Swimming Pool options

[AndyMA]

I have a small, in ground pool that I'm building myself. It's only 3 feet deep and 12x16 feet wide. It holds about 1,700 gallons. My original plan was to do salt water because I heard that it's safer for dogs to drink. Recently I've learned that the small amount of salt in a pool is still very corrosive and there are a lot of people that have switched to chlorine because of issues with the salt. I don't want to have chlorine because I think it's harmful to my dogs.

A friend that also shows Akita's has something called Nature2 for her in ground pool. It's a huge pool, and the water looks fantastic. I don't know all the details for her pool, but they are very happy with it and they are highly recommending it.

Does anybody know anything about Nature2 for swimming pools?

Is this too good to be true?

Home shows their products and I'm trying to read through it to see what I should get, or if I should go with them


Amazon.com : Nature2 W2171 Express Mineral Pool Sanitizer, Above Ground : Swimming Pool Cleaning Tools : Garden & Outdoor could it be this cheap and simple to have clear water for the summer?


Since my pool is not done, we just fill it for the weekend and then dump it, or add bromine tablets for my hot tub to the pool fountain, which gives me another week of use. This is very wasteful and I'm hoping to get to the point where I can fill it up and keep it full without it turning green on me. then when temps drop in the Fall, I'll drain it and keep it empty until it gets warm again the following year.

we have a salt water pool. Remember the salt is the source for a salt water chlorinator. The chlorine is generated by the chlorinator. The salt level is very low as is the chlorine level

Andy

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm still on the fence on what I want to do. I've re thought my position on chlorine, and you have made some good points for it, but my wife is super crazy. Image the most crazy mom and sheltered child you have ever known, and she is worse!!! I also don't like how I feel itchy all over after being in chlorine. It's just not an option.

I understand that salt is converted into chlorine, but from what I've read, it doesn't affect you the same when you swim in it. I don't actually swim, I just like to float around in the pool and drink a few beers. I find this to be very relaxing after working on projects during the day.

The Nature2 system sounds better to me then the salt water system, but I'm not convinced that it works. Too good to be true type of thing for me right now. But that's really what I'm leaning towards.

 

[hunt4570]

I will throw out another thought, vacuuming your pool. I had an above ground and did it by hand with a pole or climbed in and did it, which was usually easier. I always wanted one those that crawled around on the bottom automatically but I do not think they work on above ground. Just keeping the pool vacuumed goes a long way on keeping the water clear.

I'll give a second to one of those crawly gismos... A pool robot! If you go to the expense go with a fully automatic unit that is completely separate from the pool system. I've done all three.. a vacuum at the end of a pole, a unit that is attached to a "in" line on the swimming pool pump and a fully independent unit that gets plugged into an electric outlet to get its power.
Vacuum on a pole is just a pain, a unit hooked to an "IN" fitting on the pool useually does a very substandard job and misses large sections of the pool. A cheep stand alone unit does just marginally better than a pool system unit.. I bought one and returned it after about 3 weeks. Now a good one will clean your whole pool (minus steps and such) .

 

[hunt4570]

I'll take another look into chlorine. I should add that I used to use chlorine in my hot tub and over time, it started to irritate my skin. I would get out of the hot tub and be very itchy all over. I switched to Bromine and the itching went away. I hate testing the water all the time and having to add chemicals to it once or twice a week, but that just might be what I end up doing with the pool.

Thank you for the links, I'm going to take a little time and see what I can learn on those sites.

I rarely ever add chemicals to my pool, I check it every few weeks and do what is needed, which is usually nothing. If I get a large rain event and have to pump water out I'll need to add salt, if I get a lot of "stuff" leaves and such in the pool, or have a very heavy bather usage I normally shock it. As far as salt the recommended amount needed is between 1500 ppm- 5000ppm, I normally stay in the lower end of that around 2000-2500 ppm at which point you can barely taste it in the water if you are trying.. just using the pool you never think to yourself that it is salty.
The Nature 2 thing works in addition to chlorine or Bromine, I used to use one in my hot tub.. didn't really seem to do anything. I could not tell the difference between when I was using it, and when I wasn't.. I tested it over a period of a couple years... I think its just a gimmick to get your money. YMMV

 

[aczlan]

I will throw out another thought, vacuuming your pool. I had an above ground and did it by hand with a pole or climbed in and did it, which was usually easier. I always wanted one those that crawled around on the bottom automatically but I do not think they work on above ground. Just keeping the pool vacuumed goes a long way on keeping the water clear.

We have a suction side cleaner (more or less a circle with brushes on the bottom and a U shaped piece in the water flow that flips back and forth. It does a good job from what I can see.

I'm still on the fence on what I want to do. I've re thought my position on chlorine, and you have made some good points for it, but my wife is super crazy. Image the most crazy mom and sheltered child you have ever known, and she is worse!!! I also don't like how I feel itchy all over after being in chlorine. It's just not an option.

I understand that salt is converted into chlorine, but from what I've read, it doesn't affect you the same when you swim in it. I don't actually swim, I just like to float around in the pool and drink a few beers. I find this to be very relaxing after working on projects during the day.

The Nature2 system sounds better to me then the salt water system, but I'm not convinced that it works. Too good to be true type of thing for me right now. But that's really what I'm leaning towards.

Looks like the Nature 2 system has little balls that contain silver and copper in the cartridges, they can break and end up inside the pool: Nature2 Fusion - Further Reading | Trouble Free Pool and Nature2 | Trouble Free Pool have info on them.

Sounds like it's not uncommon for the cartridges to break and release the balls, so I would not use them in your pool with your valuable dogs.

Aaron Z

 

[STx]

We had a chlorine pool in one of our houses when we lived in town. Other than when shocking it, the chlorine level in the pool water was about the same as or a little lower than it was in the tap water. Our dog drank out of it without any health problems, he eventually died at 14 or so from a pulmonary embolism many years after we moved to a house with no pool.

Most people give their dogs chlorinated city water all their lives without ill affect. Just don't overdo the chlorination and keep the dog out of it for 24 hours after shocking and you'll be fine.

 

[hunt4570]

I'm still on the fence on what I want to do. I've re thought my position on chlorine, and you have made some good points for it, but my wife is super crazy. Image the most crazy mom and sheltered child you have ever known, and she is worse!!! I also don't like how I feel itchy all over after being in chlorine. It's just not an option.

I understand that salt is converted into chlorine, but from what I've read, it doesn't affect you the same when you swim in it. I don't actually swim, I just like to float around in the pool and drink a few beers. I find this to be very relaxing after working on projects during the day.

The Nature2 system sounds better to me then the salt water system, but I'm not convinced that it works. Too good to be true type of thing for me right now. But that's really what I'm leaning towards.

So Eddie... any updates on this? how did the pool turn out?

 

[EddieWalker]

Other projects keep getting pushed ahead of this. We use it unfinished because it holds water and it's really nice when it's hot out, but finding the time to work on it just isn't there.

On the bright side, I now have a really nice fence around the vegetable garden and the dog yard has 3 separate pastures for them to run around in.

To compound it, we have finally agreed on a plan on how to add on to the house, and I'm working on getting the area that needs a new shed built to store everything that stored in the area that we are currently storing our lawn mower and log splitter, along with too much other stuff.

So far this year, I haven't even hooked up the bush cutter to my tractor, which means the jungle is taking over and it's only going to get worse!!!!

 

[hunt4570]

Other projects keep getting pushed ahead of this. We use it unfinished because it holds water and it's really nice when it's hot out, but finding the time to work on it just isn't there.

On the bright side, I now have a really nice fence around the vegetable garden and the dog yard has 3 separate pastures for them to run around in.

To compound it, we have finally agreed on a plan on how to add on to the house, and I'm working on getting the area that needs a new shed built to store everything that stored in the area that we are currently storing our lawn mower and log splitter, along with too much other stuff.

So far this year, I haven't even hooked up the bush cutter to my tractor, which means the jungle is taking over and it's only going to get worse!!!!

Sounds like life around here as well! Always something to do first!!

I let half of one of my fields go without mowing for two years, kind of an experiment , I'll not do that again, I almost have it back under control!

 

[RalphVa]

^^^^
As pointed out previously; he wants it dog-safe.

I do not think a clear water pool with a tiny bit of chlorine in it will be harmful to dogs.

 

[hunt4570]

I do not think a clear water pool with a tiny bit of chlorine in it will be harmful to dogs.

My critters drink out of mine all the time..

 

[Midniteoyl]

Baquacil does a good job, but takes more time to get 'right'. Once you get things down though, its pretty painless.. Costs are a little high though.

Home Page | Baquacil®

BAQUACIL® chlorine-free pool care products are gentler on swimmers’ hair and skin and won't bleach swimsuits or damage surfaces. See for yourself!

www.baquacil.com

 

[hunt4570]

Baquacil does a good job, but takes more time to get 'right'. Once you get things down though, its pretty painless.. Costs are a little high though.

Home Page | Baquacil®

BAQUACIL® chlorine-free pool care products are gentler on swimmers’ hair and skin and won't bleach swimsuits or damage surfaces. See for yourself!

www.baquacil.com

I'll stick with my chlorine generator.

 

[MossRoad]

Baquacil does a good job, but takes more time to get 'right'. Once you get things down though, its pretty painless.. Costs are a little high though.

Home Page | Baquacil®

BAQUACIL® chlorine-free pool care products are gentler on swimmers’ hair and skin and won't bleach swimsuits or damage surfaces. See for yourself!

www.baquacil.com

We used baquacil for quite a few years due to our oldest had reactions to chlorine when she was young. It did work. It took very little maintenance. It was very expensive compared to chlorine, and by the end of the year, the water would taste metallic. Once a year we'd get pink slime. And once a year we'd get black slime. A dose of expensive chemicals resolved it quickly. Drain the pool down for winter. Refill in spring. Water tasted fine for a couple months. Repeat.

Kid finally outgrew the chorine issues and we switched to salt water. No problems since.

 

[grsthegreat]

I have the nature2 system in my hottub. To activate it you need either a chlorine or bromine shock, and you still have to,maintain either a chlorine or bromine level. I use bromine floater. The good thing is once I set ph, hardness, alkaline levels, they never shift.

i also use some enzyme once a week, and an occasional shock. Water stays amazingly clear. But I also have a ozone system.

not sure about how safe for pets it would be though. My dog don’t hot tub.

 

[MossRoad]

I'll stick with my chlorine generator.

Which one do you have, if I may ask? IN ground or above ground pool?

 

[Midniteoyl]

We used baquacil for quite a few years due to our oldest had reactions to chlorine when she was young. It did work. It took very little maintenance. It was very expensive compared to chlorine, and by the end of the year, the water would taste metallic. Once a year we'd get pink slime. And once a year we'd get black slime. A dose of expensive chemicals resolved it quickly. Drain the pool down for winter. Refill in spring. Water tasted fine for a couple months. Repeat.

Kid finally outgrew the chorine issues and we switched to salt water. No problems since.

We never got the metallic taste or pink slime.

 

[MossRoad]

Something in the Baq products just seemed to concentrate it by the end of the season. Ever put a penny in your mouth? Tasted like that. Blech!

 

[kenmac]

When I lived in town (city) I had an inground pool 18x36 ? Used chlorine, dogs, cats, squirrels, birds, etc drank from the pool. Only animals that died (as far as I know) from the pool were the ones that fell in and couldn't get out. Never an issue with keeping the water right with chlorine.

Now at the farm, I have a 30 ft round above ground pool, and still use chorine.
I see the dog from time to time leaning over the deck taking a drink. She's still around, so No ill effects from the chlorine

 

[EddieWalker]

I have the nature2 system in my hottub. To activate it you need either a chlorine or bromine shock, and you still have to,maintain either a chlorine or bromine level. I use bromine floater. The good thing is once I set ph, hardness, alkaline levels, they never shift.

i also use some enzyme once a week, and an occasional shock. Water stays amazingly clear. But I also have a ozone system.

not sure about how safe for pets it would be though. My dog don’t hot tub.

This is what I'm leaning towards and using bromine. I have a hot tub and chlorine makes my skin feel itchy afterwards.

Because of the dogs, we where thinking that we had to go with salt water for their safety, but after we now realize that we where being overly cautious and there isn't any reason to go with a salt water system.

Summer hit here yesterday. We've had a very mild spring, which meant I haven't put any thought or effort into the pool all year. Yesterday it got warm and HUMID!!! I think I'm going to work on the pool this weekend and see if I can get my collection of rocks to look like a decent water fall in the corner of the pool. Currently we have a pot for plants with a plastic flat thing for fountains in it to create a water fall. This wasn't something that I had planned on, but as it evolved, my wife fell in love with the sound it creates. My goal is to create something more pleasing to look at, and also hide the filter, which is so tall that it is visible behind the pool. If I can get the water fall feature working, I'll fill the pool so we can use it for Fathers Day.