The Scoop On Chemical Feeders

Keeping a clean and sanitary pool means using lots and lots of pool chemicals. You know them all. But perhaps the most important chemical that your pool needs are sanitizers like chlorine and bromine. While this sounds not so difficult or arduous when it comes to pool maintenance (just throw in the chlorine tablets into the pool and let them dissolve, right?), this can turn into a somewhat tricky situation and could result in under or over chlorinating your pool.

Before your thoughts start to cloud you with doubt and uncertainty, I’m here to let you know that when there’s a will, there’s a way. Oh yes, we're talking about pool chemical feeders.

So What's a Pool Chemical Feeder?

Chemical feeders. Automatic pool chlorinators. Pool chemical dispensers. Erosion feeders. These all describe the same item. Although we’re keen on chemical feeders, so we’ll address them as such in this article.

A chemical feeder is a quick and effective way to sanitize your pool or spa. They allow the proper flow of chlorine and bromine throughout your pool or spa without over or under sanitizing it. Instead of manually mixing large chemicals, a chemical feeder lets you simply fill the feeder and have it do all the work. Not only do chemical feeders reduce the amount of work of any pool owner, but it also protects your pool equipment from any kind of major damage or staining that is usually caused by placing tablets inside a skimmer or chlorine floater.

What Kind Of Chemical Feeders Are There?

There are two kind of chemical feeders that you can own. And in our opinion, both are great options. It’s only a matter of preference as to what kind you want for your pool. Let us give you a quick run through on these two different types.

In-Line

An in-line chemical feeder is installed within the plumbing of your pool. This is no way a daunting task. It’s a pretty simple task that usually involves a hacksaw, measuring tape, PVC primer and glue. What you must remember, however, is that in-line chemical feeders must be installed after everything else. The feeders should also be installed at ground level to prevent any kind of back flow. If you have a heater for your pool, then you need to ensure that a one-way check valve should be installed between the heater and the chemical feeder to prevent any kind of damage from corrosive chlorine gas.

Off-Line

To put it simply, an off-line chemical feeder requires no installation. You will need a power drill and drill bits to secure this feeder to your pool, however. Usually, most people go with off-line chlorinators when there is no room to install an in-line chemical feeder, or you simply don’t want to be bothered with installing one.

With an off-line chemical feeder, you’ll need to secure it on a sturdy, concrete floor with screws and anchors in order to hold the body still and keep it stationary for the most part. That’s it. Slice of cake, right?

 

How Much Should I Feed Into My Pool Chemical Feeder?

As a general rule of thumb, feeders should carry a week’s worth of chemicals to help stabilize the pool water. If you decide to fill the chemical feeder all the way to the brim, you run the risk of putting more chemicals than what’s needed for your pool. Strategically placing enough chemicals into your chemical feeder gives you the ability to have some control on how much is going into your pool. Look at this way. If you have a chemical feeder that has a 9-pound tablet capability but your spa only uses about 1-pound of chlorine per week, then you’ve got yourself an over chlorinated spa with ridiculously low pH levels. Not the kind of mistake you want to make on the regular.

Long story short: Do you research on how much chlorine or bromine your pool needs and place the amount accordingly into your chemical feeder. Voila. Success.

Which Chemical Feeder is Right for Me?

As mentioned previously, there is no right or wrong option when choosing the ideal chemical feeder. It merely depends on what you prefer, the size of your pool, and just how handy your installation skills are. To make things easier, Leslie’s has a huge selection of chemical feeders to choose from.