Alternative for Someone who Can't do BBB?

[elenaran]

I personally plan on using BBB for my pool, but I was wondering what someone could do who isn't able to do the BBB method?

For example, my uncle owns a nice big pool, but he travels for work *every week*. That means most of the time he is not there M-F, so there's absolutely no way he could check his levels every day, every other day, or even every 3rd day. He, of course, uses a pool service, but I'm curious how he could even attempt to keep his pool clean/clear on his own?



[I wasn't sure which forum this should go in, so mods feel free to move as necessary]

 

[Smykowski]

Does he live with anyone else? After not too long, you learn how your pool behaves, and it's very predictable. In my case, I travel half the week in the summer, so my wife adds a set amount of liquid chlorine on the days I tell her to. She likes it because it requires no thought and no testing, but the pool is maintained exactly how it should be.

If there's someone reliable that can follow directions every second or third day (for example, he doses on Sunday before he leaves, and this other person puts bleach in the pool on Tuesday and Thursday), it's perfectly doable.

If spending a little money is a possibility, SWGs or a peristaltic pump can make the whole thing pretty much automated.

 

[Dalandlord]

I don't know anything about the pump but the SWG would do just fine.

 

[ComputerGuyInNOLA]

I have a SWCG and could easily leave it for a week without a problem. If you don't have one get a pool service to just handle your bleach input. Put your pump on a timer. Test your water yourself and know what is going on.

 

[duraleigh]

Anyone on earth can do BBB. There is no specific chemical requirement. What's required is learning how to manage your pool with careful testing, what the test results mean and, importantly, what to do about the results.

Of course, we suggest some simple products to keep your pool chemistry in line but what we REALLY suggest is that you delve into Pool School and start taking charge of your own pool rather than relying on the often poor advice of pool store folks.

 

[Isaac-1]

An SWG or a chlorine pump is sort of like cruise control on a car, it works fairly well out on the open highway, but every once in a while you will still need to put your foot on a pedal, in this analogy he would just have to hope he gets home in time to put a foot on a pedal before a big crash happens, this is more of a question of when not if.

 

[elenaran]

I guess also hope his pH hasn't gotten too high too (with a SWG)

 

[RobbieH]

It isn't uncommon for me to be gone several 'weeks' in a row. (Sunday or Monday through Friday or Saturday). This is the whole reason I switched to SWCG. I do not have to worry about my pool at all. When I come home from being gone 5-7 days, I might have to add some muriatic acid to bring pH down, and that's it. There are even some cases I'm gone for 12 days in a stretch, and I never come back to any trouble or mess. I can have the wife or a friend make sure the skimmer doesn't get full in the spring or fall, and that's the only direction I have to give.

 

[elenaran]

Cool - good to know

 

[march2012]

I use a peristaltic pump (stenner pump) to pump chlorine in daily. I add acid in by hand about once a week or every two weeks.

My chlorine tank holds 15 gallons and I use about .5 gallon a day so I fill it up about once every 3 weeks. We went on vacation for two weeks and the chlorine levels were fine.