Swimming Pool Chemicals Are Being Replaced

Pool chemicals used to be pretty cut and dry. You used chlorine, and that was the industry standard. Chlorine might not smell so great, it might not be good for the environment, and it might irritate your eyes, but it does a good job of killing bacteria in swimming pools and spas. Today, however, there are alternatives that reduce the need for pool chemicals or eliminate them altogether.

Alternatives to Swimming Pool Chemicals

Salt

Technically, using salt in swimming pools isn't anything new (I remember swimming in a salt water outdoor pool in West Seattle as a kid), but it's just now starting to gaining popularity with residential pool owners. One example of a salt-based swimming pool cleansing system is the ECOmatic by Balboa Direct. The system uses everyday table salt along with a power pack and cell. The water passes through the cell where it is converted into a natural sanitizer used to purify the pool water. Afterwards, the sanitizing agent reverts back to salt. Salt-based sanitation systems get rid of bacteria, viruses, and algae the same way chlorine does, and they are more friendly to the environment.

Just how salty is the water, you may wonder, and is it unpleasant to swim in? According to the ECOmatic site, the salt in the water is only one third the density of salt in tears and does not become brackish or irritating to swimmers.
http://www.ecomatic.com


Electronic Water Purification

If the idea of swimming in salt water isn't appealing to you, you may want to check out an electronic water purification system; it is another way to replace pool chemicals like chlorine and bromine. According to Carefree Clearwater LLC, their system which includes ionization of the water ("The process of an atom gaining or losing electrons is called ionization. The Carefree Clearwater system generates copper and silver ions in minute quantities for water purification.") was first perfected by NASA (they needed an efficient way to purify water for astronauts) and is safe for use in swimming pools. It eliminates the need to use pool chemicals and the initial installation of the system can turn out to be much cheaper than buying chemicals over the years. It is also an automated system that eliminates the need to test for chemicals on a daily basis.
http://www.carefreeclearwater.com/

Ozonators

Ozone generators are also becoming popular with today's pool and spa owners. While they do not completely eliminate the need for pool chemicals, these generators reduce the amount of chemicals you need to use to keep your water bacteria free.