It doesn't matter whether it's in your own pool or in the public pool: Anyone who likes to swim knows the sometimes pungent smell, as well as the burning and reddened eyes. The reason for all these things is chlorine in the pool. Normally hardly noticeable, it can have a negative impact under certain conditions and thoroughly spoil the fun in the water. Pool owners are therefore increasingly looking for alternatives that do not involve enormous effort in pool maintenance and cleaning. We reveal how the pool works with alternatives without chlorine.
chlorine in the pool
In order to be able to make a decision about sensible alternatives without chlorine for the pool, one should first of all visualize the task of this substance in the pool, which was once praised as a miracle cure. On the basis of the range of tasks performed, it is then possible to weigh up which method or which substitute material produces comparable results. Chlorine preparations have these main tasks:
- Binding of imported foreign substances such as fat, protein, urine, etc.
- Killing germs to reduce the likelihood of disease transmission
- Prevention of algae growth to maintain stable water quality
danger: Water treatment with chlorine only works reliably and effectively in the medium pH range between 7.0 and 7.4. In addition to the addition of the actual chemical, the required pH value raisers and lowerers can also pollute the water and affect the bodies of the bathers.
Alternatives to chlorine in the pool
Adequate alternatives to chlorine should be able to fulfill the tasks described in the same way or at least to a comparable extent. Otherwise, the comfort gained from chlorine use will decrease in terms of the frequency and effort of cleaning and water replacement. Overall, the need for labor and cost-intensive pool maintenance is increasing significantly.
As a result, only a few real non-chlorine pool alternatives have emerged.
notice: In addition to the main task of replacing the function of chlorination, alternative methods must of course also be compatible with the bathers and prove to be just as uncritical in handling and disposal. These additional requirements further limit the number of possible products.
active oxygen
A chemical alternative to chlorine is active oxygen, commonly known as hydrogen peroxide. The hydroxyl radicals released in the fabric effectively kill germs and bacteria of all kinds, while the active oxygen itself decomposes as part of the reaction to form water and oxygen - two completely uncritical end products. In use, the active oxygen is just as uncomplicated as the chlorine products to be replaced, but the pool technology must be checked for its suitability with hydrogen peroxide.
forms of processing
- tablets
- granules
- liquid solution
benefits
- high effectiveness against bacteria and other pathogens
- Harmless end products, disposal therefore unproblematic
disadvantage
- Effective only at water temperatures below 25 °C
- no binding effect with foreign substances
- no algicidal effect
- therefore generally used in combination with algicides and flocculants
notice: Active oxygen works particularly well under the influence of UV radiation, so that a combination of hydrogen peroxide and a UV system is worthwhile. The UV system required for this essentially corresponds to the UV ozone generator described below, but as a merely supporting device in a technically simple form.
bromine
The chemical element is only one place next to chlorine in the periodic table and is also very similar to it in its disinfecting effect. However, it has a far less oxidizing effect, so that pool care with bromine alone is hardly successful. As a rule, therefore, a combination of bromine and chlorine preparations is used, so that chlorine consumption is significantly reduced, but its use can still bind foreign substances and kill algae. Well regulated, the combination therefore represents optimal cleaning with minimal use of chlorine.
forms of processing
- tablets
- granules
- as a solution
benefits
- evaporates far more slowly than chlorine solutions, so it can also be used at higher water temperatures
- no formation of harmful chloramines, therefore hardly any eye or skin irritation, and no odor formation
disadvantage
- not a complete replacement for chlorine, can only be used sensibly as a combination solution
PHBM - Polyhexamethylene biguanide
Another alternative for chlorine is polyhexamethylene biguanide. What sounds like a tongue twister for chemists in its long form is better in its abbreviation biguanide or the retailer Baquacil known. It is a completely chlorine-free chemical element with a very good disinfecting effect. Adverse effects of chloramines, including burning eyes and a pungent odor, are therefore excluded.
forms of processing
- tablets
- granules
benefits
- no adverse effects on skin and eyes, as well as on pool liners
- no need to dissolve before adding to pool water
- long-lasting disinfection effect, therefore addition in large intervals usually weekly, sufficient
- flexible in terms of pH and temperature of the water
- very UV-stable, therefore not influenced by intensive solar radiation
disadvantage
- no oxidizing effect, therefore ineffective against organic substances such as protein or urine
- no effective protection against algae, therefore separate algaecide required
- No compatibility with bromine, active oxygen or chlorine, therefore shock chlorination not possible
ozone
Similar to the protective effect of the ozone layer from the harmful effects of space, ozone is also able to contribute to pool maintenance by killing germs and breaking down organic contaminants. The ozone generators required for this type of cleaning work with two different methods to form the helpful ozone in the water:
- UV ozone generators reliably kill pathogens using UV radiation.
- Corona discharge generators apply the so-called corona treatment and use an electric arc to achieve the germicidal effect.
forms of processing
- Technical installations, so-called ozone generators
benefits
- No recurring addition of chemicals required
- Efficacy independent of the pH value
- Completely chlorine-free pool maintenance
disadvantage
- High acquisition costs for the technical installation of the system
- Low effectiveness in humid climatic conditions
Salt water electrolysis - the middle ground
Admittedly, salt water electrolysis is not actually one of the real alternatives to chlorine. Because after adding salt to the pool, the electrolysis system uses electrical energy to create inorganic active chlorine from the added salt. In contrast to the conventional use of chlorine, the effectiveness here is significantly higher, since the substance is produced on demand and does not require intermediate storage. Purchase, use and disposal are also completely eliminated and the dangers associated with the use of chlorine can thus be significantly reduced. In addition, the higher effectiveness leads to a lower need overall, so that the burden on people and the pool is reduced. The only drawback of this process is the required salt content, which is hardly noticeable at 0.3 to 0.5 percent.
forms of processing
- Electrical plant for electrolysis
- Salt as a powder or tablets
benefits
- Less chlorine required
- Lower risk potential
- Very cheap to maintain
disadvantage
- Not a real chlorine alternative
Nature instead of chemistry
Finally, as a supplement to the chemical alternatives explained, natural pool water cleaning should be briefly touched on here. Hardly feasible for quick-build pools or generally small-format swimming pools, but a swimming pond can be an interesting variant if it is permanently established in a spacious garden. Instead of chemicals, aquatic plants take over the cleaning and sometimes even disinfecting effect. However, such pool alternatives can hardly do without a mechanical filter system and circulation.
The water temperature must not rise too high either, in order not to offer bacteria and algae favorable growth conditions. Consistent planning with coordination of all components to form a coherent system is important for natural swimming ponds. A "just like that" conversion from a pool to a swimming pond is therefore hardly successful in the long term and is therefore not a sensible solution for carefree bathing without chlorine.
