Before going in to non-chlorine alternatives lets just remind ourselves what chlorine does and why it is so popular. It does the three top jobs required in your pool.

* (1) It kills bacteria very quickly at quite low concentrations.

* (2) At higher concentrations it kills algae.

* (3) It breaks down oils, lotions, skin flakes etc. (also known as ‘bather waste’)

Chlorine is not without its problems though, the two main ones are that when it reacts with certain organic material it forms chloramines and they are smelly. It is chloramines that give that ‘chlorine’ smell to a pool and can sting your eyes. Secondly, it only works properly when the pH of the pool is correctly adjusted. Chloramines and bather waste can be broken down by adding more chlorine, this is called ’shocking’ your pool water.

Chlorine does everything and does it all by itself and just as important, though often overlooked, it is easy and very cheap to test how much Chlorine is in the pool. If you use alternative chemicals to do jobs (2) and (3) then you can cut the dosage of chlorine quite dramatically if all it has to do is kill bacteria. It is important to realise that, apart from Bromine, there is no one single chemical you can use to replace chlorine so you always have to use at least two or three.

Here is a list of the things the domestic pool owner can use to replace chlorine, each one is discussed in detail below.

* Bromine

* Persulphates (also known as Active Oxygen)

* Ozone

* Copper and Silver

* Polymeric Biguanides (also known as Baquacil and Revacil)

Bromine [No Chlorine]

The first obvious alternative to Chlorine is Bromine. It is in the same family of chemicals as Chlorine and is chemically very similar. It kills in the same way but it does form its own equivalent of chloramines called bromamines. Bromamines, however, are not too bad. Not only do they not smell anything like as much as chloramines they are actually a disinfectant in their own right so although we’d prefer not to have them they still kill bacteria so we don’t bother getting rid of them. Bromine is also more tolerant of high pH and high temperatures. This is why it is often used in spas.

Chlorine comes is many forms but Bromine always comes in inch high mini tablets. You feed it to your pool via a floating dispenser or a brominator, which a glorified tube with pool water running through one end and a lid at the other. It does all three top jobs but you may need to ’shock’ your pool to rid it of bather waste. You can use chlorine shock or non-chlorine shock. It is as easy to test for as chlorine but is 50% more expensive.


Persulphates (also known as Active Oxygen) [No Chlorine]

Persulphates work in much the same way as Chlorine to jobs (1) and (3). They kill bacteria and break down bather waste but they are not very effective against algae. You always need some other product to kill algae if you use Persulphates. They are often referred to as ‘Active Oxygen’ systems. This trips off the tongue better than potasium monopersulphate and sounds more space age.

The most commonly used Persulphate is just known as ‘Non-Chlorine Shock’ it is generally used just to shock the pool in order to break down bather waste. It breaks it down to atoms so it is effectively a chemical filter because it smashes visible particles to invisible atoms. It can be used in a chlorine pool instead of Chlorine shock and you can swim in the water an hour after application, not the case with Chlorine shock. Non-Chlorine shock is popular with spa owners.

The Germans love these types of sanitisers and the German company Bayrol are the leaders in these systems. They market a product called Soft and Easy and Bayrol Duo tabs. Soft and Easy comes in sachet form and Duo Tabs are two tablets that you put in the water. Both are a combination of a quaternary algicide and a blend of persulphates. Bayrol sell a test kit for their products.

Persulphates are expensive compared to Chlorine. You have to use twice as much by weight and it costs 50% more. A typical Chlorine shock dose costs £2.00 a Persulphate dose would be about £6.00.

Ozone [Low Chlorine]

Ozone is a very unstable and toxic form of oxygen. Normally oxygen atoms join together in pairs to form a very stable O2 molecule. Ozone is three oxygen atoms together and one of them will jump off and kill any organic material in a flash. It is by far the fastest killer. It is however highly toxic and is not permitted to be present in pool water.

It is generated in a special unit that attaches to the pipework of the pool which is powered by electricity. They only act on the water in the pipe at the time and they have to be designed to do all the killing within the unit and not let any ozone out. Because of this you still need to keep what is know as a ‘residual’ level of Chlorine in the pool water to keep on top of anything entering the pool. The level required is 0.5 to 1.0ppm but this is much lower than the regular amount and barely detectable by bathers. You will need a good algicide to keep algae out and will have to shock the pool with Non Chlorine Shock. They cost about £750.00 for a big pool and need an expert to fit them. Many spas have mini versions added to them but you still need chlorine in the water.

Copper and Silver (also known as Natural Minerals) [Low Chlorine]

Copper is very good killer of algae albeit a bit slow compared to chlorine. Cowboys knew what they were doing when they put a silver dollar in their drinking water to keep it safe to drink because silver is a very good, but slow, killer of bacteria. There are two ways to get copper in to pool water either as copper ions, that is copper atoms, but with a charge, or combined with another compound known as a chelating agent. The chelating agent holds on to the copper until it finds an algea spore to jump on to. Copper reacts with the chlorophyll in algae and stops it from absorbing light and so kills it.

Silver can not be added to your pool using a chelating agent. It must be added as silver ions. Copper and silver are naturally occurring elements in the earth’s crust so the marketing chaps can just about get away with claiming that by using them you are using ‘natural minerals’ to sanitise your pool.

The most common way to add copper and silver to your pool is with an Ioniser. These can cost as little as £400.00 and are quite easy to install with out expert help. They attach to your pipework and run on electricity. They have a copper and silver electrode that erodes away over time as the pool water passes over it. You usually need to replace the electrodes every year and, being made of silver, they are not cheap. There is a test that you can do for copper but you can not test for silver so it is assumed that the silver gets used up at the same rate as the copper but this is not always correct.

Like Ozonators they only act on the water in the pipe at the time. Because of this you still need to keep what is know as a ‘residual’ level of Chlorine in the pool water to keep on top of anything entering the pool. The level required is 0.5 to 1.0ppm but this is much lower than the regular amount and barely detectable by bathers. You will have to shock the pool with Non Chlorine Shock from time to time.

Other products that use copper and sliver but not via an ioniser are Nature2 and FROG. They are easy to fit to your pipework and trap the algae in little balls containing the copper and silver. They cost about £300.00 and need re-fills every 6 months which are about £100.00.

A new kid on the block is the Floatron. This is an ioniser using only a copper electrode but it floats on your pool surface and uses a solar cell as its energy source. At about £250.00 with electrodes that are claimed last up to 24 months and cost £30.00 to replace it is better value than the FROG and Nature2 system.

Polymeric Biguanides. (also known as Baquacil or Revacil) [No Chlorine]

The best know polymeric biguanide is polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) but for the purposes of this article we’ll call it Baquacil. Baquacil keeps the water sanitised but it needs help from BaquaCheck and BaquaShock. BaquaCheck is an algicide and BaquaShock is 36% Hydrogen Peroxide solution used as a shock treatment to break down bather waste.

Baquacil is totally incompatible with chlorine and before you use it you must get all of the chlorine out of the pool. Likewise if you change your mind and go back to Chlorine you must get all the Baquacil out. You can not use persulphates with Baquacil either.

Like all non-chlorine alternatives is expensive and has its own rather tricky testing system. It is not a popular system in this country and is not without its critics, particularly in the USA, but those that do use it seem to love it.

Summary

Hopefully this article has given an insight in to the various ways of cutting down or eliminating Chlorine from your pool. Non-Chlorine alternatives cost more and require more maintenance but we think it is worth it for the improved water quality.

Our recommendations? For Low Chlorine an Ioniser, for No Chlorine the Bayrol Soft and Easy system. Credit for this article goes to PoolStore The UK’s favourite on-line shop for all your swimming pool and spa needs

Sand Filter

Sand filters use a specially graded sand as the filter media. The water enters the top of the filter via the manifold (most commonly a multi-port valve).
The water is then distrabuted evenly over the filter media, the water radiates through the media, removing most solids, then the water reaches the collection sytem and passes on through the filtration cycle.
Sand filters filter out debris down to about 40 microns in size. Anything smaller than 40 microns will probably not be filtered out.

Diatomaceous Earth Filters (DE Filters for short)

DE filters use diatomaceous earth as a filter media. The DE filter has plastic grids covered with a plastic type of fabric. A layer of filter powder called Diatomaceous Earth covers the grids and does the filtering.
As the water passes through the filter powder, any debris down to 5-8 microns is filtered out. Because the DE is much finer that sand, it is able to filter much more finely than a sand filter.

Cartridge Filter

This type of filter i would say is the simplest type, it mainly consists of a tube with pleated strips that collect the debris. These type of filter had a bad reputation as they were in need of constant cleaning. Today are are much more affective and require much less cleaning. They are mainly used today for Spas and Hot Tubs.

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Most swimming pool pumps are self-priming centrifugal pumps. These pumps must have a vacuum chamber, commonly known as a pump housing. The pump housing must be filled with water in order for any pump to create a vacuum, resulting in your pump pulling the water out of your swimming pool or spa. The pool pump housing will remain full of water while the pump is on, and will remain full or partially full of water when the pump is shut off.

When you turn on the pool pump the motor will begin to rotate on high speed (dual speed pumps rotate at the preselected speed). The motor drives the pump impeller, located inside the pumps center portion at the opposite end, away from the electrical switch portion of the motor. While the motor is rotating, the tips of the impeller are sealed hydraulically inside of the pump diffuser, this allows self-priming to occur.

Self-priming can only occurr when the pump has a diffuser. Some pool pumps have a separate diffuser, others have the diffuser molded into the pool pump’s cover, refer to your Owner’s Manual for your pump. The diffuser helps to eliminate any air coming into the pool pump housing, suction piping, or hoses on above ground pools. When all the air is being removed from the system, you will notice the bubbles returning to the pool through the return fittings. The impeller acts to convert water velocity into water pressure, which is registered on your filter pressure gauge. The actual Gallons Per Minute (GPM) varies with the type of pump and the horsepower. Check your Owner’s Manual for more information (owner’s manuals can be found online under the detailed page of your pump).

Self-priming pool pumps are very dependable and simple in design. They require a sufficient supply of water from the swimming pool or spa, and no air in the suction lines. Air could come from a loose strainer cover, a leak in any valve, a pin hole in any suction line or any crack or loose connections in the underground piping. Your swimming pool pump should be kept free of dirt and also located where it can be protected from flooding during heavy rain fall. If your pool pump motor becomes flooded you will probably have to replace it (pump motors damaged by flooding are not covered by warranty)

Below are some general problems you may come across with your pump…

	Why do i get lots of bubbles coming from my pool returns? This is a very common problem and quite easily solved. Most of the time this will be caused by your strainer basket inside your pool being full of debris. Just go through your normal regime of turning off the pump and clean out the basket.
	Why does my pump make alot of noise? This is mainly due to faulty or worn out bearings or in some cases a wronly positioned lever on the multi-port valve. Pump bearings can be fixed by a professional, the pump does not always have to be thrown away. Contact you local pool professional and he will be able to advise you.
	Why does my pump not draw water? There can be quite a few reasons for this problem. Firstly i would make sure the filter and pump basket are clean, also check for any pipe blockage in the suction side. One of the main causes of total loss of suction is a faulty impeller. If it gets to a stage were everything is clean and no blockages, then call in a trusted local professional. Like all things that have an electrical supply — SAFETY FIRST—

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Now we come to the types of swimming, there are many different types of pools and they are described differently, but i will stay with the 3 main types used here in the UK.

Above-Ground Swimming Pools

This type of pool is often the cheapest kind to install, they are typically made of , plastic panels, steel panels or in some cases even timber. they generaly have a liner fitted after construction, this is sometimes refered to as a “bag liner” ( i will explain this in another topic). These type of pools are often sold in a kit form and with some basic DIY knowledge can be quite easily installed. They are a great cheap way of putting a fully functional pool in your garden and having lots of fun. They as it suggests the least desierable of pools as they have many long term disadvantages to more solid Fibreglass of concrete construction pools. They are much less durable and of course if just stuck in the middle of your garden, they don`t look as good.

In Ground Liner pools

This type of pool here in the UK is often built from concrete blocks. A whole is excavated, foundations put in place, the pool wall constructed. Then the pool walls and floor are rendered to create a smooth finish, a smooth finish is eesential to prevent anything puncturing the liner from behind, once the water is added. Particular attention has to be given to excess ground water with these designs and a hydrostatic pump will often have to be fitted to take away any excess ground water.

Fibre Glass Pools

Fibre glass pools are mostly made in one piece, they are then gel coated and vynil resins used to create a very smooth surface. They can come in many different shapes and sizes and for this reason they are very popular.
They can be installed very quickly, either fully in the ground, partly or totally above ground. This has an advantage if you are in a very high water table area.

Concrete Pools

This type of pool is by far the most expensive and time consuming to construct. Today they are often built from to skins of concrete blocks which have re-inforced steel bars connected to a very thick foundation, the cavity that is formed is then poured with concrete to form a very very strong wall construction. This type of pool is often built if you require a tiled pool, tiled pools have to have a very strong surface, because if there is any movement at all they will crack and fall off and the water retention properties will be severly compromised.. Often this type of pool is only used for indoor pools. Typically for hrdrotherapy pools were non-slip surfaces are very important, also tiled pools can withstand very high temperatures. Vinyl lined pools do not like the water temperature to high or they will start to destabilize and their active life will be shortened quite considerably.
This type of pool has many advantages over above-ground pools for many reasons

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The water in it`s purest form is odourless, nearly colourless and tasteless. It’s in your body, the food you eat and the beverages you drink. You use it to clean yourself, your clothes, your dishes, your car and everything else around you. You can travel on it or jump in it to cool off on hot summer days. Many of the products that you use every day contain it or were manufactured using it. All forms of life need it, and if they don’t get enough of it, they die. As we are talking about swimming pool water, the 2 most important terms to think of in relation to our water is “Hard” or “Soft”. These 2 terms are very geographical in your country, it depends really on were your water is gathered and then supllied to you.

The water in it`s purest form is odourless, nearly colourless and tasteless. It’s in your body, the food you eat and the beverages you drink. You use it to clean yourself, your clothes, your dishes, your car and everything else around you. You can travel on it or jump in it to cool off on hot summer days. Many of the products that you use every day contain it or were manufactured using it. All forms of life need it, and if they don’t get enough of it, they die.
As we are talking about swimming pool water, the 2 most important terms to think of in relation to our water is “Hard” or “Soft”. These 2 terms are very geographical in your country, it depends really on were your water is gathered and then supllied to you.
I will endeavour to explain these terms. These terms are derived by how the Natural water Cycle works.

The Natural Water cycleThe natural water cycle is the continuous movement of water between the land, the ocean, rivers and lakes, and the atmosphere.Water is always cycling around, through, and above the Earth. As it moves through the cycle, water continually changes from liquid (rainwater, saltwater) to gas (water vapour) and back to liquid. The liquid can also get cold and become solid (ice or snow).

	What is water hardness? Water hardness relates to the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds present in water.
	What is the difference between hardwater and soft water? Hardness in water is influenced by what the water has passed through, such as soft rocks like chalk or limestone, with water picking up minerals and becoming harder, whereas water which may have travelled through granite or peaty soils remains soft and does not pick up any of these minerals.
	What happens if the water is soft? Water is considered soft if has a hardness of under 50ppm as calcium carbonate and an alkalinity of under 30ppm as calcium chloride. In the British Isles, soft water is common in Scotland, Wales, the extreme SW of England and parts of Ireland. The pH can be rather unstable in soft water areas, but alkaline chlorine donors such as calcium hypochlorite will help to increase hardness as will the addition of calcium chloride.
	What happens if my water is hard? Hard water isn’t as convenient or efficient as soft water is when it comes to your swimming pool or spa. Hard water could do damage to your pool because when hard water is heated, re-crystallization can plug your pipes and hot water heater, causing heater failure and necessitatig that you replace your heater. It may also cause skin irritation. If this is your problem then there are commercial hardness reducers available, you should contact your local swimming pool company who will be able to do a reliable test and offer you a solution.

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Beautiful by design

Spas | The benefits of owning a spa tub

Having a home spa is a great way to unwind and remove the stress from a hard day in the comfort of your own home. Spas were used in ancient times for treating the exterior of the body and spa water was ingested to cure iron-deficiency related illnesses. Today, you can find a spa in most any luxury resort as well as in many businesses devoted to health and well-being in cities across the country. But why wait for a special occasion to treat yourself to a spa when you can have one at home that you can enjoy every day?


Spa Types

There are several different types of spas available on the market today, Jacuzzis, swim spas and portable spas. Besides choosing one of these types, you’ll also have to decide whether you wish to install it inside or out. Lastly, once you have a location in mind, you’ll need to determine which size you want to buy.
The name Jacuzzi has become synonymous with any bath or spa tub that uses water jets for massage purposes. They started out with hydrotherapy pumps and eventually branched out into designing entire bathtubs for home use. They offer indoor and outdoor versions of their products and the brand name has been recognized for high quality and its pioneering technologies. You can find just about any shape of Jaccuzzi whirlpool including corner units, rectangular, round and oval styles.
Swim spas are for those who intend to use their spa for exercise rather than purely for relaxation. These spas are capable of generating a current that allows you to swim in place in tub that is as small as 7’x12’. While spas in general are not cheap, swimming spas are even more expensive. It’s a good idea to actually try one out before you commit to buying to ensure that the quality of the swim it provides is up to your standards.
Lastly, portable spas are available as indoors or outdoors models. They have the advantage of being moved, making them ideal for renters who don’t own a home, or for those that love their spa tub so much that they want to take it with them when they relocate. Like the other spas mentioned, costs increase for larger sized models or for those that need to be able to stand up to outdoor climates year round.

Spa Health Benefits

There are many advantages to having your own spa tub at home. The hot waters and massaging jets help to relax tense muscles and remove stress-induced headaches. The warmth of the water helps to produce the body’s natural painkillers and being submerged helps relieve sore joints. On top of that, many people experience a much deeper and relaxed sleep after having a dip about two hours before

they go to bed. There are also studies that link spa tub therapy to lowered blood pressure and sugar levels, so owning a spa could be one of the best moves that you make to improve your health.
On top of these automatic benefits of owning a spa, you can further enhance the experience by getting additional spa products. Stocking up on an assortment of plush towels, a comfortable housecoat and slippers can make you feel like you’re at a health spa instead of at home. You can also purchase essential oils or incense and combine aromatherapy with your hydrotherapy to truly feel revitalized.
With so many benefits, it’s easy to see why owning a spa makes a lot of sense for those who want to enjoy better health, more restful sleep and spoil themselves from time to time.

Pool Basics

A typical swimming pool will contain the follow parts…

A swimming pool is a body of water exposed to the elements, as such it is subject to attack from bacteria, this will quickly grow and make for a very unpleasant enviroment for you to swim in. For this reason we must introduce systems to circulate and clean the water. In general terms this is done by drawing the water from the pool, filter the water, heat the water and finally sanitize the water. This is a continual cycle running 24/7

Before we move on think we should ask some questions, hopefully this will make things a little clearer.

	What does a swimming pool pump do? Pumps are essential for any pool, working hard to circulate water into, around and out of the pool. To ensure a hygienic pool, the pump will need to work in conjunction with a filter to clean the water. It’s important to discuss your specific pool style, size and requirements with a trusted supplier to make sure the power and strength of the pump are correct.
	Why do I need a pool filter? All the bodies popping in and out of your pool can create a hotbed of bacteria in the water. To keep water from going septic and making swimmers sick, it is important to filter out the impurities. Swimming pool filters and pumps are often sold as a package and can be pretty low maintenance if properly set up.
	Why do i need to put chemicals in my pool? This must be done to kill the micro-organisms and bacteria in your pool water. Chlorine and Bromine treatments are available. The nature of the water in your region will dictate which is the most appropriate.

In this series of articles i will endeavor to explain the complete workings of your pool and how we arrive at lovely clean sparkling water that is a pleasure to swim in……

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Wish you were here!

WELCOME TO THE POOL GURU
Having worked in the Swimming Pool Industry for many years, i have decided, along with a few other swimming pool professionals to try and build a help site, this site will be used as my Blogging site and i will add all my thoughts on the world of the Swimming Pool Industry.

• Indoor Swimming Pools
• Outdoor Swimming Pools
• Chemical issues
• Spa
• Water
• Construction
• Design

Over the next few months we are hoping that other experts will decide to join us.
Anyone is welcome to join the site, either to help others or to get help from the professionals. I have written a guideline and will post it very soon.
This site is in the main designed as a swimming pool help community and not a heavy laden with adverts commercial site.

It is important to know that handling potentially dangerous chemicals should only be done by competent, responsible persons and by adhering to the following rules:-

Keep the original lids on all chemical containers and make sure the lids are closed lightly when not in use.