As a new pool owner, one of the first and most important decisions you need to make is what method to use to keep your pool water clean. It’s easy to be intimidated by the sheer number of options out there, especially when you visit a pool store and feel like you need a chemistry degree just to get through the door. Other pool owners will often tell you they use a particular chemical, but won’t explain why they chose that method or if it works well. That’s not to mention the horror stories many of us hear about pool chemicals causing green hair, faded bathing suits, and bloodshot eyes. Actually, the topic is not as confusing as it might seem.
Chlorine
Chlorine is by far the most widely used sanitizing chemical for swimming pools. It is safe, economical and effective. Chlorine must be added to the water regularly, because over time, chlorine is used up by killing microorganisms or broken down by sunlight. Generally, homeowners will purchase chlorine in tablet form and place it in their skimmer or floating dispenser.
The tablet gradually dissolves, providing the pool with a constant dose of chlorine. The drawback of chlorine tablets is that they also contain a stabilizer. This is an additional chemical that weakens chlorine a bit, but helps it resist the breakdown that occurs when exposed to sunlight. The problem is that the chlorine eventually gets used up or breaks down, but the stabilizer doesn’t. After many months of using tablets, the level of stabilizer in the water becomes excessively weak, except for the highest doses of chlorine. The pungent odor that many people associate with “too much chlorine” is actually due to excessive levels of stabilizer. The only way to lower stabilizer levels is to partially drain and replace the water.
A second, lesser-known method is the use of conventional unscented household bleach. Bleach is less expensive than chlorine tablets and is easier to obtain. Instead of making a special trip to the pool store for more chlorine tablets, you can pick up a couple of jugs of bleach while you shop. The bleach does not contain a stabilizer, so it will not increase stabilizer levels. Many owners use tablets for a few months and then, when their stabilizer levels are adequate, switch to liquid bleach. The downside of liquid bleach is that you have to add it every day. This means you risk ruining your clothes if you get an accidental splash or spill. You should also consider where you will store the container of bleach. It should be in a cool place, out of reach of children and pets.
Saltwater
One option that is becoming increasingly popular is salt water. Although people may say that they use salt water to sanitize their pool, this is really not correct. In fact, saltwater pools still use chlorine to disinfect the water. The difference is that saltwater pools use a device called a saltwater generator or saltwater chlorinator to produce chlorine from a small amount of dissolved salt in the water. This device works by running water through small metal plates that are electrically charged. Dissolved salt breaks down into sodium and chloride (ie, chlorine).
After a while, the sodium and chloride rejoin as a salt and the process starts all over again. Chlorine generators are typically set to run for a few hours each day. The longer they run, the more chlorine they produce. The advantage of salt water systems is that they give your pool a constant dose of chlorine every day. They do not consume much electricity and do not make noise. The amount of salt in the water is very small and is almost undetectable without testing equipment.
The only serious drawback to a saltwater system is that the metal components of your pool will rust sooner and more severely than they would otherwise. Also, some generators develop scale between the metal plates that must be cleaned periodically. This can be done by soaking the cell in a vinegar and water solution for 24 to 48 hours and then spraying it down with a water hose.
Bacuacil
Another option available to pool owners is a chemical known as Baquacil. The active ingredient in Baquacil is actually an antiseptic that is used in contact lens cleaning solutions and medical products used to clean patients before surgery. The Baquacil system uses three components: a disinfectant and algistat for daily/weekly application, an oxidizer for weekly or biweekly use, and CDX to maintain the strength of the disinfectant.
Baquacil is milder than chlorine, so it benefits swimmers with sensitive skin or eyes. It also results in fewer faded swimsuits or pool liners. Another benefit of Baquacil is that it is more stable and does not lose its effectiveness in sunlight or heat. Baquacil also claims to maintain stable levels for 10 to 14 days, even with a single dose of the chemical. Baquacil also does not corrode the parts and pieces of your pool.
User experiences with Baqucil vary widely. Some users report excellent results with 6-10 years of clean water. Parents of children with sensitive skin also greatly appreciate the results. Other users report good results for a few years and then major problems with algae after a while.
When considering whether to use Baqucil instead of bleach, you need to remember two important things. First of all, Baquacil is more expensive than chlorine and is usually only sold at pool stores. Second, Baquacil and chlorine are not compatible at all. Conversion from one system to another is expensive and time consuming. For these two reasons, you should do a lot of research and be as confident as possible in your decision.
Summary
So, in the end, chlorine is less expensive and easier to obtain. It also allows you to enjoy the convenience of a saltwater generator. The problems many people associate with chlorine are usually rooted in unbalanced water, not the decision to use chlorine. However, in some situations, you may have a person with very sensitive skin or eyes who still has a problem in a chlorine pool. If this is the case, an alternative disinfectant like Baquacil may be a better option. Baquacil is very smooth and its presence is undetectable to swimmers. However, Baquacil is significantly more expensive and since it is only available at pool stores, it is harder to find. Also, some users report that Baquacil loses its effectiveness over time.
Whichever chemical you choose, you must remember that bleach and Baquacil are not compatible. Switching from one to the other is time consuming and expensive, so do your research and be prepared to commit to your choice for quite some time.