Is there a sanitizing option that doesn't use chlorine or some other chemicals? I thought I read about a unit that looked similar to an swg but had copper inside.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Joe
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Joe
Chlorine free pool?
- Thread starter cruzmisl
- Start date
For pools, in the usa there are only 3 approved epa sanitizers. Chlorine, Bromine, and Biguanide. You may have read about an ionizer unit that produced copper ions, but that still needs a sanitizer used with it. In addition, it obviously adds copper to your pool which can stain pool surfaces and turn blond hair green.
May I ask why you are asking?
May I ask why you are asking?
Sorry, chlorine is the cheapest and best method to sanitize a pool. What exactly are your concerns?
Here is some reading:
alternative-sanitizers-and-chemical-free-pools-the-truth-t3025.html
And there are a LOT more thread that discuss the safety of chlorine if you do a search.
Here is some reading:
alternative-sanitizers-and-chemical-free-pools-the-truth-t3025.html
And there are a LOT more thread that discuss the safety of chlorine if you do a search.
Well I was doing some reading about chlorine in my tap water and ended up buying a whole house filter to get rid of it. Then I remembered I had 16000 gallons of it in my backyard so what was the point 
I bought the whole house filter because I don't want to pay for bottled water anymore. My wife brings home cases of that **** and it's way overpriced and likely no better than what comes out of my tap anyway.
Seriously though I was just wondering of any health concerns associated with chlorine. I know everyone says it's safe but "they" said DDT, asbestos,PCB's, agent orange and aspartame were safe too.
I've had good results with borax and a low chlorine concentration of about 2ppm so maybe that's my best bet. Just trying to minimize exposure I guess.
I bought the whole house filter because I don't want to pay for bottled water anymore. My wife brings home cases of that **** and it's way overpriced and likely no better than what comes out of my tap anyway. Seriously though I was just wondering of any health concerns associated with chlorine. I know everyone says it's safe but "they" said DDT, asbestos,PCB's, agent orange and aspartame were safe too.
I've had good results with borax and a low chlorine concentration of about 2ppm so maybe that's my best bet. Just trying to minimize exposure I guess.
I will leave the details up to the experts on the topic, but I will say like many things it is a matter of weighing the risks, sure there are some risks to using chlorine, but in my opinion those risks are greatly outweighed by the benefits. There are certain groups out there that have their own agendas that try to make it sound as if Chlorine was the most evil stuff imaginable, the same went for DDT and Asbestos, both of which can be greatly beneficial substances if used properly, but unfortunately have so much negative stigma now that such use almost never occurs. When it comes to Chlorine there is some minute risks associated with its use, however the risks from no using it so greatly outweigh its dangers that anyone that looks at the numbers objectively will agree it is the best option.
So sure there is a chance Chlorine will kill you, but there is a MUCH larger, but still small chance that you would die from a bacterial infection, etc. from not using it. There is also a chance you will get struck by lightning, etc.
So sure there is a chance Chlorine will kill you, but there is a MUCH larger, but still small chance that you would die from a bacterial infection, etc. from not using it. There is also a chance you will get struck by lightning, etc.
DDT was only harmful to the eggs of an eagle, banning it likely has killed millions of people over the years. (you can easily search that subject in detail) Aspartame has been proven safe so many times it's not even worth arguing anymore except fot the charlatans that continue to try and make money on people's fears.
The point is that you can read anything. But you can also find all the scientific information on chlorine use you want in order to make an informed decision. Its use and risks far outweigh the risks of not using it.
The point is that you can read anything. But you can also find all the scientific information on chlorine use you want in order to make an informed decision. Its use and risks far outweigh the risks of not using it.
We'll agree to disagree on aspartame. Half assed studies, bought scientists and big pharma/government pushing it doesn't instill confidence for "me". That's just my opinion though and we all know they're like buttholes; everyone has one.
I'm just trying to minimize potential risks and if something was safer I'd use it
I'm just trying to minimize potential risks and if something was safer I'd use it
You aren't drinking the pool water so the comparison with your whole house filter isn't quite valid. Also, your water district may be using monochloramine (chloramination) and not chlorine (hypochlorous acid; chlorination).
You use Cyanuric Acid (CYA) in your pool so most of the chlorine (around 97% or so depending on CYA level) is bound to it. CYA has virtually no skin absorption (see this link) so chlorine bound to CYA should be similar and is not volatile so the actual active chlorine level in your pool is equivalent to roughly 0.1 ppm FC with no CYA so around 1/10th what would be in chlorinated tap water. Chlorine itself is not the health concern -- it is the chlorinated disinfection by-products when chlorine combines with ammonia to from inorganic chloramines (especially nitrogen trichloride aka trichloramine) and when it combines with some organics.
As for various studies on chlorine's effects in swimming pools, the studies are nearly all about indoor commercial/public pools because that is where there is a combination of high bather load, lower air circulation, and lack of sunlight (so lack of UV) that create the worst conditions for creation of the highest levels of disinfection by-products (CYA is typically not used in indoor commercial/public pools so the active chlorine level is far higher as well). You can read the thread Asthma and Chlorinated Pools, and part of the thread New Chlorine Scare, this post with a link to a summary of epidemiological studies for drinking water and this post where I discuss various chlorine alternatives and their limitations.
Remember that residential pools have extremely low bather loads, are generally outdoors exposed to the UV in sunlight and with better air circulation.
There aren't any posts I can recall about any consequences to changing the skin's biome due to killing bacteria and reducing fungi that would otherwise be growing on the skin. For many people with skin conditions, chlorine helps them more than hurts them. Sensitivity to chlorine is extremely rare though possibly less so for monochloramine.
You use Cyanuric Acid (CYA) in your pool so most of the chlorine (around 97% or so depending on CYA level) is bound to it. CYA has virtually no skin absorption (see this link) so chlorine bound to CYA should be similar and is not volatile so the actual active chlorine level in your pool is equivalent to roughly 0.1 ppm FC with no CYA so around 1/10th what would be in chlorinated tap water. Chlorine itself is not the health concern -- it is the chlorinated disinfection by-products when chlorine combines with ammonia to from inorganic chloramines (especially nitrogen trichloride aka trichloramine) and when it combines with some organics.
As for various studies on chlorine's effects in swimming pools, the studies are nearly all about indoor commercial/public pools because that is where there is a combination of high bather load, lower air circulation, and lack of sunlight (so lack of UV) that create the worst conditions for creation of the highest levels of disinfection by-products (CYA is typically not used in indoor commercial/public pools so the active chlorine level is far higher as well). You can read the thread Asthma and Chlorinated Pools, and part of the thread New Chlorine Scare, this post with a link to a summary of epidemiological studies for drinking water and this post where I discuss various chlorine alternatives and their limitations.
Remember that residential pools have extremely low bather loads, are generally outdoors exposed to the UV in sunlight and with better air circulation.
There aren't any posts I can recall about any consequences to changing the skin's biome due to killing bacteria and reducing fungi that would otherwise be growing on the skin. For many people with skin conditions, chlorine helps them more than hurts them. Sensitivity to chlorine is extremely rare though possibly less so for monochloramine.
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