So after few weeks of full pool on well water just using chlorine my pool is crystal clear. I run the pump few hours a day I never tested the water just assumed clear was best you can ask for.
Am I wrong?
Am I wrong?
Is clear water clean water?
- Thread starter Roller pigeon flyer
- Start date
Your water can be clear bit if your chlorine level drops too low, it won't be clear for too long. And the chlorine keeps the water sanitized for those who swim in it.
Yes, you are very wrong.
The pool needs a certain amount of sanitizer at all times to keep the water free of bacteria, virus, and pathogens, all of which are too small to see with the naked eye.
Accurate and regular testing, as well as only putting in the pool what it needs based on accurate testing is the cornerstone of what we teach here.
Yes, you are absolutely wrong. Watch any survival show and one of the things they say over and over again, "just because the water is clear doesn't mean it is safe".
You need a good test kit to get a good set of results. I use the Taylor K6000. It's hard to give good advice with a full set of results.
All it would take is 5 minutes of searching through a couple of forums and you'd have your answer. I always went off the assumption that clear water was fine without testing. Each August I'd inevitably get an algae bloom and my water went from clear to green overnight. I bought a test kit and realized just how out of whack my water chemistry truly was. My CYA was through the roof and there wasn't nearly enough free chlorine to compensate. So I bought a test kit and now feel confident that my water is in excellent shape.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,711
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Agree with the above experts & guides - the pool care methodology your propose ("if its clear, it's ok") is just wrong. You welcome to swim in unsanitary water if you like, just make sure your healthcare insurance is paid-up.
Here's an example from my yard - I have a small water feature in my backyard near my fire pit that I affectionately refer to as "scuz pond". It has very little filtration and is really just a waterfall pump moving water around. If I keep adding a little bleach to it everyday or two, it will remain clear as long as I use a Slime Bag filtering bag to filter the particulates (dust mostly) out of it every week or so. If I stop adding chlorine, it will remain crystal clear for about 4 days or so. Then, it will start to get a little bit of haze to it and then 12 hours later it is full on brown/green. Did I have 4 days of perfectly healthy clean water and then, as if by magic, the water turned green in less than 24 hours by the 5th day?? Nope. Algae (and bacteria) was building up in the water the entire time after I stopped chlorination. It just took 4 days or so before I could actually see it.
Now the above is an extreme example but it illustrates the point - you can't see algae and pathogens (bacteria and virus') with your eyes until they have grown to a point of being out of control (hazy water). At that point you then have a mess on your hands to clean up which will require large doses of chlorine to fix. Then, when it's clear again, you'll wait until the water becomes "off" again and then repeat the process of high doses of chlorine. All the while you are exposing yourself and other swimmers to unsanitary water. But, if you clean your pool water out and test and dose frequently, then you will maintain sanitary water at a much lower expense to you because you will not need to dump gallons of bleach in a pool to fix a problem mostly caused by neglect.
The choice is yours, you're free to manage your pool however you want...
Here's an example from my yard - I have a small water feature in my backyard near my fire pit that I affectionately refer to as "scuz pond". It has very little filtration and is really just a waterfall pump moving water around. If I keep adding a little bleach to it everyday or two, it will remain clear as long as I use a Slime Bag filtering bag to filter the particulates (dust mostly) out of it every week or so. If I stop adding chlorine, it will remain crystal clear for about 4 days or so. Then, it will start to get a little bit of haze to it and then 12 hours later it is full on brown/green. Did I have 4 days of perfectly healthy clean water and then, as if by magic, the water turned green in less than 24 hours by the 5th day?? Nope. Algae (and bacteria) was building up in the water the entire time after I stopped chlorination. It just took 4 days or so before I could actually see it.
Now the above is an extreme example but it illustrates the point - you can't see algae and pathogens (bacteria and virus') with your eyes until they have grown to a point of being out of control (hazy water). At that point you then have a mess on your hands to clean up which will require large doses of chlorine to fix. Then, when it's clear again, you'll wait until the water becomes "off" again and then repeat the process of high doses of chlorine. All the while you are exposing yourself and other swimmers to unsanitary water. But, if you clean your pool water out and test and dose frequently, then you will maintain sanitary water at a much lower expense to you because you will not need to dump gallons of bleach in a pool to fix a problem mostly caused by neglect.
The choice is yours, you're free to manage your pool however you want...
If anyone other than you will use the pool, it's your duty to make sure that it's safe and sanitary.
CJadamec
TFP Expert
Dom was helpful in his first 3 statements.
Yes you are wrong to assume you water is safe because it is clear.
Pools do need to have chlorine levels maintained at proper levels to keep the water free of harmful pathogens.
The primary focus of this forum is to teach people how and what to test for in their pool. We explain what needs to be there and why its important.
The comment is expressing frustration that you have been here long enough to make 30 posts yet have not picked up on these points.
Owning a test kit is also fundamental to you as the pool owner being able to know your own pool.
Yes you are wrong to assume you water is safe because it is clear.
Pools do need to have chlorine levels maintained at proper levels to keep the water free of harmful pathogens.
The primary focus of this forum is to teach people how and what to test for in their pool. We explain what needs to be there and why its important.
The comment is expressing frustration that you have been here long enough to make 30 posts yet have not picked up on these points.
Owning a test kit is also fundamental to you as the pool owner being able to know your own pool.
Perhaps repetitive...Eventually, (and probably soon) the pool will go Green on you, and to make it safe, proper chlorination is in order. Fair question, and that's what we are here for. Get a good kit, and we can help you with all the steps.
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