Along with the fun and splash of pools, maintenance is a big factor that is important. Moreover, the water that is in the pool needs much attention for a clean and healthy dive. We know of the traditional way to keep the pool water clean by adding chlorine to the water. Most of us still follow the same method to treat pool water and keep it clean and free from any bacterial and other infestations. All you had to do is add chlorine in the pool, in the form of liquid or tablet and let it settle and mix in the pool water. This traditional system was effective but with the chlorine in water, skin issues, irritation of the eyes, and the capturing smell of the chemical every time you take a splash contribute to the drawbacks. With technology there was introduction of a new method of sanitizing pool water, which is the use of salt water chlorinators.The technique that they use to treat water is electrolysis. When salt is added to the water, it passes through a chemical cell of chlorine. A reaction of the cell and the salt in the water, releases chlorine and hydrogen gas in the water of the swimming pool. Most of the time people confuse this system of being chlorine free, whereas the fact still remains that the pool still uses chlorine to sanitize the water. But these systems do have some good reasons worth a buy, like they will not make your water smell like chlorine. Due to the constant release of fresh chlorine in the water. Now fresh chlorine plays an important role here, because, the chlorine in water clears all impurities, but then it has a limited capacity. So fresh chlorine is required to balance the used chlorine in the water. But there are also certain con’s on the reviews of this product. We have listed below some of the common problems of a salt water chlorinator.

Salt Water Pool Chlorinator

Salt water chlorinators are popular and most of the people are satisfied with its results. With only the good aspects getting the highlight, the drawbacks of this system are seldom discussed. Based on the reviews and facts we have listed the problems with salt water pool chlorinators.

The most common one being issues with the skin. A combination of chlorine and salt can make the skin dry, moreover you will have to shower immediately after a swim to lessen and avoid the skin damage. Chlorine still prevails in the water though not in a concentrated amount, so it will still irritate the eyes, and also affect the hair.

With a combination of chlorine and salt, it can affect consumption (we tend to swallow at least some water), and it can cause health concerns for some people who are allergic, and also cause skin problems. It can affect the nose and sinuses too. Research has also stated a possible relation on the role of chlorine in cancer.

Now let’s move on to the commercial aspect of the drawbacks. Ranking on the top is the high cost and maintenance of these chlorinators. Replacing the cells may also be an issue. It is observed that the system just does not produce the required amount of chlorine (due to the presence of phosphates in water), and cyanuric acid, known as stabilizer or conditioner, for retaining the chlorine in the water. So most of the chlorine that is produced, gets destroyed by the sun. Lesser amount of chlorine will not help store a backup of chlorine in the water. It will affect the mechanism of chlorine killing the contamination, as whatever chlorine is produced will be used immediately, so no reserve is maintained in the pool, which ideally should be the case.

Sometimes the amount of salt can get too high in the water, this can happen due to the poor maintenance of the electrolyte cells, and faulty readings of the chlorinating system. This can turn the salt water to be corrosive and damage the pool equipment and other material. The chlorine will not even work to its best when the level of salt in the water is imbalanced (high or low).
Salt may also build up on the cathode plates, that may hamper the production of chlorine. The pH levels and alkalinity of the water if not checked properly may cause issues, and the levels of pH may fluctuate with the use of chlorinators, that will not help the chlorine work at its best, as chlorine is effective only when the pH levels are balanced and maintained.

These problems are not meant to discourage you, or from making a choice of not buying a salt water chlorinator. It is advisable to read and understand the product before purchase. Study the pro’s and con’s of the same and then select the one that suits your needs.

We love splashing around in the swimming pool, but would you even step into a pool that creates splashes of contaminated and impure water, filled with bacteria and algae? Well, no, we don’t even want to think about it. Those who own a swimming pool know how important it is to maintain it. And they will also know, most of the time, cleaning it to its best is quite a task. Cleaning the pool and its surroundings is easy, but what about the most important element of the pool? What would we do to maintain the water? The water in the pool is undoubtedly the most important element which requires maximum effort to clean and which also deals with maximum infiltration and contamination.

Tips to Maintain Pool Water Chemistry

Don’t you feel that maintaining the water’s chemistry is a big thing, and it should be simplified? Well, ease out all the complications. Maintaining pool water chemistry is not a task only for professionals! It’s simple, and trust me, once you follow the proper guidelines and take appropriate care when sanitizing and chlorinating your pool water, cleaning and maintaining the water will be a quick fix for you. Now let’s get to some easy tips on sanitizing and maintaining the pool water chemistry. We have them listed below, let’s take a look.

The most important thing is to keep your water clean. Once in the pool, make sure you maintain the pool cleanliness, it may be a weekly or a monthly task, depending on the usage of the swimming pool. Make sure the pool is free of dirt and debris at the bottom.
Next comes chlorine and chlorinating the water. Depending on the water, you can add chlorine to it. You also get tablets and liquid chlorine that you can use. Look for good quality of chlorine that has proper concentrations of it. Salt water chlorinators are a popular option that can help sanitize pool water. Bromine is also another alternative to using chlorine to sanitize the water. These treatments should clean the water off along with bacteria and other forms of contamination.
Once the task of the chlorine is accomplished, the used chlorine will no longer be effective, and you will need fresh chlorine to add to the water, to kill the used chlorine or as they are called chloramines. You will need to circulate fresh chlorine in the tank to keep the water treated.
To avoid the burning of chlorine, due to sunlight and other factors, one may use a stabilizer, like cyanuric acid, this helps in suppressing chlorine dissipation, while maintaining the disinfectant properties of chlorine.
Maintaining the alkalinity of the water is important too. The correct salt content in water will let the chlorine work effectively. The alkaline balance of the water is responsible for its pH balance. If there is no balance in the pH of the water, the chlorine will not be as effective.
Keep a check on chlorine levels, pH, bromine and alkalinity of the pool water a minimum of twice a week, when the pool is used often. In case of any difficulty in checking the pool water chemical balance, you can take a sample of the pool water at a pool store, where they can check the water for you.
A testing method at home is a strip test, where you dip a strip in the water and observe the changes in the color. It will show you the imbalance, if any, in the pool water chemistry. There is another effective method of testing the water, and most of the people will prefer it over the strip test, it is called the liquid drop type pool test. A digital tester can also help in giving you the correct reading for the pH balance of the water.
The ideal pH should be between 7.2 to 7.8. High levels of pH will not let the chlorine sanitize the water. Issues like irritation of the eyes can also be experienced. The water of your pool will also be more cloudy. In case of high pH, you can use options that will lower the pH like pouring liquid hydrochloric acid also known as, muriatic acid. You may also use sodium bi sulfate, or dry acid. Make sure the water is circulating when adding these substances. In case of low pH of the water, you can add soda ash or sodium carbonate to the water.
Maintaining the calcium hardness in the water also keeps the water chemistry in place, in case of high calcium dissolved in the pool water, the water can turn cloudy. Maintain these levels by adding certain products available, specially for lowering or increasing the calcium hardness in water.

Make sure to follow the instructions on the container when adding any acids to the pool. While taking care of all the above things, make sure you have enough quantity of water in the pool. Too much or too little water, makes a difference to the chemical balance.
There are other substances that cause the chemicals in the water to get imbalanced, like sun screens, lotions and swimmers waste, pollen, etc. These can be termed as dissolved solids in the water. So, in case of heavy use of the swimming pool, make sure you change the water in the pool with freshwater, at least once every 2 years.

Once you understand the nature of the pool water, maintaining its chemistry will no longer be a time and effort consuming task. With following simple guidelines and steps, one can easily get control on the water balance in the pool. So now, with these tips, let your pool water worries dissolve and with no worry of maintenance, you have more reason to enjoy the cool splashes and rejuvenating swims in a sparkling clean and hygienic pool!