Having a ‘chlorine-free pool’ sounds like a healthy thing to do. A chemical-free pool has a way of communicating health and safety to the users of the pool. So it is very understandable for people to be concerned about their health, and you do not have to look too far to find the reports that the chlorine exposure.
And so exposure to chlorine can become a potential concern. Chlorine sounds more like a chemical that you would not like to swim in the water it has been used in. but the reality of it stands, it is a misconception! If chlorine were that dangerous, and harmful and could pose a potential hazard, then our drinking water will not have chlorine in them.
And, drinking water has been sanitized for years with chlorine. Salt even has chlorine in it, and so do many other forms of plastics manufacturing like PVC.
How To Clean Swimming Pool Water Without Chlorine
Can you run a pool without chlorine? It’s a two-way thing. You can, and you cannot. Chlorine is used in pools for a range of diverse reasons. Chlorine removes algae, it helps to hold residual value in water, it is a sanitizer, it is also an oxidizer as well. It is safe on all levels and impossible for you to fall sick from swimming because the pool already has chlorine.
READ: How To Clean Pool Tile With Muriatic Acid
ALTERNATIVE OF CHLORINE
Are there any alternatives or replacements for chlorine? Yes, there are a few ones that you can use to clean your pool. The most common ones are the ones you already know about which is, bromine. Bromine is one of the most common sanitizers that you can use in pools and even in hot tubs.
Although the bromine sanitizer is quite similar to chlorine. But because bromine is more expensive than chlorine. So if you do not want to use chlorine, you can always opt for bromine because it will help you accomplish what you are trying to do.
Another alternative to chlorine is another lesser option called Bacquacil sanitizer. You see, Bacquacil, is different than chlorine or even bromine sanitizers because it works as an oxidizer. And an oxidizer meets about three out of four requirements of keeping water safe.
It is also a unique type of oxidizer that can maintain residual value. And not all oxidizers can hold a residual value. Baquacil sanitizer has a lot of chemical compounds that can help make your pool clean. It has chemical compounds such as; Biguanide and aqua silk which are widely accepted majorly in residential pools.
How To keep Pool Clean Without Chlorine?
METHOD 1
The saltwater sanitizers
These sanitizers over time, have become popular and have become the perfect alternative to chlorine for treating water in the pool. In the system, a regenerative process converts the salt into a form of chlorine gas which is injected into the water to help in disinfecting it.
How does salt sanitizer maintain or clean the pool water? The salt sanitizer is a kind of electrolytic converter which needs to be a part of the pool’s equipment. Now the pool equipment system converts the salt to chlorine.
It is through this process, that the pool water is now converted to a mild saline solution. Now this salt sanitizer, kills bacteria, viruses, algae, and other things. The salt sanitizer system, works on a cycle, regenerating salt to chlorine, and chlorine to salt- etc.
This saltwater pool offers a more comfortable swimming environment and thus, it requires even less maintenance than the traditional chlorine pools. Although this salt sanitizer produces a milder, gentler form of chlorine than the one you are used to.
However, salt sanitizer can wear down certain kinds of pool materials and stonework used on the deck. Repeated splashing of salt water on plant life, can alter their lives and lead to early deterioration of some metal pool equipment in the basement. But, saltwater sanitizer does help to make your pool care easier.
METHOD 2
OZONE PURIFICATION
This is one of the most approved and effective water purification methods. It is also known as the O3 or also known as the triatomic oxygen. Ozone purification is another powerful oxidant that helps to destroy microorganisms, stops the accumulation of chemical deposits in pipes and even water systems. And this requires no harsh chemicals. This method has been tested and proven, and it has been said to account for more than the world’s purified water.
Ozone method of purification has been said to be approved because it leaves no toxic behind. This method also requires the use of an ozone generator which uses a UV bulb system. The ozone that has been produced, is passed into the diffuser, which creates bubbles and helps to saturate them with the Ozone.
These bubbles are then mixed with the pool water in a tank. In there, the ozone breaks down the pathogens, which results in having healthy and swimmable water.
This mode of purification has been said to be better than the chlorine-treated water. It is extremely gentle on the skin of swimmers and much powerful than chlorine. This kind of water sparkles. It also helps to remove chemicals such as manganese and also keeps calcium away from forming buildups on your tiles and wall surface.
However, the Ozone water system has a short lifespan. The lifespan is about 20 to about 60 minutes. It all depends on the temperature. You see, when pool water is cycled through the equipment, it gets treated with the Ozone but if any contaminant is in the pool water outside the equipment, needs total eradication until the water passes again, through the ozone generator.
Ozone generators that rely only on UV bulbs require constant replacement of bulbs every 18 to 24 months. Now, these bulbs require special handling and can be quite tricky to switch out in the unit. For the ozone systems with a more advanced corona discharge system, the cells can last for up to five to about seven years and they are quite easy to replace.