Best Pool Chlorine Tablet Feeder for Two Pool Sizes: What to Choose

Quick Picks

Best for a small above-ground pool: In The Swim Floating Chlorine Tablet Feeder for 3-Inch Chlorine Tablets
Best budget pick: Haviland Pool Products Universal In-Pool Chlorine Tablet Feeder (3-Inch Tablets)
Best for a larger pool with long equipment runs: Pentair 520549 IntelliChem Inline Chlorine Feeder
Best fixed-plumbing 3-inch-tablet feeder: Hayward ProSeries Chemical Feeder, In-Line
Best service replacement option: Dura-Plus Inline Chlorine Feeder for 3-Inch Tablets

A chlorine tablet feeder helps keep tablets contained and lets chlorine dissolve over time. It does not replace water testing. Chlorine demand changes with sun, rain, debris, water temperature, and swimmer use, so each pool still needs its own regular chemistry checks.

Choose the Feeder Style Before Choosing the Brand

The biggest difference is not the tablet itself. It is where the feeder lives.

A floating feeder sits in the pool. It is the natural fit for above-ground pools, seasonal setups, and pools without permanent plumbing. It can be removed for storage, cleaning, or pool use, and it does not require changes to the circulation line.

An inline feeder connects to the pool’s fixed equipment system. It keeps tablets out of the swimming area and moves refilling and cleanup to the equipment pad. That is useful for a larger permanent pool, but only when there is room to install and service the feeder properly.

For two pools of different sizes, avoid treating them as one chlorine job. The smaller pool will react more quickly to tablet exposure. The larger pool may need a steadier schedule simply because it has more water and often runs its circulation system longer.

1. In The Swim Floating Chlorine Tablet Feeder for 3-Inch Chlorine Tablets

Best for a small above-ground pool

The In The Swim Floating Chlorine Tablet Feeder is the clearest choice for a 2–3 person above-ground pool using 3-inch chlorine tablets. It keeps the setup simple: load the tablets, place the feeder in the pool, and remove it when the pool is being covered, cleaned, or stored for the season.

This is the feeder to choose when the small pool does not have a permanent equipment pad or when cutting into plumbing would create more trouble than it solves. It also works well as the simpler half of a two-pool setup: one floating feeder for the smaller above-ground pool, with a separate feeder chosen for the larger pool.

The compromise is that the feeder remains in the water. It can be in the way around ladders, steps, skimmer access, cleaning equipment, and pool covers. It also needs a designated place to sit when it is out of the pool.

Choose it for: A small above-ground pool, a seasonal pool, or any 3-inch-tablet routine that does not need a permanent plumbing installation.

Skip it for: A larger pool with a permanent equipment pad, long circulation periods, and a preference for an equipment-mounted feeder.

Keep the floating-feeder routine tidy

Store the feeder dry between seasons and away from other pool chemicals. Remove any remaining tablets before long-term storage. During the swimming season, keep a small plastic tote or other dedicated container nearby for the feeder when the pool cover is going on or the pool is being vacuumed.

A floating feeder should not be trapped beneath a cover or left pressing against pool surfaces for extended periods.

2. Haviland Pool Products Universal In-Pool Chlorine Tablet Feeder (3-Inch Tablets)

Best budget option for an above-ground pool

The Haviland Pool Products Universal In-Pool Chlorine Tablet Feeder is the budget-focused alternative for an above-ground pool using 3-inch tablets. Like the In The Swim feeder, it avoids plumbing changes and keeps the tablet routine straightforward.

This is a good match for a pool that is seasonal, portable, or simply not worth converting to a permanent inline chemical setup. It is also a sensible choice when the larger pool already takes most of the equipment budget and the smaller pool needs a basic, separate tablet feeder.

The trade-off is the same one that comes with any floating design: the feeder stays at the pool surface rather than at the equipment pad. It needs to be moved out of the way during some pool tasks and kept from becoming a nuisance around swimming areas.

Choose it for: A budget-conscious 3-inch-tablet setup for an above-ground pool.

Skip it for: A permanent pool system where keeping the feeder out of the water is the priority.

What you get from a simple floating feeder

A floating feeder is not meant to turn pool care into a fully automated process. Its appeal is that it keeps a tablet routine simple without adding plumbing work. That makes it particularly useful for the smaller of two pools, where a permanent inline installation may be unnecessary.

Keep the lid secure, keep the feeder clean, and do not let children or guests treat it as a pool toy. Chemical feeders belong in the maintenance routine, not in the swim area.

3. Pentair 520549 IntelliChem Inline Chlorine Feeder

Best for the larger pool and longer run times

The Pentair 520549 IntelliChem Inline Chlorine Feeder is the pick for the larger pool in a two-pool arrangement, especially when that pool has longer equipment schedules and benefits from automated chlorine dosing.

An inline automated approach moves the work away from the pool edge and into the equipment area. There is no floating dispenser to retrieve before pool use, no feeder drifting across the surface, and no tablet container competing with skimmer or ladder space.

That makes the Pentair a better direction for a larger backyard pool, a high-use secondary pool, or a pool that already has a dedicated equipment pad and established service routine.

Its trade-off is installation. Inline equipment needs a suitable location in the plumbing system, access for regular service, and room around the feeder for loading and cleanup. It is not the right tool for a temporary pool setup or simple seasonal hoses.

Choose it for: A larger permanent pool with longer circulation schedules and an equipment-pad-based maintenance routine.

Skip it for: A small above-ground pool with portable plumbing or limited space for an inline installation.

Automation still needs water testing

Automated dosing can create a steadier baseline, but it cannot respond on its own to every change in chlorine demand. A heat wave, a storm, a busy weekend, or a heavy debris load can change the pool’s needs quickly.

Test the larger pool separately from the smaller one. The two pools should never share a single dosing schedule simply because they use the same tablet type or chlorine product.

4. Hayward ProSeries Chemical Feeder, In-Line (Fits 3-Inch Chlorine Tablets)

Best for a permanent 3-inch-tablet setup

The Hayward ProSeries Chemical Feeder is for owners who want an inline 3-inch-tablet feeder rather than a floating dispenser. It fits a permanent pool system where the circulation plumbing is already in place and the feeder can remain accessible for loading and service.

This is the straightforward choice for someone who likes the familiar 3-inch-tablet routine but wants the pool surface free of a floating container. It is especially useful when the larger pool already has fixed plumbing and the owner wants tablet handling to happen at the equipment pad.

The feeder’s usefulness depends heavily on placement. A poorly located inline feeder can make every tablet refill more awkward than it needs to be. The lid needs room to open, and the feeder needs to be reachable without moving hoses, storage bins, or other equipment.

Choose it for: A permanent pool system using 3-inch tablets and an accessible inline plumbing layout.

Skip it for: Seasonal above-ground pools, temporary plumbing, or a pool that is disassembled for winter.

Plan for normal service access

Before choosing an inline feeder, look at the equipment area with tablet loading in mind. Leave room to open the lid, reach the control area, wipe down the housing, and handle routine maintenance without crowding the pump, filter, or other equipment.

Keep pool chemicals separated in storage. The feeder is for the tablets being used in the system, not a general storage container for leftover chemicals.

5. Dura-Plus Inline Chlorine Feeder for 3-Inch Tablets

Best for a straightforward replacement job

The Dura-Plus Inline Chlorine Feeder is the service-minded option for a fixed plumbing system that already uses 3-inch tablets. Its role is simple: provide durable, no-fuss tablet feeding without shifting the pool toward a more automated setup.

It is a strong fit when an existing inline feeder needs replacement and the rest of the pool’s maintenance routine is already working. It also suits properties where a pool service technician handles regular care and wants a familiar inline feeder style.

The limitation is that it is built for a stable plumbing arrangement. It does not offer the portability of a floating feeder, and it is not the choice for a pool that needs the feeder removed and stored often.

Choose it for: Inline feeder replacements, fixed pool plumbing, and a direct 3-inch-tablet routine.

Skip it for: Small seasonal pools, portable setups, or any pool where the feeder needs to move in and out with the season.

A good fit for established maintenance routines

The Dura-Plus makes the most sense when the rest of the pool system already has a predictable schedule: circulation runs are established, tablet refills are part of regular service, and water chemistry is checked routinely.

It is not a replacement for circulation, filtration, or water-balance maintenance. Chlorine tablets are only one part of keeping pool water in shape.

Buying Advice for Two Different Pool Sizes

A small pool and a larger pool should not be treated as identical just because both use chlorine tablets.

Start with the smaller pool

For the smaller pool, keep the feeder choice simple. A floating feeder is usually the better match when the pool is above ground, seasonal, portable, or not built around permanent plumbing.

The In The Swim feeder is the best overall choice for a 2–3 person above-ground pool. The Haviland feeder covers the same basic 3-inch-tablet job when the goal is to keep costs down.

Small pools can change quickly when chlorine demand shifts. Test often enough to catch changes before the chlorine level gets out of range.

Give the larger pool its own equipment-based plan

For the larger pool, an inline feeder becomes more appealing when there is a permanent equipment pad, fixed circulation plumbing, and a regular run schedule.

Choose the Pentair 520549 IntelliChem Inline Chlorine Feeder when the larger pool calls for automated dosing. Choose the Hayward ProSeries or Dura-Plus when the goal is a more straightforward inline 3-inch-tablet feeder.

Do not share one feeder between two pools

Each pool needs its own feeder and its own chlorine setting. Moving a feeder back and forth between pools makes it harder to control dosing and easier to lose track of each pool’s chemistry.

The small pool and large pool should also be tested separately. Their chlorine use can differ because of water volume, sun exposure, circulation time, debris, and swimmer load.

When to Skip a Tablet Feeder

A tablet feeder is not the right addition for every sanitation plan.

Skip one if the pool is maintained with a salt chlorine generator, liquid chlorine routine, or another method that does not rely on solid chlorine tablets. Combining chlorine systems without a clear water-balance plan can push chlorine levels too high.

Tablet feeders also deserve caution when cyanuric acid is already elevated. Stabilized chlorine tablets add cyanuric acid as they dissolve, so feeding more tablets does not address an existing stabilizer problem.

A floating feeder is a poor match when it repeatedly catches under a cover, bumps into ladders, interferes with skimmer access, or is likely to be handled by children. In a permanent pool with suitable plumbing, an inline setup keeps the chemical container at the equipment pad instead.

Before You Buy

Match the feeder to the tablet size

The In The Swim, Haviland, Hayward ProSeries, and Dura-Plus models in this guide are identified for 3-inch chlorine tablets. Use the tablet size intended for the feeder. Do not crush tablets or force a different format into the chamber.

Look closely at the equipment pad

For an inline feeder, the installation area needs enough room for regular work:

• Opening the feeder lid
• Loading tablets
• Reaching the feeder controls
• Cleaning the housing after handling chemicals
• Servicing or winterizing the system
• Keeping stored chemicals separated from the feeder

A feeder that is easy to reach is more likely to be used and maintained properly.

Plan where a floating feeder goes when it is out of the pool

Floating feeders need a place to sit during pool cleaning, cover use, and seasonal storage. Keep a dedicated container available so the feeder is not left dripping on deck surfaces, garage shelves, or other equipment.

Final Recommendations

For the smaller pool, choose the In The Swim Floating Chlorine Tablet Feeder for 3-Inch Chlorine Tablets. It is the best fit for a 2–3 person above-ground pool that needs a simple tablet routine without plumbing work.

Choose the Haviland Pool Products Universal In-Pool Chlorine Tablet Feeder when the smaller pool needs the same basic 3-inch-tablet approach at a lower-cost entry point.

For the larger pool, choose the Pentair 520549 IntelliChem Inline Chlorine Feeder when longer equipment runs and automated chlorine dosing are the goal. If the pool already has permanent plumbing and you want a standard 3-inch-tablet inline feeder, the Hayward ProSeries and Dura-Plus are the more direct options.

The most useful two-pool setup is usually not one “universal” feeder choice. It is a floating feeder for the smaller above-ground pool and a separate inline system for the larger permanent pool.

FAQ

Should two pools use the same chlorine feeder setting?

No. Each pool needs its own setting based on water volume, circulation time, sun exposure, swimmer use, and water-test results. A setting that works for a larger pool can overfeed a smaller pool.

Is a floating chlorine feeder suitable for an above-ground pool?

Yes. Floating feeders are commonly used for above-ground pools because they do not require plumbing changes. Remove the feeder when needed for swimming, cleaning, cover use, or storage.

Are inline feeders better than floating feeders?

Neither style is automatically better. Inline feeders suit permanent pools with accessible plumbing and a regular equipment schedule. Floating feeders suit above-ground, seasonal, and portable pools because they are easier to place, remove, and store.

Do all of these feeders use 3-inch chlorine tablets?

The In The Swim, Haviland, Hayward ProSeries, and Dura-Plus feeders in this guide are identified for 3-inch chlorine tablets. The Pentair 520549 IntelliChem is listed as an inline feeder with automated chlorine dosing.

Can a chlorine tablet feeder replace pool water testing?

No. A feeder supplies chlorine over time, but it does not measure free chlorine, pH, alkalinity, or cyanuric acid. Test each pool separately, especially after storms, heavy use, hot weather, or changes to the feeder routine.