Dog Community

question about swimming pools

Posted : 7/1/2006 8:58:25 AM

My 2 Dobies LOVE to swim in their kiddie pool on my back patio during the hot weather....question is after a couple of days the green algae starts to stick on the side walls of the plastic pool. I know the best thing to do is to change the water but is it safe to put a drop of chlorine in it ? Yes, they both drink from it on occasion. Thanks !

griffinej5

Posted : 7/1/2006 9:21:41 AM

I would just dump it after a day or two. If you leave it sitting, it's a breeding ground for mosquitos. Plus, i'm assuming we're talking about a little plastic pool,so it isn't that much water.

Xebby

Posted : 7/1/2006 9:24:34 AM

I Have a kiddie pool also. I have found that leaving it out where the sun can hit it most of the day will keep the algie off longer because the sun kills some of the algie. When I leave it in the shade it grows algie faster. I still have to change the water about once a week. I would not put any chemicals in it not designed to be consumed by dogs. especily chlorine. I think on this one your best bet is just to change the water often. I have heard of using a fish tank pump in kiddie pools to keep it cleaner. Also some people I know have fish in their pools, as long as your dogs don't eat the fish it would help but mine do so i don't even bother with fish.

Janice Kolb

Posted : 7/1/2006 9:44:50 AM

thanks for the replies.....I guess I thought that a little chlorine wouldn't hurt them but maybe it would. It is in the sun most of the day but I want to keep it as clean as I can for them. My male Dobie, Kyzer, loves to splash around in it off and on all day long. When I fill it about 6" deep it's pretty difficult to dump to clean but I'll just have to get bigger muscles to do it. [

] I change the water out about twice a week. I have had NO problem with mosquitoes (thank goodness).

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 7/1/2006 11:17:24 AM

I really don't think a little chlorine would do a dog any harm. A lot of people who have swimming pools in their yard have dogs that jump in and swim or drink out of the pool.

Joyce

Mark

Posted : 7/1/2006 1:48:45 PM

i wonder if there is a way to instal a drain valve on your pool the next tome you empty it...might keep you from having to strain and get all that water up over the side..

loveukaykay

Posted : 7/1/2006 1:59:57 PM

The sun actually accelerates algae growth, especially in shallow water. A *little* bit of chlorine wouldnt hurt but chlorine in a tiny pool like that would be hard to correctly dose... you would need a test kit to be sure its not too much. I think its more trouble than its worth.

I would just dump and refill it every few days.

dasher

Posted : 7/1/2006 6:18:27 PM

Our kiddie pool is in direct sun and starts to get algae fairly quickly, I usually dump mine out every couple of days. Although since we have gotten so much rain I have not had a chance to dump it and it is overflowing. Now that the ground is a bit drier I will dump it out and scrub it. But mine starts to get a green tinge to it fairly soon, so I think Amy is right, I think the sun makes it get greener faster.

Xebby

Posted : 7/1/2006 6:42:18 PM

Humm... I guess it just depends where you live and how the algae grows. I live a place where it is extreemly hot 100 degrees and over and dry in the summer, rains only about once a month and maybe for only an houre at a time so it's less likely for algae to grow then up north from here. My kiddie pool is where my dog drinks water from when outside so I worrie about putting anything it it other than just water.

loveukaykay

Posted : 7/2/2006 12:43:46 AM

Unfortunately I have had to do tons of research on algae... comes with having a pool I guess. Even chlorine wont stop it totally... its just going to be much easier to dump and refill the pool every few days.

The chlorine is not effective without proper PH and alkalinity anyway... so you would essentially need to properly balance the water with all necessary chemicals in order for the clorine to work aside from shocking it which will be way too much chlorine for your dog to be swimming in it... too much for a person even.

Also... the chemicals and chlorine need to be in moving water.. not stagnant water. I didnt really think into it before. But it wont work.