Using Liquid Chlorine in an Above Ground Pool

If you own an above-ground pool, maintaining proper water chemistry ensures a safe and enjoyable swimming experience. Liquid chlorine is one of the most effective ways to keep your pool water clean and clear.

Can you use liquid chlorine in an above-ground pool? The answer is yes, and this guide will provide you with the information you need to make your above-ground pool a safe and healthy place for you and your family to enjoy.

Below, we will guide you through the process of using liquid chlorine in your above-ground pool and help you understand the best practices for keeping your pool water in top condition.

Can You Use Liquid Chlorine In Above-Ground Pool: Liquid chlorine is a popular choice for pool owners because it effectively sanitizes the water by killing bacteria and algae. It is easy to use and does not leave any residue like other chlorine forms. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper dosage and handling.

How to Use Liquid Chlorine in Above Ground Pool

1. Test the pool chlorine levels

To measure the dosage of chlorine liquid to add, you need to find out the pool’s current chlorine level.

Submerge a test strip in the pool water for 10 seconds, then take it out and compare its color to the chlorine color scale that comes with the test kit. You will then know how many ppm you need to raise the chlorine level.

2. Calculate the liquid chlorine dosage

Now that you know your pool’s chlorine levels, it’s time to measure the dosage of liquid chlorine you will need for your pool size.

You will need to know or calculate the number of gallons your pool holds. (Use the calculator in the section below.)

Swimming Pool Volume Calculator

Please enter your pool shape and dimensions:

Pool shape: Rectangular Circular

Length (ft):

Width (ft):

Average Depth (ft):

Diameter (ft):

Depth (ft):

Calculate Volume

Use the table below to determine how much liquid chlorine to add to raise the ppm (part per million) by 1, 2, 3, etc., based on your pool’s volume.

How much liquid chlorine to add

Volume (Gallons)	1ppm	2ppm	3ppm	4ppm	5ppm
5,000	0.25 pints	0.5 pints	1 pint	1.34 pints	1.67 pints
10,000	0.5 pint	1 pint	2 pints	2.67 pints	3.3 pints
15,000	1 pint	2 pints	3 pints	4 pints	5 pints
20,000	1.33 pints	2.66 pints	4 pints	5.33 pints	6.66 pints
25,000	1.66 pints	3.33 pints	5 pints	6.66 pints	8.33 pints
30,000	2 pints	4 pints	6 pints	8 pints	10 pints
35,000	2.33 pints	4.66 pints.	7 pints	9.33 pints	12 pints
40,000	2.66 pints	5.33 pints	8 pints	10.66 pints	14 pints

3. Pour in the chlorine

Now it’s time to start chlorinating. Slowly pour liquid chlorine around the edges of the pool, covering all areas to sanitize the pool water evenly.

I recommend chlorinating the pool while the filter is running to ensure the chlorine is thoroughly mixed throughout.

4. Balance the pool’s pH level

After chlorination, you may need to add muriatic acid to reduce the pool’s pH level to the normal range (7.2 to 7.8) if it has increased due to liquid chlorine having a pH of 13.

Why do we have to balance the pH? If the pool water has a high pH, scaling will occur, which means the buildup of calcium in the water. These calcium deposits can easily ruin your equipment.

For dosage, you need to pour 10 to 16 oz. of muriatic acid for each gallon of chlorine you add. You should gradually pour the acid into the pool around the edges.

5. Stabilize the chlorine

Liquid chlorine is unstabilized, and as you might have guessed, it needs a stabilizer, cyanuric acid (CYA).

But why do we need to stabilize chlorine in the first place? Sunlight can weaken the sanitizing effects of unstabilized chlorine. Thus, you’ll have to constantly pour more chlorine into the pool to keep up the chlorine level, which is time-consuming and costly.

Luckily, cyanuric acid can protect chlorine against these UV rays because it acts as a buffer. To get stabilized chlorine, you need to pour the acid until the CYA levels are above 30 ppm and below 50 ppm.

When to use liquid chlorine for above ground pools

To sanitize your pool water, you’ll need to get liquid chlorine, cyanuric acid, and muriatic acid, and then follow the guide below. You should consider doing this weekly.

It is better to add the liquid chlorine in the evening if you can as there is less chance of the chlorine dissipating due to the action of the sun’s UV rays before it has a chance to work.

What is liquid chlorine?

Liquid chlorine, also called sodium hypochlorite, is similar to the bleach you use to clean your home, except it has a higher chlorine concentration. It contains 10%-12.5% chlorine, while bleach has only 3-5% chlorine.

Liquid chlorine is used instead of bleach because you need to use less to achieve the same sanitizing effect, as it has a higher chlorine concentration.

So, when adding liquid chlorine to your swimming pool, you must be careful with its quantity and concentration.

It’s worth noting that liquid chlorine is unstabilized chlorine, so you may need to add cyanuric acid after adding to the pool to prevent chlorine from depleting.

Lastly, liquid chlorine has a relatively short shelf life, approximately 6 months. Most pool chemicals have a long shelf life, ranging between one and five years. Extreme weather conditions, such as humidity, can shorten liquid chlorine’s useful life even more.

The difference between liquid chlorine and granular chlorine

There are two main differences between liquid and granular chlorine.

1. Obviously, adding liquid chlorine is much quicker and easier than adding granular chlorine. You can just walk around the pool, adding it as you go, whereas you will need to mix the granular chlorine in a bucket of pool water (or perhaps many buckets) before adding it.
2. Although liquid chlorine is convenient, it comes with a drawback. Liquid chlorine has a pH of around 13, whereas granular chlorine is only approximately 7. So, adding it will probably raise your pH, requiring you to add muriatic acid to lower it back down again. The reason for the difference is in the manufacturing process.

Ounces of chlorine in liquid chlorine

Here’s a table showing the amount of chlorine in 12.5% liquid chlorine for a pint, a quart, and a gallon:

Amount of liquid chlorine	Volume (in fluid ounces)	Chlorine (in ounces)
Pint	16	2
Quart	32	4
Gallon	128	16

Note: This assumes that the 12.5% concentration is by weight. If the concentration is by volume, the amounts of chlorine would be different.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

As you’ve seen, chlorinating above-ground pools with liquid chlorine is a straightforward process. However, because liquid chlorine is a strong chemical, you should ideally wear protective goggles and gloves for your safety.

You should also routinely measure the water’s chlorine levels at least weekly to keep the pool free of bacteria and viruses.