Liquid vs. Granular Chlorine: Which is Best for Your Pool?

Liquid Chlorine (Sodium Hypochlorite)

Liquid chlorine is essentially high-strength bleach (10-12.5%). It is the favorite of professional service techs because it's cheap, fast-acting, and adds nothing to the water except a little bit of salt. It doesn't increase your Calcium or Cyanuric Acid levels. The only downside is that it is heavy to carry and loses its strength over time if stored in a hot garage.

Granular Cal-Hypo (Calcium Hypochlorite)

Cal-Hypo is a powerful powder often used for 'shocking' a pool. It is stable and easy to store. However, every pound of Cal-Hypo adds a significant amount of calcium to your water. If you live in an area with 'hard' water, constant use of Cal-Hypo will eventually drive your LSI into the scaling range, requiring you to drain and refill the pool to lower the calcium levels.

Trichlor Pucks: The 'Lazy' Convenience

Trichlor tablets are slow-dissolving and easy to use in a floater or feeder. They are also highly acidic and contain massive amounts of Cyanuric Acid (Stabilizer). While convenient for vacations, long-term use of pucks will cause your CYA levels to skyrocket and your pH to crash. This 'over-stabilization' eventually makes your chlorine ineffective, leading to 'mystery' algae blooms.

The Verdict: Use the Right Tool for the Job

For daily maintenance, liquid chlorine is the cleanest and most controlled method. Use Cal-Hypo for occasional shocking if your calcium levels are low. Avoid long-term reliance on pucks unless you are actively monitoring and draining your water to manage CYA levels. Our dosing calculator helps you find the exact amount for any of these types, ensuring you don't over-chemicalize your water.

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