Above ground pool - advice needed!

[mylittlezoo]

So DH finally got bored of my whining and bought me an above ground pool, just a small one for cooling off in in the summer. I am horribly allergic to chlorine, brings me out in a rash, so that's out for the chemicals. A friend of mine told me that she just dumps a cup or so of Clorox in her pool and then lets the filter do the work. We don't have kids, and there won't be kids swimming in it, so we don't have to worry about little people. Is the Clorox going to be sufficient? Also, it's not going to inhibit growth of algae, is it? The pool already has a thin film of green creeping around the edges... yak! I'd rather not purchase expensive chemicals, I prefer 'home grown remedies'... but I will if I have to.

Any suggestions?

 

[For-The-Love-Of-Chickens]

Use bromine. It is commonly used instead of chlorine. I would not use liquid bleach.

DH and I have cared for an apartment swimming pool for many summers in the past. We used bromine because so many people are very sensitive to chlorine and bromine is less irritating to your skin and eyes. Also, no chemical smell.

HTH!

 

[mjdtexan]

Bromine is the only nonmetallic element that is a liquid at room temperature-source=wikipedia

 

[jendh]

You could look into Baquacil products. I don;t have a pool at the moment but I've done some shopping and it seems like a good product.

http://www.archchemicals.com/Fed/BAQCIL

 

[Dar]

you can get salt water filter systems that are chlorine free but just as effective

 

[Bunnylady]

Clorox is chlorine, just a different formulation than what is usually put in pools. Bromine sounds like a better choice for you. You will need to do one or the other to keep the water safe for swimming in; there are some really nasty things that can grow in the warm, still water of a pool!

I have tried a variety of algae killers in addition to chlorine in our pool, but still couldn't stop some kinds of algae from growing. The best solution I've found yet is to keep the pool covered with a cover (or a tarp) anytime the pool is not in use. Cutting down the amount of light that gets into the water really slows the growth rate (algae are plants, after all!)

 

[mylittlezoo]

Thanks everyone. I will go tomorrow and see if I can find some Bromine. We got the pool from Target and DH says they had a bunch of stuff there. What I'd really like to avoid is having to do all the chemical testing and balancing of chemicals.... is there a way I can not do this? Just add 'something' to the water every week or so and we'll be good to go?

Bunnylady - I have just been outside and put the cover on!

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

Quote:
We have one of these, and they are great, no chlorine smell and your skin feels so much better when you get out !!!

 

[mylittlezoo]

Quote:
We have one of these, and they are great, no chlorine smell and your skin feels so much better when you get out !!!

D'you mind me asking which one you have? I am so overwhelmed!!

 

[miss_thenorth]

Salt water filters are only recommended for inground pools as the salt is said to corrode the metal parts of the above ground pool.

Owning a pool comes with responsibility. You're gonna have to do chemical tests but it is not that bad. In your situation, bromine would be a better fit for you.