OUR NAME IS CHANGING, but we are still your local pool shop.
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Starting January 8th 2024, our diverse retail locations will come together under a single identity: Direct Pool Supplies.
Visit the Direct Pool Supplies website to learn how this will benefit you.
Now with BETTER ADVICE, RANGE, and PRICE!
Starting January 8th 2024, our diverse retail locations will come together under a single identity: Direct Pool Supplies.
Visit the Direct Pool Supplies website to learn how this will benefit you.
Pool Sanitisation
As large bodies of water, it is easy for pools to become contaminated with a number of severe viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Consequently, pool sanitisation is a core component of pool ownership, as the correct maintenance routines can render pools safe from the majority of these contaminants.
Modern pool sanitisation offers pool owners multiple methods for sanitising their pool, and each function differently.
A pallet of pool salt, used in pool sanitation
Chlorine
Chlorine is by far currently the most popular pool sanitisation system. Most products sold as 'pool chlorine' or similar are not actually chemically chlorine, despite their names. Instead, they are chemical compounds that include chlorine, such as hydrochloric acid, and when the chemical is used to treat the pool water, chlorine is produced as a by-product of the chemical reactions taking place. As such, any product that produces chlorine as a by-product of sanitisation is simply referred to as chlorine itself, allowing pool owners and technicians to communicate with each other in a simple manner.
Typically, most people choose to sanitise their pools with either chlorine tablets, powder, liquid, or gas. Chlorine tablets come in a range of sizes, and are deployed in one of a number of ways. It may typically be placed into either the skimmer basket or a floating chlorine dispenser, or, if there is an automatic chlorinator installed on the pool, that may be used to deploy the chlorine.
Chlorine powder is added directly into the pool water, as is chlorine liquid. Both are much faster acting than chlorine tablets, though liquid chlorine has an exceptionally short shelf-life and should be used soon after it has been purchased. To determine how much of either of these products to add, one must chemically test the water of the pool.
The gaseous chlorine used to sanitise pools is the only form of 'pure' chlorine used. However, because pure chlorine gas is dangerous if mistreated, only trained and qualified professionals are legally allowed to add chlorine gas to pools. Consequentially, chlorine gas is not particularly common in residential pools, though it is incredibly effective in most contexts.
Additionally, saltwater chlorinators are also available to turn salt into chlorine. These pools require a special chlorinator to be able to effectively separate the chlorine from the salt compound, but they do make adding the chlorine to the pool simpler and safer than alternative methods, as one need only pour the salt directly into the pool.
Once the chlorine has been released, it has a particularly strong smell that is disfavourable to many swimmers. The chlorine can also be an irritant to the eyes and skin of swimmers, and may also cause some damage to the pool's lining and plumbing depending on the materials used. For these reasons, despite how effective and cheap chlorine is, many alternatives have been developed over time.
More products used to chemically clean pools
Bromine
Bromine is a common alternative to chlorine in pool sanitation. Bromine does not have a distinctive odour, it is typically gentler on the eyes, and it performs better in warm pools, making it an excellent choice for spas and hot tubs. However, bromine is also more expensive and a weaker oxidant than chlorine, which means it will cost more to less-effectively sanitise your pool. In addition, bromine comes in tablets and granules much like chlorine, and, when it has finished its chemical reaction with the contaminants in the pool, will also release trace amounts of chlorine. While these trace amounts of chlorine are not enough to create the distinct smell of the chemical, they will cause reactions in swimmers with an allergy to chlorine, making bromine a poor alternative in those circumstances.
UV Filtration
Ultraviolet (UV) light is adept at removing harmful organisms from water. However, UV light emitted from the sun is also what causes our skin to become burnt and damaged, which means any UV light used to sanitise pool water cannot be positioned directly over the pool as it would burn and injure any swimmers. As such, UV filters are placed inside of the pool's filtration system and away from the swimmers, allowing the UV light to filter the pool water. UV filters reduce the chemical consumption of a pool significantly, but are unable to reduce it to zero, as some chemicals are required to keep the water clean on the way to and, critically, from the filter.
Because UV filters are simple, low-maintenance additions to a pool's existing filtration system, they are a common choice for many pool owners. In most contexts, though, they are best used as a supplemental oxidizer for your pool, not as a primary disinfectant.
Ozone Filters
An Ozonator, or an ozone generator, is able to generate ozone gas inside of your pool, which acts as a sanitiser. The ozone generators work by dismantling and reassembling oxygen molecules into different ozone molecules, using either ultraviolet light or corona discharge. Of the two options, corona discharge systems are more effective and can produce higher concentrations of ozone, but are also typically more expensive to install. Long-term, though, corona discharge systems become cheaper, ultimately costing less per gram of produced ozone when compared to UV ozone systems.
Much like a UV light filter, the ozone generator is attached to the pool's existing circulation system and sanitises the water as it passes through. By the time the water reaches the pool again, the ozone levels are safely diminished, but this does mean this system is also only designed for supplemental use and still requires chemicals to maintain total sanitation.
An external pool filter used to clean pool water
Natural Pools
In recent years, there has also been a rise in the popularity of 'natural' pools. Instead of employing chemicals to filter the water of the pool, these pools instead create an artificial biofilter by placing rocks, plants, and occasionally wildlife inside of the pool. By doing so, the natural biofilter found in natural ponds and lakes is recreated in the pool, making it safe for swimming. However, these 'filters' require extensive maintenance and upkeep, as any damage to the biosphere of the pool may impact the effectiveness of the filter, making them a rare option in most residential properties.
Reference Links:
A Wikipedia Resource On Pool Sanitation
A Wikipedia Resource On Private Pool Filtration
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