Could this be algae or dirt/pollen?

[dawndenise]

Sandy,

I don't want to needlessly worry you, but the point I was making was that the chlorine in the pool was also a problem, not just the Borates.
Richard

Needlessly worry me???? I worry about everything, so this is nothing new.
I'll watch my CL level too. Just glad for the info.

And, yes, I'll try an outdoor bowl to see if I can't interest her in quenching her outdoor thirst somewhere other than in the pool. Frankly, I think she gets a real kick out of submerging her muzzle and swishing it from side to side, blowing bubbles and biting at the water a bit. Yes, she's got some Lab in her "mix."

[matt4x4]

Dawndenise - in case your problem still exists and/or resurfaces over the next while, it's not pollen or dirt - read the sticky thread at the very top, there's only one way to kill that stuff and that is high FC (25-30) for an extended period of time (5-7 day) - even if your pool looks spotless after day 1, because it'll be back like a bad nightmare.....
I'll probably get blasted by someone for this, but I've helped cure enough people of this problematic stuff to make me feel 100% comfortable in stating the above, others haven't.

[waterbear]

Dawndenise. Listen to Matt4x4! I agree with him. As far as the dogs go you CAN teach them not to drink from the pool. I have 3 and a cat who thought the pool was their own outiside water bowl also! It took a bit of time and a lot of patience but they have all learned that their water dish outside is for drinking, not the pool! I used a combination of a loud NO, a water pistol or a hand clap to stop them from drinking from the pool and then lead them to the water bowl and when they drank from it I would give them a treat. I kept ice in the water bowl so the water was cold and that helped also. The cat was the fastest learner. It just took a few loud NOs. Now he is content to just play with the Deck Jets when they are on. BTW, I DO have borates in my pool.

[dawndenise]

Matt...thanks for the info. Actually it was itstoohot that had the initial problem in this thread. I had just jumped in because there was, IMO, a very important point being made by ChemGeek that borates may pose a problem in pools where canines drink a lot of pool water. While borates appear to have many benefits, I don't believe that any posts prior to that one brought up the issue of companion animals and borates.

But, I AM glad you made a response because it allows me to thank you for your postings on mustard/yellow algae. I had a problem with it last September which I detailed here: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=5921 and here: http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=5953 and it was your experience and previous postings along with ChemGeek's responses that got my pool cleared up. Without your postings, I would have never imagined I'd have to go to that high a level of chlorine to get rid of the stuff.

[dawndenise]

Hi Evan,

Guess we were posting at the same time. I'm glad to hear your animals are staying away from drinking your pool water with the borates. I may have to seriously think about re-training my gal to not drink from the pool if I ever hope to add borates and get out of the pH/TA cycle I'm currently in, but that's a post elsewhere.

Still, she's really a swimming/splashing/drinking fool....