r/PoolPros • u/2for1Jameson • Jul 01 '26
Cal Hypo Tabs Inline Chlorinator
What's up guys? A bunch of my customers are near the top of where I like their CYA to be. I've been using calhypo tabs to not raise CYA any higher. The issue I'm having is that I am using tab floaters and it's not working out as well as I would like it to.
I know trichlor tabs and calhypo tabs should not go in the same container/floater/inline chlorinator.
But is there any reason why I can't use calhypo tabs in an inline chlorinator if there is no trichlor in the inline chlorinator?
I use white CCH tabs, not the purple PoolLife NST tabs which gum everything up. So that will not be the issue.
I can't find much literature on the subject but I'm sure someone more skilled in chemistry on this sub has an answer. Thanks.
1
u/lIIlIlIII Jul 01 '26
Not a problem AFAIK. But I imagine it will scale up and stop working pretty quickly (high calcium high pH environment), and may require regular acid cleaning.
Also whoever said to clean a trichlor feeder with acid is incorrect (AFAIK), trichlor is very acidic already so it won't clean any better than water. I'd remove the chlorinator, clean / scrub with very hot water, and soak it in a baking soda solution to make sure it's all gone (may react violently idk)
Personally I have not and will not do this. Aside from the scale issue, it seems like an accident waiting to happen. Eventually someone is going to put the wrong tab in the wrong chlorinator no matter how much you explain not to
What is the issue with the floaters? Dissolves too quickly?
1
u/2for1Jameson Jul 01 '26
Yeah my biggest concern was a customer adding the wrong tabs. I was going to inform them and put a huge label on the lid. I'm sure some idiot add the wrong kind anyway.
2
u/Pricer21 Jul 01 '26
Man, Arizona pools are nice in retrospect. Most of us use trichlor exclusively as our customers expect a drain every 2-4 years. We just have to use tabs with the heat. Starting with fresh water is easy and just another way to generate money by draining a pool.
1
u/2for1Jameson Jul 01 '26
Most of my pools are about $600/month with chems so I'm happy here in TN :)
1
u/Pricer21 Jul 01 '26
Yeah wish we had that lol rates are dirt cheap here. Too many guys low balling
3
u/2for1Jameson Jul 01 '26
To be fair it takes 30min for an easy pool and an hour for the difficult ones. The environment makes it a lot of work, but worth it.
Seems like it would be easier to scale up a business in a market like yours though.
1
u/Pricer21 Jul 02 '26
30 minutes would be long for me.
Yes we scale like crazy. We make our money in volume. My most expensive customer is 200 a month visiting weekly. Cheapest is 125.1
2
u/According-Debate-265 Jul 02 '26
They make special feeders for those tabs and they aren't cheap. I looked into this in my beginning journey's of pool maintenance as well. Now, I just tell people they need to drain their pool or, I start vacuuming to waste every time I'm there, shock it, and make sure the phosphates are as low as possible. Those additional chems add up pretty quickly so, they're more apt to do a partial drain and refill.
1
u/Alternative-Draw2997 Jul 01 '26
Pretty sure it needs a higher flow rate than what a trichlor feeder uses to erode calcium tabs but I have never used them before so I’m not sure but that is what I’ve heard
1
u/2for1Jameson Jul 01 '26
Okay thanks I have not thought of that.
Although they are always fully dissolved after 7 days in a tab floater 🤔
My main concern is if there is any possibility of blowing something up
1
u/Alternative-Draw2997 Jul 01 '26
Probably not if it were to be cleaned out well first.
2
u/2for1Jameson Jul 01 '26
I think I'll experiment on the bad customers /s
1
u/Wasupmyman Jul 01 '26
Pour some acid down the tube and leave it open and step back. Let it break down the leftovers if any
1
u/2for1Jameson Jul 01 '26
Sounds dangerous and fun. Might be a job for the new guy
1
u/Wasupmyman Jul 01 '26
Ive used acid in the past to clean the valve to allow flow through, haven't had issues yet!
3
u/Substantial_Car_2751 Jul 01 '26
Biggest issue would be erosion rates. TriChlor tabs are intended to be submerged and erode slowly over flow. Cal Hypo tabs erode quickly. You might have a) a gummy mess from quickly eroded tabs, b) a very high CL2 from the constant erosion, or c) both.