Here's a quick table showing the pros & cons of the various sanitizing systems for swimming pools.  We hope this helps you make a good, informed decision as you choose which system is right for your particular situation.
 

Properties	Chlorine	Bromine	Soft Swim®	Nature2® or  Frog®1	Pristine Blue®	Mineral Springs®
Granules	Yes			(shock only)	(shock only)	Renewal
Tablets	Yes	Yes
Liquid	Yes		Yes		Yes
Effects pH	lowers3	lowers	relatively neutral	relatively neutral	relatively neutral	relatively neutral
Non-Chlorine			Yes	uses some Cl	Yes	generates Cl
Non-Bromine			Yes		Yes
Effective Sanitizer	Yes	Yes	Yes	2	2	Yes
Effect on skin/hair4	can be drying to skin & hair	can be drying to skin & hair	Soft on Skin & Hair	tends NOT to effect skin / hair	tends NOT to effect skin / hair	Soft on Skin & Hair
Ease of application	applied daily or Weekly depending on form	applied ONLY through a brominator	applied 2 - 3 times per Month	Shock added weekly	Shock added weekly	Put the unit on "Boost"
Effect on Filter5	none	none	aids filter in removing more stuff	none	none	none
Algicide	weekly	weekly	every 2 weeks	weekly	as needed	No
Shock Treat	weekly	weekly	every 3 to 4 weeks	weekly	weekly	Put unit on "Boost"
Affected by Sunlight	Yes	Yes	No	Not Significantly	No	Not Significantly
Pool Surface	All Pool Surfaces	All Pool Surfaces	All Pool Surfaces	All Pool Surfaces	All Pool Surfaces	All Pool Surfaces

Notes:
1. Nature2® or Spa Frog® Spa Care using our recommended systems including BioGuard® Easy Shock & Swim & Optimizer Plus
2. Only Chlorine, Bromine and Biguanides are considered Primary Disinfectants
3. Slow dissolving Chlorine tablets (trichloro) can dramatically Lower pH; Quick dissolving Dichlor is relatively pH neutral; Cal-Hypo can dramatically Raise pH.
4. Halogens tend to dramatically dry out skin & hair.  Optimizer Plus® adds borates to the water which significantly aids in softening the water thereby lessening the drying effects.  Optimizer Plus® is a proven additive for ALL pool care systems.
5. ALL Pool Filters should be Chemically cleaned (Strip Kwik or Kleen It for chlorinated, brominated, Pristine Blue®, Nature2® pools OR Soft Swim Filter Cleaner for Soft Swim® or other biguanide treated pools) at least 2 times per season to prevent build-ups of greases, oils & other unfilterables.
6. Click on these links to find out how to convert from Biguanide to Chlorine or Bromine to Chlorine

Compare Types of Chlorine

Properties	Dichloro	Trichloro1	Trichloro blends2	Calcium Hypo	Lithium	Sodium Hypo
Form	Granular	Tablet/Stick	Granular	Granular3	Granular	Liquid
Avail Cl	56% - 62%4	90%	65%	60% - 70%	29%	7%-13%
Inert Ingredients	almost none	almost none	almost none	30%-40%	71%	87%-93%
pH	6.5	2.5	4.0	11.0	10.2	13.0
Effect on pH	neutral	lowers	lowers	raises	raises	raises
Application	hand fed	skimmer or chlorinator	hand fed	hand fed	hand fed	hand fed or chlorine pump
Applied	daily	weekly	daily	daily	daily	daily
Daily Dosage5	2.0 - 4.0 oz	1.0 - 2.0 oz	4.0 oz	6.0 oz	6.0 oz	32 oz6
Stabilized	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Organic	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No

Notes:
1. Trichlor - many cheaper, imported foreign brands of trichlor use gummy binders to hold the trichlor in its shape.  All BioGuard® brand Tablets & Sticks DO NOT USE binders.  BioLab's patented high-pressure process keeps these products together longer.  BioGuard® tablets & sticks dissolve more evenly (don't crumble) for days longer than almost all other brands.  BioGuard® Smart Sticks® manufactured with patented SmartGuard® last even longer & are made specifically for wall skimmer application, no chlorinator needed!
2. Trichlor blends are patented under the BioGuard® Everyday Chlorinating Granules (ECG). BioGuard® Everyday Chlorinating Granules do not cloud the water, are completely soluble & may added directly to the pool or into the pool skimmer.
3. Cal Hypo - available as granules or tablets.  Most of the product is used a granule.  Ideally should be pre-dissolved prior to introduction to the pool water.
4. Percentage of available chlorine for Dichlor varies depending on the product; Anhydrous - 62% or Dihydrate - 56%.
5. Daily Dosage - ounces of product per 10,000 gallons per day at 75° F water temperature to maintain a level of 1.0 - 3.0 ppm Free Available Chlorine (FAC). Please note that consumption will approximately double for every 10° rise in temperature.
6. Fluid ounces. 


*Follow the instructions given by your pool care specialist EXPLICITLY. Failure to do so could result in harm to you and/or your pool & its components.

If you still need help, here's how to reach us:

Telephone (during store hours): Stratford  203-377-0100
FAX: (24 hrs) 203-375-7787
Email: techhelp@parpool-spa.com