As always thank you for the explanation chem geek. This community is much better due to your presence.

I tried the swim cap on my 3 y/o but inevitably it always comes off. What shampoo does your wife use?

I due notice a slight difference with the SWCG and the drying effect. I have my CYA at 80 and bring FC up to 7 or 8 at the end of the night. The following evening when we use the pool around 5:00 FC is around 4.5 to 5.

If I was the only user of the pool I would be tempted to add the polyquat to reduce FC. With kids choose safety and will adhere to your CYA/FC chart. As my 3 and 1 y/o use the pool nightly I have to assume fecal and urine bacteria are being introduce to the pool even more so than when "clean" adults swim.

If I have to choose between dry hair/skin and waterborne illness I choose chlorine.

My wife uses three shampoos with respect to swimming/chlorine. The first one is "Ultra Swim Chlorine Removal Shampoo, Moisturizing Formula" which she uses every day (she swims every day). This is the primary shampoo that has reducing agents to remove the chlorine bound to organics in hair. The second is "Aquia Swimmers' Shampoo and Conditioner by Barracuda" which she uses most days but not necessarily every day (it has conditioner so you use it when you would want to condition your hair and not just shampoo it). The third is very strong and powerful so is only used once a week and is "Paul Mitchell clarifying, Shampoo Three". This latter will strip your hair if you use it too often, but it is the only one that removes a slimy buildup at the nape of the neck at lowest base of hair -- probably an accumulation of suntan lotion.

Wow the hair care products sound like a science all by themselves. Maybe she should just cut her hair?