Not sure about the price comparisons part, but I have learned that with the pucks ( if you use them all the time)you have a good chance of knocking your CYA levels up too high which can create other chemistry problems. Saying that, this is my first season doing the BBB method and I am in Texas, so I know i will be using prob close to a bottle of bleach every day. The folks at TFP might be able to give you more clear insight on the pros and cons of using pucks all the time. They sure have helped me in understanding the importance of good chemistry.
LBF

Also, watch out for tabs with copper sulfate. Copper can build up, creating staining issues. HTH is one brand I know that has it and that there are others.

Not all tabs are compressed equally. Some last longer than others,

Scott

I just told my sister today that I know some last longer, but I didn't know why. I did not know about the copper sulfate. Since you don't have a suggestion, can I assume you think I should stick with liquid chlorine?

Ladybug, I remember learning about he CYA levels. I used tablets last summer and assumed my CYA levels were maybe fine or a bit high. However, I am using so much liquid that I am wondering if my level is low. I am going to get my water checked tomorrow regardless.

I am also going to do a tablet comparison sometime this week and I will report back.

Well, I am far from a pro yet maintaining my pool, this is my first summer. I spent the winter pouring over how to maintain my own pool, ran across TFP and they really helped me. (hope I don't get in trouble for talking about them) I feel very comfortable now with managing my chems. I bought my own quliaty test kit so I don't have to run back and forth to the pool store all the time and I can say that I have been very pleased with the bleach borax and baking soda method ( and of course muratic acid). It's a cinch, and when you are doing your own tests (super easy) you (well, I do) have a better feel for your pool's needs.
All that said, IMHO, using the liquid chlorine instead of pucks is going to keep at least some chem problems from happening. Honestly,since I started doing the BBB method, I have not had ANY major problems. Now, I do test almost every day, but it takes literally maybe 2-3 minutes for the basics and I do all of them about once a week (tack on maybe another 5 min). I do occasionally use pucks when I am going out of town, but that's about it.
That's my 2 cents, hope it helps.

LBF

Getting your water tested properly and regularly is so important to a healthy pool. It tells you when it's hungry or needs attention.

Scott

Had my water tested at Leslie's. I told him the pool looked great, but I couldn't keep chlorine levels up. He said that I have fallen for the old-wives tale about CYA levels. My pH was a high, which I knew, and he said that could have to do with the low chlorine. My phospates were over 1,000 and he said that was my number one problem. He said I should not waste my time testing for CYA until I get my phospates under control. He also advised putting two caps of a phospate remedy into the pool each week just to keep it in check.

I didn't buy anything. What should I make of this?

Can't say much on the phosphates, but I would first focus on the other data. What were you other test results? Can you post the numbers? Did he test CYA? If CYA is too high, that can affect everything else.

He didn't give me any numbers because he said nothing else matters until I get the phospate level down. I started another thread specifically on this, so we'll see what some of the pros on here think. Thanks!