Recommended sanitizers?

[dennislaughlin]

Hi all. I'm new here but not new to pool ownership. I've owned both salt-chlorinated and traditional "chemical" pools. At present, I'm installing (myself!) a 25k gallon in-ground liner pool. I'm having a really hard time deciding on the combination of sanitizing equipment that best fit my needs and constraints. If money weren't an object, I'd probably go UV/Ozone. But money is an object and we're already over budget. ?

What's the consensus on mineral (like Nature2) combined with an ionizer, and chemicals as needed? This setup looks like it balances initial and ongoing investments with ease of maintaining healthy water.

Any other suggestions?

Details:
25k gallon L-shaped liner pool, metal walls
16x37x24
Pentair Intelliflo VS 011028 pump, 2" plumbing
Hayward 30" sand filter (likely glass as filter media)
Hayward 200k BTU NG heater

Thanks, Dennis

 

[Donldson]

Welcome to TFP.

The consensus is chlorine. 100% chlorine and nothing else (as far as sanitizer, that is). Introduced via SWG or liquid chlorine, preferably.

No ionizer, no UV, no ozone, or other gimmick. There is nothing that provides a safer or more comfortable experience than a pool managed to TFPC spec.

The best place we recommend everyone start at would be here: ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
As well as the various chemical levels we recommend, which you may notice do not entirely coincide with what you may have seen elsewhere: Ideal Levels

 

[Jimrahbe]

Dennis,

You have two choices... Chlorine or "Magic".. Which would you use to protect your family?

UV. OZone, and mineral systems all require some chlorine to sanitize.. In theory they allow you to use less chlorine, but in practice they give you a false sense of protection that they just do not provide.

I personal would not have a pool at all if I could not have a saltwater pool.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[setsailsoon]

Yep, I'm in for 100% chlorine only do it the smart way not what I did. I spent years lugging jugs of liquid chlorine then a year ago switched to salt swg. Be smarter than me and start with salt. I'll never have a non-salt pool again.

Chris

 

[dennislaughlin]

I'm not looking to entirely replace chlorine, I guess I didn't make that clear.

But I'm not sure chlorine hasn't aged out as the best primary sanitizer. Staring in '96, The IOC mandated that Ozone be the primary sanitizer of Olympic pools. I'd hardly call Ozone/AOP or any other sanitizer scientifically proven to be effective, a gimmick or magic. Even correctly balanced chlorine-only pools can cause skin and eye irritation which is one's body telling them that they shouldn't be in that water.

I'm not looking for a chemical free pool. I'm looking to reduce the amount of chlorine I would use in an otherwise. My aversion to a SWG pool comes from reduced equipment lifespan. But maybe I needn't worry... I know the heater I bought is "salt-compatible."

 

[mknauss]

Even correctly balanced chlorine-only pools can cause skin and eye irritation which is one's body telling them that they shouldn't be in that water

If your pool water is causing skin and eye irritation, it is NOT properly balanced.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Donldson]

One of the worst things I see is the way the industry goes about convincing people of complete and utter lies. Convincing people that correctly balanced chlorine pools cause eye and skin irritation just so they can sell their gimmicky products? It's disappointing, but not as disappointing as how easy it is to convince people of those claims. If someone believes properly balanced water causes irritation then I can only assume they have literally never set foot in an actual properly balanced pool. And that is outright saddening.

You asked for the consensus here and it was given: UV, Ozone, Ionizers, and whatever other profit motivated devices pool stores are pushing are unnecessary. In some cases they are outright detrimental to the proper management of a pool. In all cases they are unnecessary and do not allow someone to keep a sanitary pool with less chlorine.

At TFP we can only lead someone to clear, sanitary, and comfortable water. What happens to their pool is entirely up to them.

 

[cfherrman]

Eye irritation = pH out if balance

Skin irrigation = to high CC's from low clorine levels

Ozone/uv on outdoor pools is straight LOL. I don't know what ioc is but in the US there is only 3 approved sanititers clorine, bromine, and baqacil. Ozone and uv cannot be listed as a sanititer.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Olympic swimmers can probably be trusted not to pee in the pool.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Actually, because of the high swimmer load probably and in addition to the pee Olympic swimmers admit to having left in the pool, an OLYMPIC SIZED Ozone system could very well be helpful. But you're talking a very large, high dollar system I bet. And no outdoor pool needs UV as we tend to get plenty of that from the sun. Larger UV systems are useful in public indoor pools though.

Remember that residential pools tend to be. low bather load. Chlorine is the ideal sanitizer as it has residual killing power (which Ozone doesn't) and is cheap and readily available.

Maddier

 

[djdonte]

I have to chime in and say listen to all these folks they are right. UV, minerals etc are all gimmicks. All you need is chlorine either from bleach or SWG and you are good to go. If you are building then SWG all the way. Properly balanced water does not cause any irritation or turn hair green. I keep my water 5-8ppm of FC, which is a little on the high side for my CYA but the water stays crystal clear and I've never seen red eyes or any irritation. Also, I spend about 40 bucks a month on bleach during the hot summer months, maybe half of that in winter. Show me another way other than SWG that will keep your pool kept up for that cheap.