Considering The Switch--Hair & Maintenance Concerns

[geno404]

I have a 6 year old in ground pool that my local pool supply store started treating with Baquacil from the beginning, so that's all we used. It generally takes about 3 weeks to get the pool clear each spring, sometimes gets cloudy again mid-year, the product is relatively expensive and my shock readings never seem to be where they are supposed to be. I would love to convert to something else, but I have two major concerns that I really need to 'sell' to the rest of my family before doing so.

I have three females that use lots of blonde hair coloring living in my house and using the pool. The original pool store owner has absolutely convinced them that they are going to end up with green hair if they used chlorine or another treatment method. Quite frankly, if I convert the pool and someone ends up with green hair, you will be finding me at the bottom of the pool, so I need some assurance that won't happen.

Secondly, due to my work schedule, the pool generally can't get any attention during the week. 100% of the pool chemistry and maintenance is done by me, and the nature of my work has me gone most of every week. I generally devote Saturday mornings to getting the pool back in shape, but on those occasions where there's a weather or scheduling problem, that falls over into Sunday morning. There's just not really any way that anyone is going to do anything to the pool for 7 days most weeks, 8 days occasionally.

I perceive that while less expensive and more effective, alternatives to Baquacil are more 'needy' in terms of need to constantly monitor the chemistry levels (again, basing this on the 'knowledge' of my local pool expert). The Baquacil does seem to be able to 'hold its own' for seven or eight days until I can get back to it, and doesn't seem to be any better or worse when I get one of those rare weeks when I can fool with it more often.

Thanks in advance!

Gene

 

[JasonLion]

Blond hair turning green comes from copper in the water and has nothing at all to do with chlorine vs baquacil.

Every pool needs some attention, no matter what sanitizer you use. That said, I can't think of anything that is simpler than having a SWG (which is one way to have a chlorine pool).

 

[257WbyMag]

It will take time and effort to convert from baquacil to chlorine. Then, once you have gotten yourself a chlorine pool, it will still take attention and maintenance. SWCG pools, as Jason mentioned, appear to maintain themselves will a little bit less attention than do manually dosed chlorine pools. This is mostly due to automation. Still though, I can't think of really any pool that can go 7 days plus without any human monitoring or intervention. Lots of things can happen in 7 days and only a fraction of what can happen involves chemicals.

Regardless of how you sanitize or run things, someone is going to have to peek in on things. You may be better off switching to chlorine and going with a pool service if you cannot find the time to do these things yourself. For most of us, it really does take little more than five minutes a day. But those 5 minutes are important.

 

[geekgranny]

What I suggest is that men, on the forum, using the BBB method, please check in and let us know about the females in your household who use products to artificially color their hair. We promise to not tell them. You don't have to fess up if you use those hair products; just count yourself as one of the girls.

I'm still a natural blonde ...... even at my age ....... OK, it does get a little lighter as time goes on... white hairs that look blond getting some color reflection from the still blond ...... so I can't help there, although when my friends, with sun bleached hair turned green, mine didn't. But after almost a year of chlorine use, keeping all things in balance, none of my dogs, who spend a lot of time in the pool and searing Texas sun, are bleaching; fawn coat and black coats.

Many years ago, when I didn't know about "balance" and chlorine/CYA relationship, I switched from chlorine to bromine, because we didn't like the smell, CCs, and I itched, CCs, (which doesn't happen with balanced chlorinated water) and because the fawn and black coated show dogs had bleaching of their coats. They spent a lot more time in the pool and sun than I did. I'm outside most of the time but I wear, hats, sunscreen, and follow the shade around.

gg=alice