Total NOOB question!

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alliecat

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Jul 2, 2014
82
Austin, TX
Hi everyone! We are getting close to choosing a design and builder, etc, and we've met with several builders that all say different things about pool chemistry, of course.

My simple question is this: If I am using the methods described here, once my pool is established, is that me testing the water every single day, and adding liquid chlorine bleach (manually just pouring it in) every single day? I'm sorta confused. I'm just storing tons of bottles of bleach in my garage?

If we did salt water, that's creating the chlorine, so we would test every day to just keep the levels maintained, and not add liquid bleach?

Can someone give me a quick explanation?

We are in the very early stages here so any warnings you've got would be awesome.

Most of the pool builders have mentioned going with regular chlorine and adding a UV system, which I keep reading is not useful. Main thing is my little boy gets terrible itchy eczema after swimming...

Thanks!!
 
From what I know with a Salt Water Chlorine generator, you add the amount of pool salt your pool size requires at the beginning and then you don't have to do anything else, besides normal maintenance like brushing/vacuuming your pool once a month or whatever, and testing your water to make sure nothing is going awry. I have an above ground pool with just a pump and cartridge filter and I add chlorine every other day. I keep like 3 bottles on hand at a time but purchase them every two weeks, so i make it a part of my grocery list.
 
Manual chlorination does involve storing and using lots of bottles of liquid chlorine/bleach. A SWG removes the need to have lots of liquid bleach around but then you must have a 2500-3500 ppm of salt in your pool to allow the generator to produce chlorine. SWG are great and the only concern to think about with them is using soft stones such as travertine for pool deck or coping materials. Concrete and harder stones are unaffected by the additional salt. Either way, you should be testing daily with one of the test kits recommended here.

For outdoor pools, UV systems are relatively worthless. Pool water must be directly exposed to the UV light, which means it has to pass by the UV source. Many organisms that you want to eliminate will not remain in front of the UV long enough to kill them either. The chief value of UV systems is for indoor pools, where the pool surface is not exposed to UV light from the sun. UV light helps break down combined chlorine (bad chlorine) and an outdoor pool gets lots of that from the sun. Indoor pools do not.
 
Thanks for all the information! I should note that I've read and reread all the stuff I think I need to know, but once those builders start talking, especially to my husband who has NOT read everything like me, I feel indecisive!
So I'm pouring bleach into my pool every single day? Is that the method? And testing daily, no matter what kind of pool I get?
 
Testing daily is the part that's given. Once you're comfortable with your pool and have some history with the chlorine usage and demand, you can get by with testing every other day, but you should test often when first getting to know your pool.

SWG just means you don't need lots of liquid bleach sitting around when your free chlorine level needs to be raised, your SWG does that for you when it is properly configured. It's still helpful to have some liquid bleach around to raise FC levels quickly when needed (before a party, you pull a bloated critter out of the skimmer, a toddler (or inebriated adult) vomits in the pool... etc.)
 
When you first start maintaining your pool you will test FC (free chlorine,) CC (combined chlorine), and pH daily. You should test CH (calcium), TA (total alkalinity) and CYA (cyanuric acid, also known as conditioner or stabilizer) weekly. You may not need to add chlorine daily, depending on the test results. Most likely you will add chlorine every other day. Once your pool is established and have a good feel for how it consumes chlorine you may be able to test every couple of days for FC and pH and monthly on the rest. Your first season with the pool I would stick with the daily/weekly test cycle.
 
So here's a question---suppose you go out of town for a week? Do you ask someone to come over and just pour bleach into your pool every day or every other day?
It sounds like my two choices are SWG or pouring bleach---is that correct?

(These are things I think my husband will ask :))
 
I use a SWG for my pool. It takes a bit at the beginning to narrow down SWG percentage and pump run time. Once I got that dialed in, the only time I add bleach is before and after heavy bather loads. I use the simple OTO test kit for chlorine and PH daily, but have skipped a day here and there without any issues. To avoid low chlorine issues and algae growth like I had once the pool was built, check and add bleach along with CYA and just use the SWG to maintain adequate levels.
 
Y'all are so helpful and generous with your answer and guidance! Thank you!

Pretty much EVERY builder we have talked to has said bad things about SWG, except one. They'll rust your window screens, ruin coping, etc. My husband owns a stone restoration/concrete refinishing company, and they've had many calls to come seal and repair pool coping etc that has been ruined from SWG. Are these concerns valid? Again I've read a lot before posting but it can't be all a myth, right?

- - - Updated - - -

OH and I KNOW it will mess up stone coping, especially limestone type stuff here in central TX, but the window screens rusting and all that---true? A concern?
 

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alliecat said:
So here's a question---suppose you go out of town for a week? Do you ask someone to come over and just pour bleach into your pool every day or every other day?
It sounds like my two choices are SWG or pouring bleach---is that correct?

(These are things I think my husband will ask :))
Click to expand...

If you manually dose with chlorine, as I do, you have options if you're going to be gone for more than a few days:
1 - Raise your FC level somewhat and put some trichlor tablets in a floater. This will keep the FC up but using trichlor tablets also adds CYA to your pool. Too much is a bad thing, as I'm sure you've read in Pool School, so if your CYA is right where you want it or too high already, this is not optimal.
2 - Know your pool's demand when not in use, normal demand. Have a trust worthy neighbor add the dose you specify either daily or every other day. Buy them beer, food, etc. as payment.
Covering the pool in both cases really helps to reduce chlorine demand.

SWG eliminates that need entirely when gone for an extended period. Even then it would be peace of mind to have a neighbor or relative who could do the OTO/pH test for you once per week if you're gone for a month or something.

Window screens? That's ridiculous. I'd be paranoid about the pool decking myself so probably spraying with the hose once per week but I find it rather dubious that salt water pools would cause rusting to anything like window screens. I can see that happening near the ocean where the salt concentration in the water is 30,000+ ppm and therefore a lot more salt in ocean mist/spray but salt water pools are 1/10 that concentration at about 3000 ppm
 
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The level of salt in a salt water pool is much, much less than that in the ocean. Do folks near the ocean have trouble with rusty screens? Mostly, screens are 'plastic' now a days so probably not an issue. (At least the 6 homes I've lived in were all 'plastic' screens)
 
I do not test every day any more BUT I have had my pool for 3 years now soooo............. I just add the chlorine every night that is the average I have learned works for my pool. I do my FC and PH test about every 3 days just to make sure all is good. I do a FULL test once a week.

I have 4 jugs (2.5 gals) from my ACE Hardware that I store in my pool box. They last me about 12 days depending on the weather.

Kim
 
When we are gone more that a night I just throw a floater with 3 pucks in it into the pool and don't worry about anything. That comes from KNOWING what they do and what they add to the pool (CYA). I adjust if I need to so it is no big deal.

We do not do salt due to having an above ground pool and worry of rusting the sides. I would LOVE to have it but not worth the worry.

Make sure to share your bids on here we will look them over for you (I was going to say pick them apart LOL)

Kim
 
I will DEFINITELY share the bids :) So far they are all pretty similar. They did a lot of talking but before they got too carried away I just asked for a ball park number from what we had described. That way we kind of tossed a couple without getting too hung up on what they were saying. My husband finds the process of talking to these sales guys excruciating, because its what he does, and he is a no nonsense kind of guy. One guy really really rubbed him the wrong way and I thought it was all over! Lol
 
alliecat said:
So here's a question---suppose you go out of town for a week? Do you ask someone to come over and just pour bleach into your pool every day or every other day?
It sounds like my two choices are SWG or pouring bleach---is that correct?

(These are things I think my husband will ask :))
Click to expand...
Another option you may want to have in the back of your mind is that there are systems which will automate the addition of liquid chlorine - take a look at conversations on this subforum:
Chemical Automation and The Liquidator
 
One more point to consider - if you are putting in a salt water system and have travertine decking, sealing of the travertine is recommended.
We are doing the same and I am planning on sealing the travertine.

One of my neighbors have salt water and travertine.... and they have never sealed the travertine.. no issues after 3 years...
I am not sure how it will look after 15 years, though
 

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