Using Colloidal Silver instead of chlorine...

[Traylork]

I have a friend who wants to use Colliodal Silver instead of a SWG or Bleach...about to get a new above ground pool.

I told him he was nuts.. And his response was why? So I am looking for reasons why??

I told him I have never herd of such...that's all my facts! Lol

Any advice would be great!

 

[woodyp]

This should be fun.

 

[jblizzle]

Well, for one it is not an approved sanitizer in the USA (not that this applies to residential pools, but that says something).

Did you try searching the forum? I am sure there are threads that discuss this.
I think it is just an algaecide?

Here is some discussion: http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/71848-Killing-pathogens?p=614907&viewfull=1#post614907

 

[JasonLion]

To sum up the other discussion: Silver does not kill quickly enough to be considered a sanitizer and it does't oxidize at all. Also, levels of silver high enough to get even that too slow effect are also high enough to cause unsightly and very difficult to remove metal stains.

 

[chem geek]

Also, silver is not an oxidizer so if they only use silver or other metal ions then they will be soaking in their own sweat and urine, like taking a bath without ever changing the water.

Residential pools are like residential kitchens. They are not regulated so you can do whatever you want, just like you can do whatever you want in your kitchen such as leaving out a raw chicken on a hot day for 8 hours and then cutting vegetables on a board where the chicken juices have spilt, etc. In a commercial kitchen there are strict rules to prevent such things just as there are in commercial/public swimming pools.

So there is no law requiring your friend to use an EPA approved disinfectant so if your friend isn't interested in properly disinfecting his pool then there's not much you can say to dissuade him.