Pool Party Dilemma

[Concho]

Hi all,

Since becoming a BBB'er early last year, I guess you could could say I've kinda become a pool Nazi when it comes to water clarity. After defeating my algae bloom last April, I have had perfectly balanced, crystal clear water ever since! To make a long story short...my attitude has sort of rubbed off on my kids...and they don't like swimming in other peoples cloudy pools. My 10 year old was just invited to a pool party this coming Wednesday....and she doesn't really want to go because their pool is always extremely cloudy....and my wife is ****** at me for corrupting her! Should I force her to go swimming? My wife says I shouldn't be bad-mouthing our friends(which I don't think I am)....Help me please.....Is there anything I should tell my wife about the risks of swimming in cloudy pools? Am I over-reaacting? Is it perfectly safe for her to go swimming? From what I've gathered from this website the past year, I would have to say there is something menacing going on in their pool. Suggestions? Thanks in advance!

 

[Killer95Stang]

Probably nothing to worry about. My brother's pool is crystal clear until you get a bunch of kids in it. His problem is a plaster issue, since his about 15 years old and in need of replacement. When agitated by swimmers, the plaster dust makes it look a little cloudy.

 

[Isaac-1]

It depends on how cloudy of pool we are talking about, if you can't clearly see the bottom of the deep end then there is always the chance a drowning victim could go un-noticed at the bottom.

 

[Concho]

I understand a pool becoming cloudy after a lot of bathers....but this one is always cloudy before anyone swims.

 

[jblizzle]

Sounds like you need to invite them over to your house and maybe after seeing and experiencing your crystal clear pool they will ask what you do.

Maybe they use Baq, that seems to often result in cloudy pools. Or maybe they always add a bunch of cal-hypo right before the party.

Really depends on why it is cloudy and how cloudy like was previously mentioned. As long as there is enough chlorine in the pool, it should be safe.

 

[Cloudbusting]

Take a test strip with you next time or take a sample once nobody's looking :-D

 

[Concho]

So unless my daughter says the water makes her eyes sting or gives her a rash or something, I should tell her it is perfectly fine for her to swim in their pool? I guess they've become spoiled.

 

[4knights]

I agree with JBizzle- invite them over to see your pool, speak with them not at them. Folks don't like being told they are doing things wrong. Show them this site and possibly demonstrate the test kit or pool calculator.

My friends have had a pool for over 20 years and didn't even want to hear about this newbies pool knowledge. Once they came over (4 days after a major storm) they couldn't believe my pool was crystal clear and theirs was a mixed pea soup. We both had trees get blown into the pool.
They broke down and asked- what's the secret oh wise newbie.
I showed them this site, my swcg, my kit and they listened, asked questions I didnt have answers for but pool school did!!
I know they are lurkers as I've seen thie page on their browser tab at work.

 

[Casey]

Concho... I may be on my own when I say this but I would never, ever let my child swim in a cloudy pool. There is obviously something out of whack chemically but not only that, you can't see the bottom n GOD FORBID a child go under because they swallowed water n started choking/ drowning.

So my answer is a big NO WAY!!!!!

 

[Richard320]

I was thinking about this while vacuuming.

Make her go. Keep your wife happy. If your daughter ends up with a rash, you get to tell the wife, "See? I told you so!"

Odds are, she will go and avoid the pool, and with a child's honesty say something like, "...because your pool is yucky!" She might also infect the other girls, especially any that have been in your pool, with pool snobbery. And then maybe the cesspool owner will ask you to take a look at his.

 

[anonads]

Sorry, but to me this is a parenting question, not a pool question. Do you want your daughter to think that she should do things she doesn't want to do just because her peers think it is OK???

Who cares if the pool is actually totally safe, she doesn't want to go! For me, that would be all I had to hear. Probably it is just their gross pool, but what if there is a creepy uncle there who makes her uncomfortable, or what if some of the older kids are already drinking and she doesn't want to tell on them but doesn't want to be around it, either? I just don't understand why anyone would force their child to go to a social event they didn't want to attend.