Are there Designs for Kiddie Pool Water Filters?
from MNByChoice@midwest.social to nostupidquestions@lemmy.world on 17 Jun 22:23
https://midwest.social/post/30049153

Is there a tested way to keep water from a very small pool safe week to week? Think of the ~20 cm deep hard plastic ones meant for children.

I can water the plants, but I would like to reuse the water all summer. I imagine a closed cycle container with a filter, pump, and chlorine in a 50 gal drum. While I could devise my own, it seems best not to.

Thanks!

#nostupidquestions

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Diddlydee@feddit.uk on 17 Jun 22:34 next collapse

As a father of multiple children, don’t bother. It’ll get dirty with debris and insects and grass with kids using it long before your filter would be needed. Just empty and refill when it gets dirty.

MNByChoice@midwest.social on 18 Jun 00:57 collapse

Will do, thank you.

BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca on 17 Jun 22:35 next collapse

They do exist, google floating pool filters/chlorinators.

MNByChoice@midwest.social on 18 Jun 00:51 collapse

Ah, thanks for some names of items!

Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe on 17 Jun 22:38 next collapse

There are small filters that hang hoses over the side.

You’ll spend more running the filter, treating the water (and testing it) than simply replacing it.

From my own pool experience the smaller the volume, the harder it is to keep balanced. Even a 12’ pool can be a challenge.

MNByChoice@midwest.social on 18 Jun 00:47 collapse

Thank you. I have heard that the chemicals are nearly impossible to dose correctly in smaller volumes.

Elsewhere some have suggested aquarium filters…

SpikesOtherDog@ani.social on 17 Jun 23:08 next collapse

It’s better to use it for watering plants. Get yourself a little scrub brush on a mop pole and you can scrub it quickly with a little bit of dish soap.

MNByChoice@midwest.social on 18 Jun 00:46 collapse

Thanks. I will likely continue watering the plans.

southsamurai@sh.itjust.works on 18 Jun 05:41 collapse

I mean, a pond filter and pump will do the job fine. Wouldn’t even need chlorination tbh. If it stays running at a high enough volume, nothing harmful is going to set up shop before you’d need to replace the water to begin with. It isn’t impossible for a nasty to build up, but the risk is really low once you’re turning a small volume of water over fast.

There’s online calculators for water turnover rates. Plug in the volume of your pool + a little extra for the system, shoot for a 4-6 x a day minimum, and afaik, you won’t even have mosquito larvae.

But, being real, you’re going to be losing a ton of water from splashing and evaporation anyway, so filtering is a lot of expense for something that’s likely going to be used maybe a couple hours a day at most. You’ll have to have that pump running 24/7. In a small system like that, you’ll also be doubling the amount of work.

I’d just dump it into the barrel as is once it gets low and dirty, chlorinate that, then filter for particulates as you go, moving it back and forth to the pool however. It’ll cost way less, and do the same job.