# Reasons the pool is green **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 15, 2016, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895 "2016-08-15T11:26:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/1 "2016-08-15T11:26:40Z")
Courtesy of the Rio committee’s announcements: ## Tuesday CAUSE: A proliferation of algae, caused by heat and lack of wind. IT WILL BE FIXED BY: Wednesday ## Wednesday CAUSE: A sudden decrease in the alkalinity in the diving pool caused by too many people using it. IT WILL BE FIXED BY: Thursday ## Thursday CAUSE: The water tanks ran out of some of the chemicals used in the water treatment process, but the water is improved. IT WILL BE FIXED BY: Friday ## Friday CAUSE: “Chemistry is not an exact science.” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/2 "2016-08-15T11:41:41Z")
Actually, chemistry _is_ an exact science. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/3 "2016-08-15T14:19:26Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Actually, chemistry _is_ an exact science. But public relations is not. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/4 "2016-08-15T15:05:08Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > CAUSE: A sudden decrease in the alkalinity in the diving pool caused by too many people using it. > IT WILL BE FIXED BY: Thursday I’ll tell you, it’s a real shame the folks running the Olympics were taken by surprise by the number of people using the diving pool. If only the people running the diving events had some sort of schedule. Like, maybe a list of divers, and when they were going to dive and how many dives they were going to take? Then the organizers would have known how many people would be using the diving pool. [https://www.rio2016.com/en/diving-schedule-and-results](https://www.rio2016.com/en/diving-schedule-and-results) ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/5 "2016-08-15T15:29:03Z")
Not to mention that the water polo pool, which has had no such issues, has people in it pretty much at all times. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/6 "2016-08-15T15:40:34Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’ll tell you, it’s a real shame the folks running the Olympics were taken by surprise by the number of people using the diving pool. If only the people running the diving events had some sort of schedule. Like, maybe a list of divers, and when they were going to dive and how many dives they were going to take? Then the organizers would have known how many people would be using the diving pool. > > [https://www.rio2016.com/en/diving-schedule-and-results](https://www.rio2016.com/en/diving-schedule-and-results) Well, when you slap together an event like this at the last minute, you’re bound to miss a few little details. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/7 "2016-08-15T15:43:08Z")
They talked about this on “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” this weekend. Paula Poundstone said it was from that chemical that turns color when you pee in the pool. Alonzo Bodin thought maybe one of the Russian divers accidentally cut themselves. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/8 "2016-08-15T15:45:25Z")
## Today [Someone put hydrogen peroxide in the pool](http://gizmodo.com/we-finally-know-why-the-olympic-diving-pool-turned-gree-1785276491) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/9 "2016-08-15T15:47:17Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Not to mention that the water polo pool, which has had no such issues, has people in it pretty much at all times. It turned green last Wednesday. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/10 "2016-08-15T17:08:36Z")
Pools are always green…they just appear gold…err…blue on TV. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/11 "2016-08-15T18:12:10Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > ## Today > > [Someone put hydrogen peroxide in the pool](http://gizmodo.com/we-finally-know-why-the-olympic-diving-pool-turned-gree-1785276491) Does this provide a solution besides replacing the water? ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/12 "2016-08-15T18:30:30Z")
what they cant buy about 40 pounds of the seven in one cleaner mix we use in my pool?yeesh … I have a horde of kidlets under 8 in mine a lot and that works ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/13 "2016-08-15T19:05:52Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Pools are always green…they just appear gold…err…blue on TV. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/14 "2016-08-15T20:19:52Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Well, when you slap together an event like this at the last minute, you’re bound to miss a few little details. "Wait, you’re saying we’re hosting the _2016_ Olympics? I thought we had the 2020 one! Oh, shit, we’ve got to throw something together quick." ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/15 "2016-08-15T20:21:59Z")
Salt or chlorine? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/16 "2016-08-15T20:30:54Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > "Wait, you’re saying we’re hosting the _2016_ Olympics? I thought we had the 2020 one! > > Oh, shit, we’ve got to throw something together quick." “Mike, here’s the state credit card. Go over to Sports Authority and buy…everything.” “Oh, we thought _professional_ athletes would bring their own equipment. Sniff.” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/17 "2016-08-15T21:12:35Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Does this provide a solution besides replacing the water? Pouring anything into water provides a solution. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/18 "2016-08-15T21:23:31Z")
Yellow and blue make… Oh wait, that’s Ziploc bags. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/19 "2016-08-15T21:24:57Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Pouring anything into water provides a solution. Olympic pick pocketing. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895/20 "2016-08-15T21:35:28Z")
I just thought they wanted people to know that Olympic diving isn’t easy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reasons-the-pool-is-green/762895.md?page=2)