Swimming Pool options

   / Swimming Pool options #31  
Yep. I would focus on a really good filter and plain old chlorine.
In all reality, I'd bet the dog drinking pool water would have less side effects than a dog drinking a bunch of salt water. Even though the salt level in a swimming pool is typically 10 times less salt than the ocean ( 3500ppm VS the ocean, which is 35,000ppm ), too much salt isn't good for a human or dog. Salt water pools are about the same salt level as human tears.
 
   / Swimming Pool options
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#34  
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.
 
   / Swimming Pool options #35  
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 have been an in-ground pool owner for a long time. My chemical additions weekly (7 to 10 days) consist of dropping 4 3 inch tablets into my skimmer baskets.

Hurricanes have been known to upset my pool balance, and opening the pool after a winter of no monitoring can lead to a week of chemical imbalances.

Where I am going with this is the right filter system and a steady monitoring, you should not be spending a lot of time with chemicals and the pool. You should be enjoying it. Not maintaining it.

Good luck in your endeavors. Those pool sites are very helpful.
 
   / Swimming Pool options #37  
Eddie, when we had a pool, it was above ground, it got to the point I didn’t have to test that often. I had a chlorine feeder on mine and I learned how many tablets to keep in it. You could adjust a setting also but once I found a setting, it was good as long as I kept the amount of tablets the same. The daily maintenance didn’t bug me, but keeping the leaves out and keeping the cover pumped off when it was closed got old for me. I’d think in Texas you could keep it opened near year round.
 
   / Swimming Pool options #38  
I have had a pool and dogs for 20 plus years. The dogs drink out of it and get in it occasionally. Kids drink it occasionally and get in it frequently. Ducks swim in it from time to time. Frogs, snakes and other wildlife get in it occasionally as well. Squirrels are constantly drinking out of it. If you keep the chlorine at the proper level, it won稚 hurt people or animals as far as I can tell. The chlorine can稚 be tasted, does not smell and does not fade fabrics. My understanding is that the salt just creates chlorine using an electrolytic chlorine generator. My pool company does not recommend the salt system.
 
   / Swimming Pool options #39  
Eddie, you might also look into adding an Ozonator if you have good circulation loop. I have found that ozone along with bromine to work best for us for hot tubs. My wife cannot tolerate chlorine. Others have mentioned UV. I don't have experience with that but if I was getting/building a new pool/spa system I would want both UV and Ozone treatment as these should reduce the amou nt of other chemicals needed for balance.
 
   / Swimming Pool options #40  
Pool companies do not recommend salt systems for 2 reasons.

1. an honest reason - corrosion is a concern.
2. a selfish reason - they won't be selling you pool chemicals very often.

When we ran our saltwater pool for 8 years, I generally did this:

open the pool
top off water
measure salt level
add 4-5 bags of salt $20.
Add 8 oz of algaecide $25 for 32oz bottle.
Add 3-4 gallons of bleach $12.
Add CYA chlorine stabilizer $15.
Enjoy pool for summer.
Add 2oz of algaecide each week.
End of summer, drain down 12" of water and add 3-4 gallons of bleach $12.
Cover pool.

Nothing added all summer long except weekly algaecide. Since salt can't evaporate, all you have to do is keep the pool water level at a relatively consistent level. If there's a drought, you have to add water. If there's a lot of rain and the pool overflows, you may have to add some salt and CYA. But that's rare here.

Now if a kid poops in your pool, or a squirrel dies in it, then yes, you have to shock it just like any other pool.

What I enjoy about the salt water pool is that it's soft water. Smooth and silky. Just a very slight tasted of salt, like your tears. You can open your eyes and not feel a thing, as it's the same salt level as your eyes. It's easy to monitor the levels. You don't get wild swings. The sun doesn't affect the chlorine levels very much. It doesn't wear out your swimwear. It's easy on your hair. It takes me about 10 minutes a week to maintain it.

Now while you save a bunch in chemicals, you spend a lot in electricity, because the salt water chlorine generator pulls some amps.

So I doubt that I save much money with salt water. What I save in chlorine and shock costs, I probably spend near in electricity, so it's probably a wash financially. It's just a lot nicer feeling water and less time messing with chemicals.
 
 
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