Clear, but no chlorine???

[BigDave]

@PoolDoc: mary jo hosted a pool party before starting the shock and has had no swimmers since - sorry, I should have included that in the summary. I agree that any ammonia would show as much higher CC and smell. After over a week at 20% shock level with clear water I doubt it's algae. So... maybe the fertilizer? Maybe space aliens? Any other ideas or more importantly, course of action? Thanks again.

[mary jo]

OK- off track here but have to comment: the pee in the pool thing really grosses me out. I may have to initiate a mandatory "pee before you get in" rule (right after the "don't splash mom" rule). I already have strict rule about always, ALWAYS having a dedicated adult watching any junior swimmers in my pool. If I'm spoiling their social scene then too bad, kiddo. I heard about the public pool stats but seriously- in a private pool people do this???

[CarlD]

Grosses me out, too!

My dad (RIP) used to have two signs on his pool:

"We don't swim in your toilet. Please don't pee in our pool!"

and

"This is our OOL. Notice there is no 'P' in it!"

[FormerBromineUser]

Always with the folksy asides, Carl, love it!

While awaiting your morning numbers, I have a silly question. You have mentioned vacuuming but I don't think you've ever mentioned brushing the sides. May I assume you are doing that? I am just trying to think of anything and everything!

[CarlD]

Always with the folksy asides, Carl, love it!

Uh-oh! Am I in trouble again?

[mary jo]

So CarlD- think they still make those signs? (altho my very understated husband would freak if I put a sign up).

What trumps pee in the pool? Finding a dead critter, maybe. This morning I found a dead vole (I'm guessing) in the skimmer, gave a shriek, all the kids came running out and took pictures for instagram. "cool mom!"

Well, yesterday's FC numbers stayed constant all day w/ FC=30. CC went up and down (3 to 2 to 2.5 yo 3).

Yesterday evening @8:15 FC=30 CC=3 first time ever the cup of test water smelled like heavy chlorine….it was overcast all day.
This morning tested @ 7:00 FC=30 (one test read 31- not sure how that is possible), and CC=2

oh-FBU: yes I brush the sides, feel them often for slickness. also have the kids and hubby do this while they are in the pool, but I haven't vacuumed since I started the shocking process. Is this something I should do now?

[BigDave]

Only need to vacuum if there's stuff to clean up. You should, however, brush floor and walls. How much bleach did you use yesterday?

[Watermom]

What trumps pee in the pool? Finding a dead critter, maybe.

How about finding a dead body in your pool! That's what trumps both pee and dead critters. A few years ago, one of the former moderators found that her neighbor had committed suicide in her pool.

Makes a little pee seem insignificant, doesn't it?

[PoolDoc]

About Pee in Pools:
Basically, any kids who were hydrated when the left in the house, and who remain in the pool 2 hours (where they aren't sweating) have probably pee-ed in the pool.

Dedicated US Swimming participants (year round swimmers) pick up the habit of doing so during 2 hour practices during which they aren't allowed to leave the pool. (Coaches HATE having to retrieve swimmers who are tired and taking an extended break in the rest room.)

I know it's gross -- till you get mentally adjusted to it. Urine is normally sterile, which is why doctors can test for bladder infections using a simple presence/absence test for bacteria. Consequently, it's not really a health problem. But urine DOES use up quite a bit of chlorine, and it combines rather badly with chlorine at that. On outdoor pools exposed to solar UV, the combination of chlorine + UV destroys the byproducts rapidly. The one place where pool UV systems have a REAL value is on indoor pools where these combination products accumulate in the absence of solar UV.

But, if you want to keep pee out of your pool, you either have limit pool sessions to 1 hour or less OR provide an EASY alternative. Many homeowners exclude dripping kids from the house: if you do, you also have a pee-filled pool, unless you've worked out an alternative. This can be -- depending on your fences and family's modesty standards -- as simple as a designated pee-bush! Others set up a camping type portable outhouse. Of course a dedicated pool house with a flush toilet is the ultimate solution, but you'll need an extra $20,000 or so, plus enough yard, if you want to take that route.

About Mystery Chlorine Loss:
The most common identified causes of 'mystery' chlorine loss include:

1. Unrecognized algae or bacterial growth, like mustard algae deposits or water mold (in light fixtures, etc)

2. Prior use of a bromide product for mustard algae, or just about any product made by United Chemicals

3. Low CYA, due to an earlier algae / biofilm bloom.

4. Unrecognized heavy bather 'load', such as REALLY oily swimmers, or swimmers with full bladders.

5. Regular use of algaecides.


Fertilizer will not affect chlorine use EXCEPT by helping to fuel algae or bacterial growth, as in #1 above.

[CarlD]

My next-door neighbor has a summer "pool bathroom" that's outdoors, sort of, but built into the house. They have to winterize it, of course, shutting off the water and filling it with pool anti-freeze every fall. No idea what it cost.
We don't but in an emergency it's just steps across a tile floor to bathroom off the kitchen--and it's a rough tile we put deliberately put in because it isn't deadly when wet.
Plus, after an hour, we get kids out.