Is it better to use a saltwater pool or an ozone pool?

Answer 1

The problem with an ozone system is that it is only a partial solution still requiring some addition of pool chemicals and still requiring a high level of monitoring and maintenance.

There are numerous advantages in installing salt water system into a new or existing swimming pool: • Lower operational costs -- eliminates the need for chemical chlorine and reduces maintenance requirements. • Increased safety -- eliminates the risk of having toxic chemicals around your house. • Increased swimming enjoyment -- no more stinging eyes or chlorine odor on skin and clothing. The mild salt water also provides a more luxurious bathing experience.

Ian Diamond Sal-Chlor USA www.salchlorusa.com

I thought that salt systems convert the salt to chlorine in the pool. So, you don't have to store chlorine (you store salt), but you still end up with chlorine in the pool (and it's subsequent impact on skin / hair / breathing of fumes / bathers etc.).

Also, apparently ozone + ionization + very small amounts of chlorine etc. (in a pool with water mixers that can be added cheaply) works well.

If you use a robotic automatic cleaner they filter out lots of particles, including very tiny particles, and so ease the load on the main filtration system. And they keep the pool extremely clean.

I am in the saline pool system business, but please be assured my comments are based on facts, not biase. Ozone is a very good oxidizer, but has two major drawbacks for use on average to large size Swimming Pools. 1. Due to its half-life (of about 20 minutes) is is difficlut to disperse throughout and keep in the water. You cannot maintain or 'measure' a residual of ozone sanitizer in the water, especially with reasonably priced UV (ultra violet) type systems and larger output CD (corona discharge) systems are very highly priced. 2. Ozone does not kill algae and you must maintain a residual of 'chlorine' (or similar) in the water. Ozone by itself is not allowed in 'commercial' (pulic) swimming pools, but is OK if there is measurable residual of chlorine to go with it. A saline system on a pool does the entire job of sanitizing the water, without requiring the support of of any other type of oxidizer/sanitizer. Its effectivemness can be measured with a normal pool test kit, it eliminates the need to manually add any pool-chlorine, algaecides or 'shock' chemicals. Its best feature is the water quality and swimmer comfort which it offers (no hair and skin damage, not chemical odors).

Neither system can be defined as "The Best". Both Ozone and Salt systems have many drawbacks. Both systems are very climate dependent. Both systems generate chemical additives to your pool. Both systems require significant monitoring to avoid cloudy water and algae outbreaks. I agree that the short life span of the "Ozone" makes any size pool coverage inadequate. They only treat the area directly around the discharge point and generate Disinfection By Products(DBP) in the process. Salt systems require Carbon treatment, generate DBP, and leave a residue on your pool and pool equipment. Salt water is not good for the filter system or heater.

Ultraviolet Technology offers a refreshing alternative to pool sterilization. Systems like the HalcyonRx (www.halcyonRx.com) are very effective and low maintenance. UV destroys a broader amount of Bacteria, Germs, Virus and Algea than all other systems. Municipal water treatment facilities are converting to UV above all other technologies for Drinking Water treatment. With a minimal amount of residual alternative sanitizer (ie. .5 to 2.0 ppm Chlorine for example) UV does not generate any chemicals, adds nothing to the pool, and destroys DBP. You can not over treat your pool with UV. Annual bulb replacement and tube cleaning is all the maintence required. The Halcyon Rx comes with a 5 year limited warranty which makes it the most cost affective system available.

Jon T. Laliberte jonla@halcyontec.com

Answer 2

It is harder on the concrete and surrounding landscaping to use a saltwater pool. It is harder on the common metals in / around the pool, and more expensive to set up an ozone pool. Need to watch the splashing too, if you don't control the dose in the pool pretty closely. It is probably "better" all around to use bromine as your primary sterilant, and apply ozone pre-filtration to reactivate the bromine to hypobromous acid. It is cheapest of all, and bromine has a lower vapor pressure, so it evaporates less requiring less total chemical addition. Really useful in the desert and indoors.

Answer 3

Salt water pools are chlorine pools The salt water goes through a chlorine generator where the chlorine is made using the salt in the water. Both chlorine and ozone are powerful oxidants. To the best of my knowledge Ozone is less irritating to the eyes of the swimmer but is harder on the fitting and equipment in the water. A properly balanced salt water pool is more pleasant to swim in then a fresh water pool. and if you use the new salt water system magnablu, That uses Magnesium and Potassium chloride instead of the standard sodium chloride it is actually good for you.

Answer 4

A salt water pool in most cases uses a salt water chlorinator. It converts sodium chloride (Salt) to sodium hypochlride (chlorine) so you still have a chlorinated pool. Ozone is far healthier and maintenance free. Ozone can replace partially or totally Chlorine in the pool. It is many times more effective in getting rid of bacteria, algae & viruses than Chlorine.

It will maintain a very clean water without the use of the many chemicals used to disinfect, to adjust the PH, Alkalinity, ..........

By comparison to the Chlorine , Ozone treatment is virtually maintenance free. All you need is to install Ozonator, add the Ozone fix and enjoy.

Answer 5

First off a "salt" pool is a chlorine pool, they big advantage of salt over using liquid chlorine is you don't have to continually drive to the pool store to get liquid to add to your pool. There has recently been concerns with salt water being put into the sewer systems and some area are implementing by-laws but the long term impact hasn't yet been established.