After spending money yet again on chlorine to clean the pool, just about every swimming pool owner has wondered whether common bleach would do the job just as well. In truth, bleach contains the same base chemical as pool chlorine. That chemical is, of course, chlorine. The major differences between the two types are strength and formulation. Also, bleach is a bit less expensive than pool chlorine.
Bleach Versus Pool Chlorine
Common pool chlorine is made up of the chemical calcium hypochlorite at about 65 percent strength. The calcium hypochlorite form of chlorine is a solid that is easy to introduce into pool water. In addition to the chlorine itself, calcium and other inert ingredients make up the remainder of the chemical. Household bleach …show more content…
You can simply pour bleach straight from the bottle into the pool's skimmer. Bleach is also inexpensive in comparison to standard pool chlorine. As of 2017, a gallon of bleach can be purchased for $1 when bought in bulk. Pool chlorine is more expensive by comparison. If there's a disadvantage to bleach, it's that it's comparatively weak when matched against pool chlorine. You will need to have more on hand. It takes one gallon of bleach to provide the cleaning power of 3/4 pound of pool chlorine. For a typical 20-foot by 40-foot pool (30,000 gallons), you will need two gallons of bleach.
Pool Chlorine
Calcium hypochlorite chlorine is made specifically for water disinfection purposes, especially in swimming pools. Being formulated specifically for pool use is pool chlorine's primary advantage. It can be introduced into a pool as a powder or in tablet form, which eliminates splashing. Tablets are often slow-release, introducing steady but low amounts of chlorine without the need for regular monitoring. However, calcium hypochlorite can be expensive. As of 2017, a 35-pound bucket typically sells for around $100. A 25,000-gallon pool requires 6 1/2 pounds of calcium hypochlorite to reach 10ppm.
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Bleach Versus Pool Chlorine
Common pool chlorine is made up of the chemical calcium hypochlorite at about 65 percent strength. The calcium hypochlorite form of chlorine is a solid that is easy to introduce into pool water. In addition to the chlorine itself, calcium and other inert ingredients make up the remainder of the chemical. Household bleach …show more content…
You can simply pour bleach straight from the bottle into the pool's skimmer. Bleach is also inexpensive in comparison to standard pool chlorine. As of 2017, a gallon of bleach can be purchased for $1 when bought in bulk. Pool chlorine is more expensive by comparison. If there's a disadvantage to bleach, it's that it's comparatively weak when matched against pool chlorine. You will need to have more on hand. It takes one gallon of bleach to provide the cleaning power of 3/4 pound of pool chlorine. For a typical 20-foot by 40-foot pool (30,000 gallons), you will need two gallons of bleach.
Pool Chlorine
Calcium hypochlorite chlorine is made specifically for water disinfection purposes, especially in swimming pools. Being formulated specifically for pool use is pool chlorine's primary advantage. It can be introduced into a pool as a powder or in tablet form, which eliminates splashing. Tablets are often slow-release, introducing steady but low amounts of chlorine without the need for regular monitoring. However, calcium hypochlorite can be expensive. As of 2017, a 35-pound bucket typically sells for around $100. A 25,000-gallon pool requires 6 1/2 pounds of calcium hypochlorite to reach 10ppm.
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