...other things that claim to reduce chlorine usage?

[terryc]

I read the natural pool article. It seems it would be cheaper to just build a big pond. I'd much rather deal with chlorine than multiple people's excrement.

 

[BoDarville]

My wife also has personal experience of the difference CYA makes where she swam every year for 5 months in an indoor commercial swimming pool with 1-2 ppm FC and no CYA where her swimsuits would degrade over just one winter season (elasticity gets shot; occurs before fading since the suits are "chlorine resistant") and her skin gets flakier and hair frizzier. During the 7-month summer season she swam in our outdoor residential pool with 3-6 ppm FC and 40 ppm CYA and her swimsuits have lasted for around 7 or so years and the effects on her skin and hair are far less noticeable. The difference is so extreme that she now no longer swims in the commercial pool and instead we extend our season with expensive gas heating into the winter except for maybe 2 months.

My experience since switching to BBB has mirrored what chem geek posted above. Prior to BBB (maintaining FC between 1-3), I never had a set of swim goggles or swim suits last a full season. Since switching to BBB 2 years ago, I'm still on the same swim suit and goggles. As we speak, I am maintaining FC at its highest point of the season - in the 5.5 to 6 ppm range. This is the high end of the recommended range for my CYA. Much of my pool time is spent lap swimming and the swim season lasts between six and eight months here, depending on the year. My water is always crystal clear. While we do emphasize the importance of maintaining proper FC according to CYA, we also accentuate the importance of maintaining a proper water chemistry balance.

The relationship between chlorine and CYA has been known for about 40 years now, so this is not some radical new concept. I do think some of the challenges many people have about switching to BBB involve "unlearning" long-believed theories such as the "ideal" FC range of 1-3 ppm and the hang-ups many people have with bleach because of how it has been marketed. However, there are times you need to take a leap of faith. We are passionate about helping people avoid the headaches that we once experienced. The members on this board are volunteers and do not profit whether one chooses to follow the methods we teach or not. That should serve as an important point of credibility right there.