How large are the tabs (3 inch or smaller) and how many tabs in each 50 lb bucket?

Granules are not tabs. They are coarse particles, about the consistency of hominy grits. There are probably several million granules in a 50 lb. bucket. I'm going to go out on a limb here and estimate that there are 50 lbs of them. What I do is fill the scoop (it comes inside the bucket) with granules, get 1 to 2 gallons of water from my pool in a 5 gal. plastic bucket and pour in the particles. I stir them around with a stirrer made of a short length of PVC pipe and break up any clumps that have formed over time. I pour the slurry into the pool at several different points. The granules are not stabilized chlorine (which most tabs are) but calcium hypochlorite (same chemical as bleach).

I feel dumb, but I can't figure out how to open this bucket. I've tried jostling the red tab and turning but to no avail. Any tips?

I had this issue the first time as well. Examine the red lock tab to see how it locks into place by falling into those holes. You need to pull up on that. Thing is, mine had already been pulled up. So instead of concentrating my energy on that I stood up, grabbed the top of the bucket with both hands and turned it left in order to open it. Simply grabbing it from the side with one hand was not enough the first time so you'll need both hands and grab from the top. Have another person hold the red tab up at the same time and it should open easily.

ASIN	B002WKJ6IS
Brand	In The Swim
Brand Name	In The Swim
Customer Reviews	4.6 out of 5 stars 612 Reviews
Item Form	Granular
Item Weight	25 Pounds
Item form	Granular
Item weight	25 Pounds
Manufacturer	In The Swim Discount Pool Supplies
Product Benefits	Kills Bacteria
Product benefits	Kills Bacteria
UPC	815100020700
Unit Count	11829.4 Milliliters
Unit count	11829.4 Milliliters

In The Swim Pool Shock – 68% Cal-Hypo Granular Sanitizer for Crystal Clear Water – Defends Against Bacteria, Algae, and Microorganisms - 25 Pounds

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