Pool Myths Busted!

Here are some fun facts and common myths regarding your pool, although we wish there were a chemical that turned the water purple when it has wee in it!

Chemical & Hygiene Myths

• Chlorine turns eyes red:

  Red eyes are actually caused by chloramines, which form when chlorine mixes with sweat, oils, and urine. This is why we recommend to shower before using the pool and to encourage the younger ones (and maybe some of the older ones😜) to get out for regular toilet breaks.

  
  

• Urine-detector dye exists:

  There is absolutely no chemical indicator that turns the pool water bright blue or purple when someone pees. Can you just imagine the sheer embarrasment!

  
  

• Strong chemical smells mean clean:

  A strong "chlorine" smell actually means the pool is low on free chlorine and heavily loaded with contaminants. It is a very common misconception and one that actually means the complete opposite. Strong chlorine smells mean your pool needs more chlorine and lots of it. It usually mean the pool need shocking, let us know as soon as you can if this happens, don't be shy! Cast you mind back to being a kid at the public swimming baths, remember that smell? well now you know what you were swimming in!🤢

  
  

• Saltwater pools have no chlorine:

  Saltwater pool systems use electrolysis to continuously produce pure chlorine, in theory, allowing for low, steady chemical levels, however, they aren't ideal for local conditions. The process relies on an electrode cell that consumes extra electricity, and more importantly, water in North Cyprus (TRNC) features exceptionally high calcium hardness. In high-calcium water, saltwater chlorine generators suffer from rapid scaling, reduced output, and premature equipment failure.

  At CDS Cyprus, we advocate a smarter, more reliable approach. As PHTA® certified pool operators, we maintain traditional chlorine pools at a consistent, ideal level near 4 ppm and we never over-chlorinate just to take shortcuts on maintenance.

  
  

• Clear water equals clean water:

  Crystal clear water can still harbour dangerous bacteria and parasites like Cryptosporidium, or have an extremely unbalanced pH that damages equipment. Pool side maintenance technicians do not test for E-coli or coliforms, this has to be done in a lab and would not be practical pool side. what we do however is monitor the usage of chlorine and PH levels, generally speaking, having these balanced would kill and presence of these parasites. It is possible however that these parasites can exist in a well balanced pool in low levels, this happens because chlorine may be bound up by organic matter, bacteria may be hiding in a protective slime layer called biofilm, or contamination is entering faster than your current chlorine can treat it. This is why, especially for communal pools, we recommend a regular lab test and proper reporting if a pool is known to be contaminated.

  
  

• Chlorine turns hair green:

  Chlorine is not the culprit behind green hair; oxidised copper in the water from metal pipes or certain algaecides binds to hair proteins causing a reaction which tints the hair green, mostly only visible in fair hair. Luckily for our blonde customers, we don't use copper based algicides and our pipework is PVC.

  
  

Safety & Health Myths

• Wait 30 minutes after eating:

  Eating does not cause stomach cramps that lead to drowning; staying hydrated is much more important. Although, this is not a bad practice to encourage with children as they might often race through lunch in a desperate bid to spend the rest of the day in the pool and they could be sick, thats not good for the pool!

  
  

• Chlorine kills germs instantly:

  While it kills most bacteria quickly, some parasites like Cryptosporidium can survive for days in properly treated water. Your pool maintenance staff keep a record of the last visits readings, these reading, on the contrary to popular beleif, are for their understanding and not a customer record to check what we did and didnt do.

• You can't get a sunburn while submerged:

  Water reflects and magnifies UV rays, meaning you can get sunburned even while underwater. Imagine if it were true, this might bring a different meaning to "red head"

So, the next time someone tells you they can spot a rogue swimmer in the deep end thanks to a fictional purple dye, you can smile, look them in the eye, and confidently jump right in—even if you just ate a sandwich. Managing your pool doesn’t require a degree in urban legends, just a little proper chemistry and a lot of common sense. Enjoy your crystal-clear oasis, keep the sunscreen handy, and remember: if the water ever starts looking less like a resort and more like a science experiment, you don't need a myth-buster, you just need to give us a call!

CDS Pool Maintenance

+90 548 8444 999

www.cdscyprus.com

info@cdscyprus.com