Tired of always adding chlorine to your swimming pool?
Well there is some alternatives to just using 100% chlorine in your swimming pool. You can't eliminate chlorine completely because all alternatives need a tiny bit of help from chlorine. Except for bromine, but it is like the brother of chlorine. There's a difference but not very big of a difference. Chlorine is the most commonly used sanitizer. You could lower your chlorine use substantially though with other alternatives.
Swimming Pool UV systems.
So U.V. systems are basically a tube with U.V. light that the pool water passes through and the U.V. light kills the bacteria in the water when it passes through the U.V. tube. It doesn't produce any byproducts. It just kills all the bacteria with no harmful byproducts. You should get the low pressure U.V. system as it is best for residential pools.
Pros:
- It can reduce chlorine use by 50%
- It kills monochloramines (what causes irritation to swimmers)
- It kills cryptosporidium almost instantly, a bacteria that causes major diarrhea for weeks. For chlorine to kill it takes a very high dose.
- Does not cause any harmful byproducts
- Does not cause any damage to equipment
- Does Not need daily servicing
Cons:
- Cost about $800-$1800
- Still need to maintain some chlorine in the pool to protect against new contaminants. As it doesn't leave a residual. It only disinfects the water that is passing by the chamber at that certain time.
- You have to replace the U.V. bulb approximately every year.
Ozone Pool Systems
Ozone is a very powerful oxidizer. It is 10 times more powerful than chlorine. It kills bacteria almost instantly. It is so strong it will oxidize metals in the water and get rid of them. It gets rid of chloramines instantly. It gives your pool a very, very beautiful blue color because it pretty much oxidizes everything out of the water.
If purchasing a system. You have to make sure you purchase a good system. If you see bubbles in the injectors, that is not a true ozone system. It has ozone but very very little to where it does nothing. You have to be careful as there is a-lot of companies out there that sell ozone systems that barely produce anything.
Systems like that are useless because you won't see any difference. You need a good system that produces the correct amount of ozone for your pool. Also, good systems you don't smell ozone. Because the injectors are top quality and they don't produce bubbles to where ozone can come out of the water. This is a good ozone system in our opinion.
Pros:
- Kills bacteria instantly (cryptosporidium as well and on the spot) Very strong
- Reduces chlorine use by a lot. If you purchase a good system, chlorine use is minimal.
- Water clarity is amazing and the water feels silky smooth.
- Eliminates chloramines very fast.
Cons:
- - Equipment is expensive
- - Doesn't leave a residual, works instantly. So gone pretty instantly as well. so still need small amount of chlorine.
Pool Mineral Ionizers
Release microscopic mineral ions that prevent algae growth, and to a certain extent kill some bacteria's. They still require chlorine to work with because they kill some bacteria but not all and aren't as strong when it comes to killing bacteria. They help chlorine kill bacteria but can't take on that task alone. We would say the bacteria killing power of a mineral pool system is very little compared to other systems listed.
Pros:
- - Reduce the amount of chlorine use. But not as good feeling water as systems mentioned above.
- - Has algae prevention properties, so makes it easier to maintain your pool
Cons:
- - Could increase the concentration of metals in your pool water
- - Have to be very careful cause can stain your pool.
- - Takes a few days for mineral levels to build up when first installed.
AOP Advanced Oxidation Process system
This Chlorine alternative uses UV light and Ozone together. Ozone enters the U.V. chamber and the ozone mixing with U.V. light produces hydroxyl radicals. These hydroxyl radicals are very strong and kill 99% of all bacteria's. Like ozone and U.V. on there own they don't create a residual so small amounts of chlorine are still needed.
There is a new AOP system called clear comfort that doesn't use ozone. It uses regular oxygen injected into the U.V. system. The good thing about this is that degassing equipment is not needed. Because with ozone you need extra equipment to catch the ozone so it is not a breathing hazard for people in the pool. AOP provides a very good swimming experience.
Pros:
- - Kills cryptosporidium like U.V. and ozone and kills 99% of bacteria's like both as well
- - Depends on which one you purchase but you can get them for approximately $3,000. And in our opinion if you get the Clear Comfort brand. It's better than ozone or U.V. alone because the hydroxyl radicals go out into the pool. Killing everything in its way. Which ozone does the same but for ozone you need more expensive equipment to capture the ozone and to produce enough ozone. With clear comfort you don't have to worry about catching the ozone and you don't need an expensive piece of equipment to produce a-lot of ozone.
Cons:
- - Cost to Purchase
- - Doesn't leave a residual. So still have to have a chlorine level
Bromine
Is another alternative sanitizer that could be used other than chlorine. Making your pool a non-chlorine pool. The only thing is it needs to be an indoor pool. Because there is no way of protecting bromine from sunlight. Unlike traditional chlorine where it can be protected from sunlight with conditioner. Most importantly, though you do not want to use bromine in outdoor pools because sunlight causes the off-gassing of bromine from an outdoor pool to turn into bromates. Bromates cause cancer.
Bromine is a good alternative pool sanitizer because doesn't cause as much irritation to the eyes and skin. It is a bit more expensive than chlorine though. On the periodic table bromine is a level lower than chlorine. Meaning it's not as reactive. So you could kind of say it's not as aggressive as chlorine.
We don't believe chlorine is a harsh chemical but you could say it's not as harsh as chlorine. From our point of view: Chlorine is more unstable as that it goes into a body of water and starts attacking bacteria right away, it's more affected by PH and temperature as well. Bromine is more stable in the sense that it doesn't just start attacking stuff, but it's more persistent. It is not as affected by PH and temperature as much as chlorine. Which is why it is used in spas a-lot. Because the jets on a spa raise the PH and its not affected as much by PH.
And the temperature of the spa doesn't affect it as much as it would chlorine. But bromine is also not as strong as an oxidizer as chlorine is. But either way It is an effective sanitizer for swimming pools and spas, making them chlorine free if used
Pros:
- - Not as irritating to the eyes and skin like chlorine
- - Provides pool sanitation without having to use small amounts of chlorine like other systems. Provides safe water on its own.
Cons:
- - Should not be used in outdoor pools
- - More expensive than Chlorine
FAQ
How do saltwater systems work as an alternative to chlorine?
Salt systems aren't really an alternative to chlorine. They are chlorine pools. The saltwater chlorine generator uses electrolysis to turn salt into chlorine. Which makes it a chlorine pool. Pool owners say they notice a difference between salt and no salt in a pool. Salt in a pool is softer on the skin that is the only difference.
It is not proven but some say the reason saltwater pools don't feel as harsh as no salt pools. Is because they say since we have salt in our bodies, they say a no salt pool. Pulls salt from our bodies, making it dry etc. But they say since a saltwater pool has salt, it doesn't try to displace salt from our bodies. Salt is a mineral, and water is a unique element so take it you want.