Organic Pool Chemicals
Organic Pool Water Chemistry
Before you can begin to understand organic pool water chemistry you need to be familiar with the basics of traditional water care and water chemistry. In a traditional swimming pool there are four primary factors that must be me in order for the water to be considered balanced safe for potential bathers.
1) Sanitizer
2) Oxidizer
3) Algaecide
4) Residual
These four requirements are what current standards for clean water are based on. The only chemical that can meet all of these conditions is chlorine (or bromine) which is chemically almost the exact same this as chlorine. All other forms of eliminating bacteria in a body of water are missing at least one of these four criteria.
Water additives such as silver, UV, ozone, magnets, peroxide, MPS, copper, zinc and pool rocks do not meet all of these conditions as determined by North American governing health authorities for commercial bathing areas without the addition of chlorine.
Many people consider salt water to be an alternative method to sanitizing water however this is not accurate at all. Whether you use sodium chloride (table salt) in a salt water pool, or sodium hypochlorite (liquid chlorine), or chlorine pucks, or granular chlorine or even chlorine gas the end result is precisely and exactly the same thing and while they are organic compounds there is still very good reason to explore alternatives to traditional pool chemicals.
Salt Water Pools
Salt water generation systems are increasing in popularity dramatically over the past few years as most people misunderstand this technology. It is true that salt water systems are less harsh than traditional chlorine shock treatments, a salt water generation system is still a chlorine based water purification system.The difference is that you do not purchase liquid or granular chlorine and dump it into your pool. You instead purchase salt which you add to your swimming pool (800 lbs or so for a 20x40’ pool) and an electrode cell is installed into the plumbing system for your pool. The cell passes a current through the water which contains about 3000 parts per million of sodium chloride, or table salt as it is more commonly known as.
In essence the salt has a natural relationship to chlorine already. And sodium bromine can create bromine in bromine based pools and hot tubs. Still the problem remains, from a chlorine free or chemical free perspective, that you are using a known carcinogen and chemical linked to increased asthma to keep your swimming pool clean.
The Difference Between Chlorine & Bromine
The first chemical that you will encounter when looking for an alternative to chlorine is bromine which is commonly used in conventional hot tubs and spas. While different than chlorine in a few key ways, it is actually very similar to chlorine.Chlorine In Commercial Swimming Pools
If you consider that the North American standards for commercial swimming pool chlorine count is near to 10 times what you would use in your backyard pool, commercial pools are of even greater concern for those looking to avoid the obvious negatives associated with traditional chlorine treatment.Organic Swimming Pool Chemistry
An organic, or “natural” swimming pool is not just a chlorine alternative, but instead a completely different approach to swimming pool water chemistry altogether. Instead of maintaining a sterile water environment by sanitizing the water with chemicals, creating a “dead zone” of all life both good and bad, an organic pool applies the principals of mother nature to a contained body of water.These are the same principals that would keep lakes and other bodies of water not just safe for swimming, but safe enough to drink - that is unless the body of water was also the dumping grounds for industrial waste, raw sewage and untold amounts of chemicals as found in nature these days from our abuse and neglect as a species.
Since your backyard swimming pool does not have industrial waste being piped into it twenty four hours per day like most large bodies of water, it is actually very possible to recreate the natural course of water chemistry that mother nature intended.
The bread and butter of organic pool chemistry is to utilize water dwelling plants that will survive in your climate combined with an active enriched oxygen system such as large ozone generators or multiple waterfalls which aerate the water. Combine this with aquatic life such as snails or fish that feed on algae to help keep the water clear. Still constant testing of the water will be required in order to make sure that no harmful bacteria are beginning to develop.
Learn more about organic chlorine free swimming pools