SALTWATER POOL....pigeons drinking.....strong enough?

[cheeryble]

Think you got it already.

It's a condo building with a great pool but we have a bad pigeon problem, and the pigeons are drinking from (and pooping in) our pool.

1. Is there enough salt in it? (it doesn't get murky or green)

2. If we loaded up the salt to stop the pigeons would there be any ill effects on the system and would it be unpleasant for swimming?

Thanks!

[tollgate]

Presumably the pool has a salt water chlorine generator (SWG)? Correct level of salt is normally 3000-3200 ppm. Your pool service people should be testing this.

Don't know if raising the salt level will deter pigeons, but it might damage the SWG.

[cheeryble]

Presumably the pool has a salt water chlorine generator (SWG)? Correct level of salt is normally 3000-3200 ppm. Your pool service people should be testing this.

Don't know if raising the salt level will deter pigeons, but it might damage the SWG.

Will check about SWG.

Stay tuned thank you!

[aussiebrian]

I don't understand how a pigeon can drink out of a swimming pool!! Is it full right up to the brim? Ideally you should keep your swimming pool water level between one third and one half the way up the opening of the swim pool skimmer. This is far to low for the pigeon to drink out of. I am getting a visual picture of a pigeon lying flat on its keel bone (chest) stretching down carefully to get a drink, with another pigeon holding it's legs so it wouldn't fall in. Do they fly into the pool and scoop up the water with a bucket? I doubt it. Pigeons can't swim like a duck. How about put some bowls of water around for them to drink out of that would be easier for them to get to, and taste better. Are you sure they are pigeons and not some type of water bird?

[jbrain]

Presumably the pool has a salt water chlorine generator (SWG)? Correct level of salt is normally 3000-3200 ppm. Your pool service people should be testing this.

Don't know if raising the salt level will deter pigeons, but it might damage the SWG.

I have a Zodiac Tri SWG and the manual says that I should maintain a salt level between 4000 and 7000 ppm, as below 3500 ppm will damage the chlorinator cell.

And yes I have also the pigeons come drink at the pool.

[aussiebrian]

Presumably the pool has a salt water chlorine generator (SWG)? Correct level of salt is normally 3000-3200 ppm. Your pool service people should be testing this.

Don't know if raising the salt level will deter pigeons, but it might damage the SWG.

I have a Zodiac Tri SWG and the manual says that I should maintain a salt level between 4000 and 7000 ppm, as below 3500 ppm will damage the chlorinator cell.

And yes I have also the pigeons come drink at the pool.

Can you post a photo of pigeons drinking out of a swimming pool?

[jbrain]

Presumably the pool has a salt water chlorine generator (SWG)? Correct level of salt is normally 3000-3200 ppm. Your pool service people should be testing this.

Don't know if raising the salt level will deter pigeons, but it might damage the SWG.

I have a Zodiac Tri SWG and the manual says that I should maintain a salt level between 4000 and 7000 ppm, as below 3500 ppm will damage the chlorinator cell.

And yes I have also the pigeons come drink at the pool.

Can you post a photo of pigeons drinking out of a swimming pool?

Instead of making useless comments, can you enlighten why the water level should be below the top of the skimmer.

[cheeryble]

1. Tollgate

Looked in the engine room and there a couple of big black valve looking things with some clear perspex in the top (one of them) but there is also a black thing in line about near a foot long a 6 inches wide looks like an unstretched slug rounded at one end and has two wires going in. SWG?

2. Aussiebrian

Have no idea what a skimmer is.

The pool is overflow and it flow into a slightly sloping ceramic grating (which I'm impressed after 4 or 5 years we don't have ONE broken not one.)

The pigeons don't need to hold each others ankles I suppose they stand on the grating and they are in the water ankle deep.

Lost camera cable sorry.

3. jbrain

So they're drinking from the pool and you do actually know you are keeping the recommended salinity?

[jbrain]

1. Tollgate

Looked in the engine room and there a couple of big black valve looking things with some clear perspex in the top (one of them) but there is also a black thing in line about near a foot long a 6 inches wide looks like an unstretched slug rounded at one end and has two wires going in. SWG?

2. Aussiebrian

Have no idea what a skimmer is.

The pool is overflow and it flow into a slightly sloping ceramic grating (which I'm impressed after 4 or 5 years we don't have ONE broken not one.)

The pigeons don't need to hold each others ankles I suppose they stand on the grating and they are in the water ankle deep.

Lost camera cable sorry.

3. jbrain

So they're drinking from the pool and you do actually know you are keeping the recommended salinity?

My salinity is normally kept around 5000 ppm, checked by digital tester.

[aussiebrian]

Presumably the pool has a salt water chlorine generator (SWG)? Correct level of salt is normally 3000-3200 ppm. Your pool service people should be testing this.

Don't know if raising the salt level will deter pigeons, but it might damage the SWG.

I have a Zodiac Tri SWG and the manual says that I should maintain a salt level between 4000 and 7000 ppm, as below 3500 ppm will damage the chlorinator cell.

And yes I have also the pigeons come drink at the pool.

Can you post a photo of pigeons drinking out of a swimming pool?

Instead of making useless comments, can you enlighten why the water level should be below the top of the skimmer.

I am sorry, I don't think they are useless comments. I used to race pigeons, having owned up to 500 pigeons, and I can't imagine a pigeon drinking out of a swimming pool. I have had friends with pigeons and pools, it was never a problem. I can imagine an occasional poo ending up in the pool, especially when they are flying. I can give you some suggestions how to get rid of the problem when you can convince me they are pigeons drinking out of the pool.

Not sure why I can't bring the link of the page below up properly, it is 1/2 way down the page..my first link.

What Is The Proper Water Level In My Swim Pool?

Ideally you should keep your swimming pool water level between one third and one half the way up the opening of the pool skimmer. Why? Among other reasons, this is the level at which the swimming pool skimmers operate most efficiently.

http://swimming.about.com/od/poolandspamaintenance/a/pool_waterlevel.htmIdeally

If your pool looks anything like this below, how the hell can a pigeon drink out of a pool?

and http://www.google.co.th/imgres?client=opera&hs=64U&sa=X&channel=suggest&biw=1366&bih=645&tbm=isch&tbnid=iZd2zG3D34ZMHM:&imgrefurl=http://www.guardz-it.com/&docid=uqQHZAQfOwaD2M&imgurl=http://www.guardz-it.com/index.13.jpg&w=1041&h=579&ei=OKe4UbLUMIHprQf4kIDQDw&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:5,s:0,i:94&iact=rc&dur=1778&page=1&tbnh=164&tbnw=270&start=0&ndsp=16&tx=186&ty=64

[jbrain]

This is my pool I keep my water level right under the edge and have pigeons ( and other birds, come drink from the pool throughout the day.

When the stand on the edge they can easily reach the water.

Why? Among other reasons, this is the level at which the swimming pool skimmers operate most efficiently.

Now if that isn't an educated explanation

[aussiebrian]

Ok, I will believe you. How many pigeons are we talking about?

1) Pigeons hate hawks. If you could have a hawk decoy especially one that moves that may possibly work I have seen these ones that fly around in circles in Bangkok that are sold to tourists. They work by battery I think. They flap their wings and would have a good chance.

If you want to catch them as a kid we used to soak wheat in alcohol and feed them that. They would get quite drunk and you could pick them up. The only problem, pigeons can come back fro great distances, but I would suspect they are just wild ones, and their homing instinct isn't as strong. You can also catch them if you put a bath out for them, and put a soapy solution in it. That will make it very hard for them to fly. Pigeons love bathing.

This is my pool Pool.jpg I keep my water level right under the edge and have pigeons ( and other birds, come drink from the pool throughout the day.

When the stand on the edge they can easily reach the water.

[aussiebrian]

Looking at the picture, I still don't think a pigeon could drink from the edge of the pool. Where the steps are or as you say they can stand on some grating where they are ankle deep is the only place. You could possibly cover this area up with a net when you aren't using it. As I said, you could put some other bowls down on the grass if nothing else works with a few inches of water in it so they can bath there and drink that water. How many pigeons are we talking about? Where do you live?

Ideally you should keep your swimming pool water level between one third and one half the way up the opening of the swim pool skimmer. This is the level at which the swimming pool skimmers operate most efficiently.

If the level is higher than half way up, the water moving into the skimmer is going so slow that debris may pass by the opening without being pulled in. If the pool water is so high that it covers the skimmer opening, floating debris can't get in.

If the water is too low the skimmer can bottom out, thereby sucking air into the system which can result in losing the prime (water moving through the system) and possibly result in burning up your swim pool filter pump motor.

[cheeryble]

We have thought about it a bit there are a few fancy methods but think we'll start by sending a letter to the residents with pigeons on the balconies above the pool asking for access to clear them away and put up nets (we already provide a free netting service). Should help.

The Pigeonator.

[tollgate]

I don't understand how a pigeon can drink out of a swimming pool!! Is it full right up to the brim? Ideally you should keep your swimming pool water level between one third and one half the way up the opening of the swim pool skimmer. This is far to low for the pigeon to drink out of. I am getting a visual picture of a pigeon lying flat on its keel bone (chest) stretching down carefully to get a drink, with another pigeon holding it's legs so it wouldn't fall in. Do they fly into the pool and scoop up the water with a bucket? I doubt it. Pigeons can't swim like a duck. How about put some bowls of water around for them to drink out of that would be easier for them to get to, and taste better. Are you sure they are pigeons and not some type of water bird?

Some pools don't have skimmers, they are the overflow type and have a trough around the edge of the pool. So the water comes right to the edge of the pool and ideal for pesky pigeons.

[tollgate]

1. Tollgate

Looked in the engine room and there a couple of big black valve looking things with some clear perspex in the top (one of them) but there is also a black thing in line about near a foot long a 6 inches wide looks like an unstretched slug rounded at one end and has two wires going in. SWG?

I don't have an SWG (but wish I did), so not sure what they look like. But the thing with the wires does sound like one.

[tollgate]

1. Tollgate

Looked in the engine room and there a couple of big black valve looking things with some clear perspex in the top (one of them) but there is also a black thing in line about near a foot long a 6 inches wide looks like an unstretched slug rounded at one end and has two wires going in. SWG?

2. Aussiebrian

Have no idea what a skimmer is.

The pool is overflow and it flow into a slightly sloping ceramic grating (which I'm impressed after 4 or 5 years we don't have ONE broken not one.)

The pigeons don't need to hold each others ankles I suppose they stand on the grating and they are in the water ankle deep.

Lost camera cable sorry.

3. jbrain

So they're drinking from the pool and you do actually know you are keeping the recommended salinity?

My salinity is normally kept around 5000 ppm, checked by digital tester.

Just wondered if you can taste the salt at 5000ppm?

[tollgate]

We have thought about it a bit there are a few fancy methods but think we'll start by sending a letter to the residents with pigeons on the balconies above the pool asking for access to clear them away and put up nets (we already provide a free netting service). Should help.

The Pigeonator.

My pool has a skimmer, so most of the water is too "low" for the pigeons. but I do have a ledge in the pool with only a couple of cm of water and the pigeons drink there. I have tried glass blocks and CD's tied to a bit of string, but after a while they get used to these "deterrents" and still come back. I now have a cat and will let him loose in the garden as soon as he is old enough.

[jbrain]

1. Tollgate

Looked in the engine room and there a couple of big black valve looking things with some clear perspex in the top (one of them) but there is also a black thing in line about near a foot long a 6 inches wide looks like an unstretched slug rounded at one end and has two wires going in. SWG?

2. Aussiebrian

Have no idea what a skimmer is.

The pool is overflow and it flow into a slightly sloping ceramic grating (which I'm impressed after 4 or 5 years we don't have ONE broken not one.)

The pigeons don't need to hold each others ankles I suppose they stand on the grating and they are in the water ankle deep.

Lost camera cable sorry.

3. jbrain

So they're drinking from the pool and you do actually know you are keeping the recommended salinity?

My salinity is normally kept around 5000 ppm, checked by digital tester.

Just wondered if you can taste the salt at 5000ppm?

If you have very sensitive taste buds people might be able to detect a slight salt flavour, not really a salt taste yet at that level.

Anyway, I usually don't drink from my pool

[Sophon]

Some pools don't have skimmers, they are the overflow type and have a trough around the edge of the pool. So the water comes right to the edge of the pool and ideal for pesky pigeons.

Like this:

And yes, we also have lots of pigeons drinking from the pool.

Sophon

[tollgate]

That's exactly what I meant. Nice pool. Where is it?

[Sophon]

That's exactly what I meant. Nice pool. Where is it?

On Nut Road in Bangkok.

Sophon