Pool sanitiser is used to kill and eliminate any harmful bacteria in your pool water, keeping sanitation levels safe and your pool ready to use whenever you please. An unsanitised pool is not safe to swim in and, overtime, will make your pool green (it’s a long process to fix a green pool and should be avoided).
There are many different pool sanitiser products available in the market. Here we dive into the four best low, or no, chlorine sanitiser options, how they work and the benefits of each.
1. Salt chlorination pool sanitiser
Convenient | Cost-effective | Little to no smell | Mild on sensitive skin and eyes
Salt chlorination is popular amongst those with sensitive skin as it’s gentler in comparison to traditional chlorine swimming pools. People with skin problems, or those that get irritated eyes, will be a lot more comfortable with saltwater chlorinated pools. The chlorine smell is also noticeably less using this sanitiser, especially after swimming.
Saltwater chlorinators use an electrolytic cell to sanitise the pool. By adding a small amount of salt to your pool, the electrolytic cell converts the chloride contained in the salt water into chlorine. As water moves through the salt cell, the salt is turned into hypochlorous acid, which is the same component that is evident when only chlorine is used.
By using a salt chlorine generator, it takes a lot less time to balance and maintain the water in your pool, making maintenance quicker and simpler. Generally, these sanitisers are automatic through the saltwater system, meaning you only need to keep an eye on calcium, PH and total alkalinity of your water.
2. Mineral swim pool sanitiser
Chlorine free | Magnesium benefits | Great for sensitive skin | High-priced
Mineral swim combines 100% dead sea, magnesium rich minerals with natural ozone water purification technology to create a sanitised pool, no chlorine is required. A mineral swim pool contains large amounts of magnesium and calming properties giving you various therapeutic benefits, such as softer skin and feelings of relaxation.
Mineral swim is a much softer, gentler approach when compared to salt chlorinated pools and greatly reduces the need for any balancing chemicals. This makes it the perfect option for asthmatics, eczema sufferers and children who experience sensitive skin. The water used after backwashing can even be used on the garden!
It’s important to consider that this is a higher-priced sanitiser option and will also need a special filtering system to be added to your pool.
3. Ozone pool sanitiser
Natural | Sustainable | Simple to maintain | Most powerful
Ozone is a natural, powerful oxidiser made by the Ozonator generator. It uses chlorine and ozone to sanitise the water, but it doesn’t use anywhere near as much chlorine as the other alternatives and is 3,000 times more powerful. As it purifies the water, it immediately breaks down into oxygen, making it the environmentally friendly choice.
Because of the small amount of chlorine required, Ozone extends the life of salt cells, reducing the volume of balancing chemicals required as well. Ozone will safely and effectively destroy chlorine by-products (the direct cause of irritations) as well as chlorine-resistant parasites, such as Cryptosporidium, by disinfecting and rapidly killing all types of bacteria, fungi and viruses.
Ozone sanitised water feels softer and is a great option if you want to reduce the feeling of itchy skin and red eyes. It’s also very easy to maintain, making pool maintenance a breeze.
4. UV pool sanitiser
Ultraviolet light | Healthier water | Cost-effective long term | Sustainable
UV sanitiser uses ultraviolet light to provide an additional layer of protection to your pool. The UV-C light acts as a powerful disinfectant, using short wavelength ultraviolet UV-C light to kill microorganisms by disrupting and destroying its DNA, rendering it useless and therefore killing it (it does not cause infection or sickness).
UV sanitiser holds greater sanitisation properties when compared to chlorine or salt products and provides cleaner water. You’ll feel as if the water is softer because it doesn’t need chlorine or salt chlorination, making it gentler on the eyes and generally healthier to swim in.
This pool sanitiser system is costly to set up initially, but cost-effective in the long term in comparison to salt chlorination alternatives.
If you want to know more chlorine-alternative pool sanitisers for you pool, please get in contact with us. We’d be happy to help you find the best pool sanitiser option to suit your family’s needs.
