Does A Chlorine Free Pool Really Exist?
01 Feb Does A Chlorine Free Pool Really Exist?
Swimming Pools: Alternatives to Chlorine
Chlorine keeps swimming pools safe and clean, but there are alternatives to chlorine if you’re willing to pay the price.
From Naperville Patch
Despite being the most cost effective and efficient sanitizer for swimming pools over the last 50 years or so, Chlorine has gotten a bad reputation. Misconceptions and other unreasonable tactics have caused Chlorine to be maligned by the public in regards to treating swimming pool water. The search for a viable alternative has been a long one, and has actually produced some alternatives. This post from the Naperville Patch discusses some of the most popular chlorine alternatives for swimming pools. Keep in mind, these alternatives aren’t necessarily better than Chlorine in many ways, and usually carry a significant trade-off. However, for those that simply have a complete aversion to Chlorine, this post is for you.
Here is an excerpt from the post:
Chlorine keeps swimming pools safe and clean, but there are alternatives to chlorine if you’re willing to pay the price.
Chlorine is popular because it handles the three main jobs in keeping a swimming pool clean: It sanitizes (kills bacteria and germs), oxidizes (controls organic debris from perspiration and body oils), and deters algae. The chemical is unpopular because it has a strong odor, reddens eyes, and causes allergic reactions in some swimmers.
There are alternatives to chlorine including bromine, ionizers, and ozonators, though with each you’ll still need to use some chlorine. A fourth alternative is PHMB, which doesn’t require the use of any chlorine. All four have drawbacks, including cost.
Chlorine is relatively cheap. How much chlorine (http://www.ehow.com/way_5272184_much-chlorine-should-added-pool.html) you’ll need depends on the size of your pool, length of the swim season, amount of use, and other factors. For a 20,000-gallon pool that’s open year-round, figure you’ll spend about $600 annually.
Bromine
Click here to read the entire post