Can you sanitize your pool without chlorine?

Answer 1

The short answer is YES. The longer answer is yes, but what are the "by-products" of sanitizing or disinfecting your pool? You may be creating more issues than you are solving. Here is an article from www.goodbyechlorine.com that I found very helpful.

"There are six key components to a healthy pool. They are:

1 Filtration- This component measures the ability of certain types of filters to remove contaminants. There are three factors:

a. Capture size of the media (measured in "microns")

b. P.S.I. or "pounds per square inch" of a pumps capacity to circulate water effectively. (measured in horse power/HP)

c. Type of filter. Charcoal, RO, DE, cartridge or pool sand filters each have different actuarial effects on contaminants that are captured. These are typically from 1-20 microns. The smaller the number, the more effective the filter.

2. Circulation- The ability of a pools pump to circulate the entire body of water (pool capacity) within a certain time frame. A healthy pool should circulate completely through one complete cycle at least one and a half times in a 12-hour period. We recommend two times daily during heavy swim seasons.

3. Organic load- pools, spa or hot tubs, especially those that are located outdoors, are subjected to a variety of organic precipitation on a constant basis and, more so in particular seasons, when foliage sheds pollen, mold spores or leaves. This "organic load" is the pirmary source of most potential algae blooms and bacterial growth in your pool.

4. Chemistry-pH, Total Alkalinity, Hardness, etc. are central to the effectiveness of pool chemicals and in establishing an environment that is either favorable or not favorable to the growth of certain organic feeders, such as cyanobacterium. For instance, if your phosphates level is elevated (say, over 100 ppb) you are simply supplying food for algae. You may need to reduce the phosphates levels artificially to reduce this "food load" also.

5. Residual chemical contents. When switching from one type of disinfectant to another, there may be residual chemicals, such as cyanuric acid in the water, which would be left behind as a by-product of residual chlorine.

6. Disinfection by-products. Chlorine or salt systems produce hypo-chlorous acid, which is the primary disinfectant in chlorine. The action of these disinfectants on organics can cause the production of THMs and other carcinogens, as a by-product of the process. In fact, swimming one hour in a public pool, is the health equivalent of drinking chlorinated pool water for a week!

Trihalomethanes (THM or THMs) form when disinfectants such as chlorine combine with organic substances like sweat, skin and hair. The dangerous chemical is making news because there is evidence to suggest that it is thousands of times more toxic than chlorine. They are particularly hazardous because they are a gas and can therefore be absorbed and inhaled through the skin when showering, as well as from drinking water. One example of this toxic substance is chloroform. Studies have found a link between Breast cancer and high levels of Trihalomethanes.

Yes it is possible to sanitize your pool without using Chlorine. Other choices include a different chemical known as Bromine.

The better choice for you though would be to convert your pool to Salt. Basically you buy a unit that converts salt that you have in your pool water to chlorine and then back again. They are fantastic - I would never like to have a chlorine pool now that I have a salt one. However please note that you still need to have a bucket of chlorine on hand to "shock" the pool. We have a 10kg bucket and it is going to last a long time.

Yes we have a product that can replaces chlorine,plus the water has drinking water qualiity. For futher details click on oxight.de. Click on products and then on OXYPOOL. Greetings Sandro Rottmann

Answer 2

you would have to convert the pool to saltwater there really is no way to clean it without chlorine

Answer 3

To have too much or too little chlorine in your pool can result in an ear infection pink eye stomach ache etc. therefore it is not safe.