Q: How do 'you' calculate the cost per effective chlorine between liquidversus powder?After googling, I find most answers say it fundamentally doesn't matterwhether you use liquid (6% or 12%) chlorine or powder (56%-62% for dichloror 90%-98% for trichlor, effective 85%). The articles I found warn of other things (e.g., CYA isn't in the liquid &liquid raises the pH); but fundamentally they say the result is the samewhen it comes to ions of chlorination.My problem is trying to compare the cost per effective pound of chlorinebetween liquids & solids.Of course, costs vary greatly, so it's the EQUATION that matters. I caneasily write the equation to compare the powders - but I'm having troublecomparing cost of powders versus liquids.For example, to compare the cost for effective chlorine between twodichlors is easy.Given $3.00 per pound of 56% dichlor versus $3.33 per pound of 62% dichlor:FIRST CALCULATION: 56% dichlor at $3.00/pound x 100/56 = $5.36/poundeffective chlorineSECOND CALCULATION: 62% dichlor at $3.33/pound x 100/62 = $5.37/poundeffective chlorineCOMPARISON: These two are about the same cost per pound of effectivechlorine.Likewise, to compare effective cost between trichlor and dichlor is, Ithink, (almost as) easy.For example, assume $3.00 per pound of 56% dichlor versus $3.33 per poundof 94% trichlor (84% effective chlorine):FIRST CALCULATION: 56% dichlor at $3.00/pound x 100/56 = $5.36/poundeffective chlorineSECOND CALCULATION: 94% trichlor at $3.33/pound x 100/84 = $3.96/poundeffective chlorineCOMPARISON: The trichlor is vastly cheaper than the dichlor in thisexample.Assuming the calculations above are using the correct equations, what I'dlike to compare is the liquid versus the powders. But I can no longersimply compare percentages.Q: What is the equation to compare effective chlorine prices for liquid vspowdered chlorine?

Yes you can. Liquid chlorine has a percentage of available chlorinejust as the dry forms do. Bleachthat you buy for laundry, etc, generally is 6%. Liquidchlorine sold for pools can be 12%. Whatever itis, the percentage is on the container.So, let's say I have a gallon of 12% chlorine. A gallonof water weighs 8.3 pounds. The weight of the chlorinemight be a tad different than pure water, but not enough to matter.So, you have 8.3 x 12% =3D 1lb of chlorine. Around herethat gallon would cost about $3.60.Unless you have some unusual pricing, liquid chlorineis usually the least expensive form. As you alreadyknow, liq chlorine doesn't contain stabilizer. Whichcan be a good thing or bad thing depending on howmuch stabilizer is already in the pool.

How to calculate cost per effective pool chlorine liquid vs powder

Apr 27, 2012 22 Replies

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Dakar F. 14 years ago

As I said to trader4, this makes sense.

But ... there is another datapoint.

Datapoint 1: At Costco/Walmart/Lowes, the AquaChem 4-in-1 shock doesn't state the available chlorine. Rationale: It has been proposed that's because it also contains sanitizers that have no component of chlorine - so listing the number would under represent the sanitizing capability.

This may be true ... but there is that pesky second datapoint.

Datapoint 2: At Home Depot, the PoolTime 1-in-1 shock also doesn't state the available chlorine! And, in this case, there are no complications with any other non-inert ingredient.

Then add the third datapoint:

Datapoint 3: AquaChem and PoolTime are the same company!

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trader4 14 years ago

It's more like BA, bleach and hydrochloric acid. Bleach has a high PH, so you're not going to balance it with baking soda, which is another base.

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krw 14 years ago

Baking soda is really a buffer (raises total alkalinity more than just the pH), but you're right, you're not taking the pH down with baking soda.

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