BBB method and vacation???

[peekaboo]

you guys are just brilliant!









Celtics in 7

[waterbear]

I have gone away for two week and just shut everything off during the heat of summer (July). When I returned the pool was only slightly cloudy (but no chlorine left) which was fixed by a shock with bleach.

My secret? I have 50 ppm borates in my pool!

I intend to do the same this year in 3 weeks. Will post what the pool looks like when I get back. I suspect it will be the same as in the past, only a bit cloudy and no visible green! I already have the gallon of bleach in the garage in anticipation of my return.

[chem geek]

I've found similar results after adding 50 ppm Borates. My pool is very high in phosphates (3000 ppb) and probably nitrates as well and is very reactive so if the chlorine gets too low it doesn't take long for algae to grow. However, since the Borates are in the pool it seems far less reactive. It doesn't completely stop such algae growth, but seems to slow it down significantly.

Though not cheap upon first addition, it's better than something like copper ions that can stain. Thank you Evan for getting us onto the Borates bandwagon. It's not necessary since one can prevent algae using chlorine alone, but is very nice insurance to have.

Richard

[sturev]

Evan, do you have a post about the Borates? I'd love to learn what you guys are doing...

[Watermom]

I think this is the thread.

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=4712

[sturev]

Thanks Watermom!

[BeenPoolStored]

Back from vacation. Before we left, I brought the water up to shock level, then added 7 pucks, set the chlorinator on 2-1/2 and put the cover on. Came home this evening and the water is clear. No algae! The pH was a little low (7.0). I added Borax to bring it up. I'll test again in the morning.

[AnnaK]

Great job!

Hope you had a good time and didn't worry too much about the pool. Since it's clean you can extend your vacation and go swim!

[polyvue]

I have gone away for two week and just shut everything off during the heat of summer (July). When I returned the pool was only slightly cloudy (but no chlorine left) which was fixed by a shock with bleach.

My secret? I have 50 ppm borates in my pool!

Besides the borates I wonder if algae growth is constrained by other factors that relate to the pool's environment.

Your avatar betrays the use of a bird cage (enclosure) that are so ubiquitous in Florida. That would be one variable and must reduce UV exposure. Other possible factors: cloudy weather and summer rain (there's almost none in the southwest and large portions of California during July and August); humidity; day/night air temperature swings; cover usage; etc.

[waterbear]

Besides the borates I wonder if algae growth is constrained by other factors that relate to the pool's environment.

Your avatar betrays the use of a bird cage (enclosure) that are so ubiquitous in Florida. That would be one variable and must reduce UV exposure. Other possible factors: cloudy weather and summer rain (there's almost none in the southwest and large portions of California during July and August); humidity; day/night air temperature swings; cover usage; etc.

Nope, pools turn green here in a day, birdcage or not! Summer rains tend to bring on algae blooms also (probably by diluting the chlorine). I would have more customers coming in right before a rain to get some chlorine to shock as 'insurance' and even more come in a day after a heavy rain to get help with clearing their now cloudy and/or green pool.
Proper cover usage should not affect algae blooms since the covers should be on at night and off during the day but that is really a winter thing here and not a summer thing.

FWIW, borates ARE an effective algaestat (and pH buffer).