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Thread: Carcass in Pool

  1. #1
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    Unhappy Carcass in Pool

    Well, we didn't close the pool properly last fall and finally got around to opening it this afternoon. We cleaned the leaves off the surface and worked on cleaning the leaves off the bottom. On one pass, white material rose to the top, and I pulled out some fur and bones. There is white stuff floating all over (yuck!), and I think we got most of the critter out. It was decomposed. We found the skull (thinking it's a possum), but the dog ran off with it.

    Completely disgusted, and the stench by the pool is BAD!

    So, do we drain and restart? If we don't drain it, how could it be sanitized? Right now, we can't see the bottom....oh, what you proper pool owners must be thinking!

    Suggestions? Thanks...and sorry if you're grossed out!

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    Default Re: Carcass in Pool

    We are thinking we should drain it in case we miss a bone that could puncture the liner. Also, thinking that will get rid of whatever the white stuff is floating in it.

    I'm nervous about draining it. It's a 24' round Esther Williams.

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    Default Re: Carcass in Pool

    Don't try to drain a vinyl liner pool (if that's what you have).

    As gross as your discovery is, I'd open like any other. Remove all the debris possible and bring the pool to shock level as per the Best Guess Chart at http://pool9.net/cl-cya/. Use bleach to shock and keep shock level until one day after these three tests are met:
    1) The pool is clear
    2) The pool loses less than 1 ppm FC between sunset and sunrise (overnight)
    3) The pool has almost no CC
    Run the filter 24/7, cleaning as necessary
    Brush the pool at least every other day - best to do this just after adding bleach.
    Test FC and adjust as often as possible at least daily, more often when possible.

    If you don't have a Taylor K-2006, you're going to need one. You can't buy it in a store but here's a convenient link http://pool9.net/tk/.

    Tell us more about your pool and we'll be able to help you more.
    In Ground(IG) or Above(AG), plaster, vinyl, hard or soft side, pump size (HP), filter type and size, how you chlorinate, and what kind of test kit you have now.

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    12'x24' oval 7.7K gal AG vinyl pool; ; Hayward S270T sand filter; Hayward EcoStar SP3400VSP pump; hrs; K-2006; PF:16

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    Default Re: Carcass in Pool

    We have an above-ground pool, with a vinyl liner I think. We use bromine (Performex Sanitizer 940 inline) and have a Hayward Sandfilter (Model SL66T92S). Our pump is a Hayward Power Flow Matriz (1 hp). Not sure what we're using for testing yet.

    Draining the pool makes me nervous because I've read the liner may shrink, walls can collapse when refilling, etc. Right now the pool is green, so we can't see how much of the animal is left in there. We know there are more leaves to get out.

    Husband's plan is to start draining the pool Monday morning, cleaning the walls and removing debris as we go. That means getting in there with that white fleshy stuff floating around and whatever else might be in there. Water to refill will begin arriving at noon. That will cost about $440 for water. He thinks by the time we're done with chemicals, it would cost about the same and take a lot longer.

    By the way, the stench at the pool was horrible last night after fishing out parts of that animal. I don't think we should start the pump or anything and let that run through the system should we? (If we decided not to drain/refill).

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Carcass in Pool

    Thanks for your reply.

    Here is our pool information: 24' above ground with vinyl liner.
    Hayward Sand Filter (model SL66T92S)
    Hayward Power Flow Matrix pump (1 HP)
    Performex Sanitizer 940 inline (we use bromine)

    Last night, the stench was horrible around the pool. Today, it's not as bad (a little dead fish smelling), but we have disturbed the water at all.

    If we were to try to open it, we'd get everything running even though there are white fleshy chunks in there? I guess they'll fill the basket.. We are not positive it wasn't a raccoon, and I read there could be a threat to humans (roundworm I think), but evidently it'd been dead quite awhile.

    I'm not sure what your #2 and #3 mean in your response. Does it matter that we use bromine rather than chlorine?

    How many days do you think it'd take us to open it without draining/refilling?

    If we drain it, we start Monday morning, cleaning the walls and removing debris as we go. That means getting in there with the rotten stuff floating around. The water to refill will begin arriving at noon. I'm nervous about ruining the liner, walls collapsing, etc. Husband doesn't think it will be a problem as long as it's done quickly. He also thinks we'll spend about as much in chemicals ($400) as we would for water.

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    Default Re: Carcass in Pool

    If your going to refill, I'd say no need to start the circulation system. How are you going to drain?

    It's gonna be gross but you'll have to get all the debris out before refilling. I'd wash it down pretty good with strong bleach solution as well.

    You can tie lines to the top rail and stake them out (like a tent) to help keep the wall from collapsing.

    This might be a good time to switch to chlorine. Read about the "BBB" method we tech here at poolsolutions.com and in the stickies in the forums here (you'll have to log out to see the rest of the forum).

    Good luck, let us know how you're doing (and when you make the decision to switch to chlorine).

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    Default Re: Carcass in Pool

    . . . membership updated.

    A lot of the advice we normally give, doesn't apply to brominated pools because they can't be stabilized, and lose sanitizer like crazy whenever the sun shines.

    But, if you're starting with slime-pit, it will be sanitized by the time it's crystal clear.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Carcass in Pool

    Thanks for your help. Sorry I posted twice earlier. I'm new and didn't realize it was just waiting for moderation.

    Well, we decided not to drain. I've been sweeping the bottom and scooping out more leaves and leftover animal tissue. The stench is not as bad.

    Our first goal will be to get it more clear so we can see what's still in there.

    Husband isn't interested in switching to chlorine as we have lots of bromine.

    So, once we get it clear, you think it is sanitized right? That could take a long time!

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    Default Re: Carcass in Pool

    Actually, if you want to switch to chlorine, you may NEED to drain the pool. The problem is, chlorine will convert the used up bromine in your pool, back from bromide into bromine again.

    In fact, if you look closely at your bromine containers, you'll probably see a chemical name like bromo-chloro-dimethyl-hydantoin. They can make 2-bromo-dimethyl-hydantoin, but the bromo-chloro version is cheaper, and once you've got a little leftover bromide in the pool, all of the active sanitizer in the pool is bromine, regardless.

    Another version of that info is this PoolSolutions page that I wrote 15 years ago.

    Is your pump a 2-speed pump? If it is, that will help.

    Can you do the DE-test? You have to be able to see the point where water emerges from your pool return, in order to do the test. => http://pool9.net/de-test. Doing this test will allow you to determine whether your filter is working adequately or not.

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