Pool owners ~ Hardness Control

[gonjah]

......or calcium chloride

I need about 10 lbs a year for my pool.

I was just quoted about $20 for 10lbs.

Anyone have good cheap source they want to share?

[krw]

Ice melt?

[pa]

Use calcium hypochlorite as a disinfectant, you'll chlorinate the pool

*and* the calcium hardness will increase over time. As the calcium hardness increases over time, you'll want to drop the total alkalinty to maintain proper water balance.

Try getting at least 65% calcium hypochlorite, I've seen lower concentration products around, 49%, and this is not worth getting.

[krw]

He asked for calcium chloride not sodium chloride. I don't know anyone who

*hardens* drinking water. ;-)

Neither is Chlorox but it works. ;-)

[krw]

Calcium will harden the water (it's called "calcium hardness"), not soften it.

I suppose pool water can be too "soft" but I've never encountered it.

[Bernie Ward]

I doubt you'll find it any cheaper than Walmart or McLowes Depot.

[trader4]

Calcium hardness IS one of the chemicals you balance. If the hardness is too low, the water will tend to extract minerals from the pool materials. That is worse for concrete pools than for those with liners. If the calcium is too high, then it will tend to deposit itself of the pool materials. And it all comes into play with the other chemicals in the pool. So, you could tolerate a somewhat lower calcium hardness if some of the other components, eg PH are slightly off in the right direction. There is a target zone for concrete and vinyl pools.

There is something called the Langelier Saturation Index where all the components of pool chemistry come together. There is a circular slide tool where you can put in the PH, calcium, water temp, total alkalinity, etc and it gives the value. The goal is a value of zero.

[gonjah]

Thanks for the responses.

This is what it is:

Helps to keep the plaster healthy.

[gonjah]

I'll check. Thanks.

[trader4]

I've bought 50lbs of it for anywhere from $18 locally to $50 for having it shipped to my door. But since you're on my undesirable list I'm having memory loss as to how.

[gonjah]

Somehow I think I'll survive.