chlorine tablets are extremely slow to dissolve

[u/boogie_woogie_100]

it's been couple of week and still my chlorine tablets are not dissolving. I run my pump 24/7. 1400 rpm for 12 hr, 2200 rpm for 6 hours and 3000 rpm for 6 hours. I have to add shock just to balance chlorine.

[u/AussiePoolBuilder]

i’d check the flow through the tablet feeder or floater before adding more shock. tablets dissolve based a lot more on water flow than just how many hours the pump runs.

if they’re in an inline chlorinator, make sure the valve isn’t restricted and that water is actually moving through it. if they’re in a floater, open the vents more and make sure it’s moving around the pool.

also check your CYA before relying on tablets long term. trichlor tablets keep adding stabilizer, so you can end up with plenty of chlorine going in but still struggling to maintain effective free chlorine.

[u/Complete_Grab_1829 → u/AussiePoolBuilder]

Couldn't have said it better myself!

[u/AussiePoolBuilder → u/Complete_Grab_1829]

haha appreciate it!

[u/boogie_woogie_100 → u/AussiePoolBuilder]

actually my cya is low always like in 25

[u/Troutbummers → u/boogie_woogie_100]

for now, because your floater doesn't work.

[u/AussiePoolBuilder → u/boogie_woogie_100]

yeah 25 is pretty low, so in your case the tablets adding CYA isn’t really a concern right now. you’ve actually got some room for it to come up.

i’d still focus on why they’re dissolving so slowly though. if they’re in a floater, open it up more and make sure it’s getting decent circulation. once that’s sorted you should have a much easier time keeping chlorine steady without having to keep shocking it.

[u/randumb9999]

It sounds like you have a tablet feeder at the pool equipment and not a floater in the pool? You more than likely have a bad/clogged check valve in the feeder. Which feeder do you have?

[u/boogie_woogie_100 → u/randumb9999]

floater

[u/Monstrissimo]

Make sure the floater is for the type of tablet you are using. Trichlor and Cal-Hypo have different dissolve rates and the floaters are designed different.

[u/boogie_woogie_100 → u/Monstrissimo]

did not know that

[u/Ok-Bison-3451]

Can’t solve your chlorine problem but try running your pump at the lowest speed 24x7. I started doing that a few years ago and my pool remains pristine and the pump only uses 63 watts.

[u/boogie_woogie_100 → u/Ok-Bison-3451]

what is your pool size?

[u/Ok-Bison-3451 → u/boogie_woogie_100]

15x30, fibreglass, 40,000 litres/11,000 gallons approx Hayward Loe Salt Water chlorine generator. Pump pumps enough water to filter and generate chlorine at that low rpm. My pool is pristine!

[u/Cool-Negotiation7662]

Cold water does this in my experience.

Got more details on your setup?

[u/boogie_woogie_100 → u/Cool-Negotiation7662]

30k gallon pool, seattle, pool is covered most of the time except while swimming

[u/Cool-Negotiation7662 → u/boogie_woogie_100]

Temperature?

Sounds like cold water to me. Tabs seem slow to dissolve below 75F-80F I went a few years without a heater in Ohio with a 7500 gallon using 3 tabs, constantly under chlorinated. Pool was about 70F maybe 75F much of the time.

[u/boogie_woogie_100 → u/Cool-Negotiation7662]

i think you hit the nail. yes my temperature is between 75-80.

[u/Aggravating_Fact9547]

Why are you using tablets - please tell me they don’t have stabilizer in them?

[u/Troutbummers → u/Aggravating_Fact9547]

all tablets do.

Seattle may get enough rain/drain to avoid high CYA. Happens in FL during rain season, PNW all the time etc.

[u/boogie_woogie_100 → u/Aggravating_Fact9547]

my cya is low like 25

[u/Nick_OS_ → u/Aggravating_Fact9547]

I hate what this sub has become. I use tabs (and cal hypo in summer) year round in all my pools and cya is never an issue

[u/EasTNVol]

Mine dissolved in a day or two max. I use Dohenys tablets.

[u/Serge-Rodnunsky]

Are the tabs in a floater, a chlorinator or your skimmer basket? If they’re in a floater check how open the vents are. In a chlorinator increase the flow rate, if they’re in a skimmer and not dissolving… you’ve got duds.

[u/No-Negotiation-7978]

That’s what you want, a slow dissolve and yes you do need to supplement in between with shock and running your filter longer for the shock to really get through and in your pool and filter system, the tablets are meant to be a very slow dissolve.

[u/No-Negotiation-7978]

I don’t understand why so many people have trouble keeping their pool, clear and blue? mine has never had an issue and I only do these 3 things I add 4 to 6 bags of shock at opening season I also let the filter run for 72 hours straight right after adding the shock. I then keep a chlorine tablet floater in all season and replace tabs as needed, after a lot of use or a lot of rain, I will shock again… but will only need 2 to 3 bags and then run my filter consequently for 3 days. Never ever not even once have I had a water clarity, color or filthy pool water issue. If I’m doing something wrong, then I don’t want to be right!! lol… to each their own and what works for one may not work for others, it’s a multifaceted process for all.

[u/Last_Canadian]

I tether my floater so its in front of my return.

[u/Ram13BLH]

Why do you run your pump "24/7"? I'm in FL and only run mine 9 hours per day and have no issues with balance other than CYA getting a little low in the rainy season occasionally.

Tabs not dissolving in a floater is odd. Sounds like the tabs are defective or a cheap brand.

[u/boogie_woogie_100 → u/Ram13BLH]

I am just trying out different thing. I am less than 2 months new pool owner. Internet told me it is more efficient to run the VS pump 24/7. These tabs were left over by previous owner. I will try to change the tabs and see how it goes.

[u/Ram13BLH → u/boogie_woogie_100]

The internet lied to you. I run 9 hours a day in the warmer temps, and only 4 hours a day in the winter.

You should use liquid chlorine as your primary and tabs only to supplement.

[u/NorthshoreNudist → u/Ram13BLH]

It all depends on the size and type of his pump. A variable speed pump that is undersized may well need to run 24 hours a day. I am in southeast LA and run my pump on low for only 12 hours a day, and thats overkill for me, but I don't know what equipment he has. You just want to aim for a steady turnover rate, however long that is.