5 Key Differences Between Sodium Dichlor and Calcium Hypochlorite

Calcium hypochlorite adds calcium to the water and raises pH, while sodium dichlor is stabilized with cyanuric acid and has a lower pH.

Calcium hypo is cheaper per pound of available chlorine, but you must pre-dissolve it in a bucket to avoid bleaching your liner or plaster.

Sodium dichlor is more convenient—you can toss it directly into the skimmer or broadcast it without pre-dissolving.

Calcium hypo spikes calcium hardness, which is fine for soft water but problematic for hard water or vinyl liners.

Sodium dichlor adds cyanuric acid, so overuse can lock up your chlorine; always check your CYA level before adding more.