Outdoor Pool Chlorine

[delusions]

Greetings,
This probably sounds like a silly thing, but with summer in full swing here in California (high 90's, 100 degree weather) my family and i have been swimming quite a few days a week now. After showering, i still smell the chlorine from the pool on my hands for a few hours. Should i worry about contaminating my tank? Whats a "minimal safety" time before i put my hands back in? Again, i know it sounds silly.

thanks for the help.

[z@pp]

If you´re worried, get some disposable gloves which should reduce the risks....

[chuckreef]

Sounds like you need to shock your pool properly (i.e. above the chlorination breakpoint). What you smelling is likley combined forms of chlorine (monchloramines, dichloramines and nitrogen trichloride). These form when free chlorine reacts with organic molecules to neutralize oxidize them. To get rid of them, much more chlorine is needed to complete the oxidation reaction - this is called shocking (or breakpoint chlorinating) the pool. As what you are smelling on your skin is already combined forms of chlorine, you need not worry much about touching your tank water. The small amounts of combined chlorine likely won't be strong enough oxidize anything in the tank.

[FrankenReef]

So pools that smell like chlorine actually need more chlorine? Did not know that but it's interesting. Thanks for the chemistry lesson!

[chuckreef]

So pools that smell like chlorine actually need more chlorine?


Yes, exactly!

[delusions]

Thanks for all the knowledge, i appreciate it.