THE DIFFERENT WATER TREATMENTS FOR SWIMMING POOLS

What you need to know about water treatments

for swimming pools and spas

A simple filtration is not enough to obtain a pure and clean water in your swimming pool or spa.

Disinfected swimming pool water will guaranty you to swim in a clean and crystal clear water.

The environment of a water pool is full of micro-organisms such as bacteria, virus, mould and algae.

Daily use by swimmers, errant debris, weather variation (sun / rain / wind), or even chemical disinfectants added in the pool constantly muck up the balance of your water.

Water pH will be the first critical point that we need to control in order to get a pure and safe pool. It is the first indicator that will measure the quality of the water treatment we use. The result will have a direct impact on the action of the disinfectants as well as the quality of the water pool.

The second important action is the water disinfection. You will find several type of products that can help, each of them with advantages and drawbacks.

Checking the disinfection process yourself will be undoubtedly the best way to ensure that it is done properly. But handling chemical products is not enjoyable and is a long lasting process to control and dose out correctly. You will soon find out that it would interesting to add an automatic water disinfection to your actual installation.

Not mater which one you choose, it will save you time and give you a real comfort and peace of mind.

What are the different swimming pool water treatments?

The most used

Chlorine

Bromine

Salt

Ozone

From chlorine treatment, to bromine, salt or ozone, different products can be used to disinfect your swimming pool.

Each of them with their advantages and drawbacks,

We will tell you everything on the major water treatments for swimming pools and spas to help you make the best choice.

CHLORINE WATER TREATMENT FOR SWIMMING POOLS

Chlorine is the most common water treatment found.

Chlorine is frequently used in tablet, placed in the swimming pool’s skimmer.

A high concentration of chlorine can be found in swimming pools, particularly the ones situated in hotels and locations villas, with a result of a super chlorinated water that can be harmful to the health, especially for kids.

It can be used for regular treatment in a swimming pool, as well as a shock treatment in case of a water turning green.

Do a chlorine shock

Advantages of chlorine water treatment

price : Chlorine is the cheapest treatment for swimming pools in the market, compared to its performances.

Cost saving, because one tablet is usually enough to treat a swimming pool for a week (depending on the pool size).

Easy to use

In liquid or tablet, it is easy to manipulate, under the normal precautions for use.

Chlorine’s side effect on skin

When correctly treated with chlorine, a swimming pool should not smell nearby nor within.

Even if chlorine is used properly, one can experience harmful effects after swimming. .

For example, the skin can become very dry and rough, with rashes for the most sensitive ones.

If chlorine is over concentrated, it can become really itchy, severely rough or feeling like burned !

Sadly it is not all, as chlorine, as a chemical product, has side effects on the hair as well. Chlorine can dry your hair, dye it partially. It is particularly aggressive on blond hair.

The Chlorine allergies

Main symptoms :

Red, puffed, irritated eyes.

Red and rough skin.

The appearance of rashes that scratch.

Breathing difficulties, frequent sneeze and cough.

Headaches coming along with fainting.

Dangers linked to an excessive exposure to chlorine

Eczema and bronchiolitis (before 2 years old).

Risk of developing allergies (pollen and dust mite) that can lead to allergic asthma or rhinitis (before 12 years old).

For competitive swimmers: 2 to 3 times more likely to develop allergies and asthma than other athletes.

Chlorine inconveniences

The limited effectiveness of chlorine: in order to be 100% effective, chlorine needs to be diluted in a water with a PH between 7,2 and 7,6. If it gets higher, the chlorine treatment will be less efficient. You will need to regularly control and check the pH to make sure that the chlorine treatment is effective.

Chlorine will be less efficient when the water temperature increases.

Correct dosage of chlorine

BROMINE WATER TREATMENT FOR SWIMMING POOLS

Although bromine is not the most common treatment for swimming pools, it is as much efficient as chlorine and less restrictive.

Such as chlorine, bromine is a strong oxidant and disinfectant. It destroys bacteria, moulds, viruses and other organic materials that can be found in a swimming pool’s water.

Sold in tablets, bromine must be placed in a brominator in the water filtration’s system.

Such as chlorine, bromine can be used for regular water treatments but also as a shock treatment if a quick disinfection is required.

Advantages of bromine water treatment

Unlike to chlorine, bromine is effective when pH is between 7,5 and 8,0.

Price per kilo is reasonable.

No need to add extra chemicals product to guaranty efficacy.

Easy to use

Sold in tablets, bromine is as easy to use as chlorine.

You have to take extra care when manipulating and stocking the product as bromine is highly corrosive when not diluted in water.

Side effects bromine on skin

Compared to chlorine, bromine is easier on the skin and mucous membrane for the majority of people (be careful with animals, as they are very sensitive to this product).

Bromine allergies

Even though the allergies as far less common than the ones with chlorine, some swimmers will experience more or less strong side effects after swimming in a pool treated with bromine.

Main symptoms :

Wheezing.

Frequent sneeze and cough.

Itching and sore throat.

Red and rough skin.

Sinusitis.

Dangers linked to an excessive exposure to bromine

Bromine organic components are no biodegradable, when decomposing, inorganic brominate elements can be found. They can damage the nervous system when high doses are absorbed.

It is important to keep a well-treated swimming pool or spa to prevent reactions and lower bromine side effects on health and an excessive exposure to bromine.

Bromine inconveniences

Its price, as it is 30 to 40% more expensive than chlorine.

Non ecological: a high quantity of water must be emptied when bromine is overdosed.

A weekly check of the pool’s pH (between 7,5 and 8,0 for bromine) must be done as bromine efficacy depends on it.

Help with treatment

SALT WATER TREATMENT FOR SWIMMING POOLS

As its name suggests, a swimming pool with salt is a pool filled with salt rather than chlorine or bromine water.

But it does not mean that the pool will not contain chlorine, as the salt molecule naturally contains chlorine.

The process consist in using the natural chlorine of the salt rather than pure chlorine which is more irritating for the skin, hair and clothes, worse for the environment and expensive.

A swimming pool with salt stands out from other standard treatments such as chlorine or bromine.

Advantages of salt water treatment

Unlike chlorine, salt is not irritating for the skin and mucous membranes.

As salt is a natural product, it can be stored without any danger compared to other chemical products.

Odourless on skin or clothes such as swimsuits.

More ecological than chlorine and bromine as we do not use chemical products.

No irritation on skin, eyes or hair (if correctly done, which is rarely the case).

Easy to use

The water treatment is automatically processed with an electrolysis device. The maintenance is easier for the owner as it optimizes the salt content better than the other disinfection chemical tablets.

We do not choose a swimming pool with salt to save money, but to ease the swimming pool’s maintenance.

Salt side effects on skin

Compared to chlorine and bromine, there is no skin or mucous membranes irritation when using salt.

Salt allergy

Main symptoms :

None if the salt is correctly used and the pH well controlled.

Dangers linked to an excessive exposure to salt

None if the salt is correctly used and the pH well controlled.

Salt inconveniences

Salt treatment makes pH to get higher, the owner has to regularly control and adjust it if needed.

Excessive dosing lead to empty a big quantity of water and refill again the pool (non-ecological nor cost saving).

Water stability is sensitive. An extra control of the pH is mandatory.

We cannot use it with steel swimming pool, with metal railways, or even the polyester pools, because of the electrolysis. Deterioration will be quicker on metallic structural elements.

Premature deterioration of the whole installation, pipes, electrolysis, swimming pool ladder, pool liner, roof enclosures...

Electricity bills can be high as the chlorine generator must be switched on between 18 and 24 hours a day for a swimming pool used daily.

Be careful with electrolysis that can get lime scaled and oxidised. You will have to change it sometimes.

The device must be switched off when water’s temperature is below 16 degrees, as the water resistance to electricity is stronger when it gets colder.

Help with treatment

OZONE WATER TREATMENT FOR SWIMMING POOLS

Ozone is one of the most natural and powerful water treatment for swimming pools and spas. We also use ozone to treat daily use water, such as tap water (Nice city makes the most of this treatment since 1907). Ozone is increasingly being used by professionals for public and municipal swimming pools.

Ozone is really efficient with bacteria, germs, organic material and viruses which are virtually destroyed by this treatment.

It is the best disinfectant for swimming pool and is stronger than any other manual or automatic chemical treatment. Ozone starts oxidizing algae as from 50 microgram diluted in 1l of water (µg/l).

A swimming pool treated with ozone stands out from chlorine, bromine and salt disinfectants in several ways. .

Advantages of ozone water’s treatment

In a swimming pool treated with ozone, water will be as clear and pure as a natural spring water.

There is no environmental impact (ecological).

Odourless, again, compared to chlorine.

Daily cost saving as ozone exclusively use air oxygen to process, no need for any other product.

As Ozone is a natural product, you will get free from the inconvenience of chemical treatments such chlorine, bromine or salt.

Odourless on skin or clothes (swimsuits, towels...).

Much more ecological than chlorine, bromine or salt.

No irritation on skin, eyes or hair (natural spring water).

Easy to use

The ozonator must be installed and fixed by a professional .

Ozone is made of surrounding air and does not need any chemical product to process. It does not secrete any toxic residues that could harm swimmers, installation filtration and floor covering.

Side effects of ozone on the skin

No skin or mucous membranes irritation.

Just the pleasure to swim in a spring water.

Ozone allergies

No allergies possible, as a water treated with ozone is entirely disinfected.

Dangers linked to an excessive exposure to ozone

None, as ozonation and desozonation are only made in the technical room, with no waste discharge in the pool as ozone re-combines in oxygen before going back to the pool.

Ozone inconveniences

The only inconvenient will be the price that need to be invested at first. But it will be quickly paid off with the gain on water consumption and energy savings.

Ozone water treatment is a wonderful solution for all owners of public and private swimming pools wishing to invest in an efficient, healthy and ecological process. Of course all this advantages can run up against financial limitation and this should not be underestimated. Once you will have review all the cost and compare all the advantages and drawbacks, you will be ready to jump in the major pool.

A healthy pure and crystal clear water is priceless!

What you should know about ozone treatment

Convenient

Cost saving

Ecological

Bactericide (destroys bacteria).

Fungicide (destroys moulds and algae).

Viricidal (destroys viruses).

Natural

See ozone treatment

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Enjoy the comfort of a pure, healthy and connected water.