| In today's pool market it seems there are more | | | | been to supplant chlorine as the king of pool care. |
| ways to keep a pool clean and inviting than ever | | | | Chlorine is a heavily regulated commodity and by |
| before: ionizers, salt water systems, Baquacil and | | | | law is only available in certain formulations and |
| its cousins in addition to chlorine. All sorts of claims | | | | strengths. This means profit margins are low and |
| are made from no chlorine use at all to lower | | | | firms are constantly inventing new sanitizing |
| levels, better water quality and less maintenance. | | | | products to increase margins and capture |
| What is a pool owner to do to separate fact | | | | customers. Whether the products developed |
| from hype? | | | | work as well is of less importance. |
| The application of a few common sense rules can | | | | The key to good pool water is a two-part |
| help separate fact from fiction in choosing a | | | | combination. Part one is the elimination of complex |
| sanitizing system that will deliver satisfactory | | | | organics: dust, dirt, suntan oil, sweat etc. These |
| results year after year. | | | | contaminants, if left untreated, are food for algae |
| If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Any | | | | and bacteria. Any safe pool sanitizing system |
| sanitizing system that makes incredible or | | | | must provide 24/7 oxidizing potential in the pool |
| revolutionary claims is probably something to | | | | water to work well. |
| avoid. No one has yet figured out a way to keep | | | | Part two is the use of an algaecide. Despite the |
| pool water clean and inviting without some help | | | | best intentions pools oxidizing levels can drop |
| from the pool owner. Be especially leery of | | | | enough to allow algae or bacteria to begin to |
| systems that claim to eliminate chlorine entirely. | | | | multiply. An algaecide present in the water will |
| The main purpose of chlorine in a pool is to | | | | stop the infestation cold. A number of sanitizing |
| chemically burn out complex organics that provide | | | | systems rely on silver or copper based algaecide |
| food for algae and bacteria. Without this oxidizing | | | | as the main line of defense against algae and |
| function a swimming pool WILL go bad. Maybe not | | | | bacteria. The problem is that without oxidation of |
| immediately but at some point and in spectacular | | | | food for algae, algaecide is eventually |
| fashion. | | | | overwhelmed and the pool water goes bad. |
| Be very skeptical of sanitizing systems that are | | | | If any sanitizing system is missing either of the |
| proprietary and available only from select sources. | | | | two-part combination it's probably best to pass |
| Be especially careful with systems that are | | | | and keep looking. |
| incompatible with pool chemicals in general use. | | | | Rob "Dr. |
| The holy grail of pool sanitizing manufacturers has | | | | |