chemicals (e.g., muriatic acid, $10-$15 per gallon). For pool owners desiring a hands-off approach, the effort of hauling heavy jugs and daily monitoring chlorine levels might overshadow the initial savings.
Pros and Cons of Adding Chlorine Tablets
Pros
The best chlorine tablets like trichlor or dichlor are quite efficient and convenient for use, as they can offer a long and steady chlorine release while lowering the upkeep time. More importantly, chlorine tablets are also lightweighted and simple to store, which can offer a longer storage life and make the bulk-buying option suitable for many pool project owners. Their built-in stabilizer (CYA) guards against UV degradation, ensuring longer periods of sanitization without the need for additional purchases.
Cons
Their slow dissolution, though, has its drawbacks. For example, the CYA ends up interfering with the disinfecting action of the chlorine and necessitate the water change or other remedies. Their low pH value (2.5-3.0) might ruin plaster or equipment when mishandled (e.g., spilled on skimmers), and they’re inappropriate for all pools, including vinyl pools, without proper application.
In a word, the best chlorine tablets remain a favorite due to their convenience and reliability.
Which Is More Cost-Effective: Liquid Chlorine or Pool Chlorine Tablets?
And now, which one costs less to operate, liquid chlorine or chlorine tablets? On a short-term basis(i.e. 1 month), liquid chlorine might be the less expensive option, especially for handling a pool shock treatment in smaller scale. Nevertheless, this assumes, of course, perfect conditions—real-world factors such as the sun and bather load might make liquid chlorine more expensive.
In the long term (e.g., 12 months), the best chlorine tablets win out. Top-of-the-line $150 bucket of chlorine tablets may last a 10,000-gallon swimming pool anywhere from 6-12 months at $150-$300 per year, as against $1,440-$4,320 for liquid chlorine based on the twelve months as usage parameter. The durability of tablets associated with bulk purchasing tip the scales. With CYA upkeep potentially adding $50-$100 annually but still keeping the numbers below liquid chlorine’s level.
Pool size and use are factors as well. Smaller pools (less than 5,000 gallons) may prefer liquid chlorine’s lower daily expense, but larger pools are served by the efficiency of tablets. Frequent swimmers may require liquid chlorine’s immediate action, but occasional users conserve with tablets. Overall, the best chlorine tablets usually cost less in the long run, but liquid chlorine may be economical for certain situations.
Practical Advice on Saving on Pool Maintenance
To maximize the savings through the use of liquid chlorine, monitor the water daily with a kit ($20-$50), as over-dosing must be avoided, and store it in a cool, dark location to keep it active. Add CYA (30-50 ppm) when the season begins to reduce chlorine loss. For tablets, the best chlorine tablets (e.g., trichlor) are to be used in a chlorinator, not skimmers, to equipment-protect. Test CYA levels monthly (aim for 30-50 ppm), dilute the water when over 100 ppm. Combining both—an everyday use through tablets and shock treatments through liquid chlorine—is a compromise between efficiency and price, making the best use of each system.
Conclusion
Your decision on whether to use chlorine tablets or liquid chlorine depends on budget, the size of your pool, and your maintenance routine. Liquid chlorine has low up-front cost and rapid action, ideal for quick repairs or tiny pools, but repeated application and shorter shelf life may add the total cost in the long term. Chlorine tablets, and the top-rated best chlorine tablets, offer long-term value, convenience, and stability, and are less costly for most bathers in the long term, although CYA buildup issues are a reality. For those with budgetary concerns, tablets barely surpass liquid chlorine, but a hybrid system might be ideal for those requiring versatility. Think about your priorities, and choose the system that gets your pool sparkling without breaking your bank account.
FAQs
Q: How often should I use liquid chlorine instead of chlorine tablets?
A: Liquid chlorine must be dosed on a daily or almost-daily basis, but the premium tablets last a week or more per application, dependent upon the usage and the size of the pool.
Q: Can I add both the liquid chlorine and chlorine tablets into the pool?
A: The anser is: Yes! You can either use the best chlorine tablets for steady maintenance while using liquid chlorine for pool shocks that can optimize both the cost and sanitation.
Q: What are the best chlorine tablets for pool cleaning?
A: Chlorine tablets (90% chlorine content) are typically recognized as one of the best chlorine tablets for their potency and longevity feature.
Q: Does liquid chlorine save more money for small pools?
A: Perhaps, as pools with smaller volumes do not need a large amount of chlorine. However, the best chlorine tablets’ efficiency will win in th long run.
Reference Resources:
1. Reddit Q&A: How is liquid chlorine cheaper than tablets? : r/pools
2. TFP Forum Threads: Should I switch from liquid Chlorine to Tablets…Seems more economical | Trouble Free Pool
3. Quora Q&A: What are the advantages and disadvantages of using liquid chlorine vs. tablets to chlorinate your swimming pool? – Quora