Salt electrolysis
The salt chlorinator converts salt into chlorine in a natural way. This process makes it possible to switch to a much more sporadic use of chlorine, which will still be used as a shock treatment.
Note, however, that salt has a great power to corrode your metal equipment; this type of chlorinator can therefore entail significant maintenance. It is advisable to equip your installation with stainless steel or austenitic pipes if you are considering this system.
UV-C radiation
The principle of UV-C treatment is simple: ultraviolet rays are reproduced by lamps placed in the filtration circuit. The radiation destroys all the micro-organisms in the polluted water as it passes through.
Note that the water comes out disinfected but not disinfecting, which is why this filtration system must be coupled with another type of treatment, ideally active oxygen. In the case where disinfection is done with chlorine, the UVs nevertheless make it possible to reduce consumption by about 50%.
Active oxygen
Active oxygen is the product generally recommended for small pools and spas. It can be used for shock treatments if the water in your pool becomes too polluted, for example in the case of algae and bacteria proliferation.
Ozone
Ozone is a gas generated naturally in the stratosphere by the sun. You will therefore need an ozonator that reproduces this process to treat your pool water.
In addition to being twice as powerful as chlorine treatment, ozone has several notable advantages. First of all, ozone water treatment is one of the most natural treatments available: it does not come into contact with the skin as it disintegrates when the water is treated. Moreover, its impact on the environment is almost non-existent.
Hydroxyl Radicals
The latest innovation in water treatment, hydroxyl radicals are disinfectants that result from the combination of UV and Ozone. This process, called AOP or Advanced Oxidation Process, creates hydroxyl radicals (OH-) when ozonated water is bombarded with UV-Cs radiation of a specific wavelength. This deactivation system produces a short-term supply of hydroxide that continues to disinfect the pond. The water in the pool will still have to contain chlorine, especially to comply with certain standards, but in half the amount.
Mineral Purifiers
These purifiers offer a treatment based on copper and silver ions. These purifiers are good bactericides and rely on porous ceramic mineral beads that contain copper and silver. The copper particles attack algae and the silver particles fight the growth of germs and bacteria.
The microbeads in the cartridge have an average lifespan of 6 months, so it is necessary to change them regularly. Furthermore, this device requires an additional chlorine treatment which is compatible with copper and silver ions. However, this device reduces chlorine consumption by about 50%.
Salt electrolysis
The salt chlorinator converts salt into chlorine in a natural way. This process makes it possible to switch to a much more sporadic use of chlorine, which will still be used as a shock treatment.
Note, however, that salt has a great power to corrode your metal equipment; this type of chlorinator can therefore entail significant maintenance. It is advisable to equip your installation with stainless steel or austenitic pipes if you are considering this system.
UV-C radiation
The principle of UV-C treatment is simple: ultraviolet rays are reproduced by lamps placed in the filtration circuit. The radiation destroys all the micro-organisms in the polluted water as it passes through.
Note that the water comes out disinfected but not disinfecting, which is why this filtration system must be coupled with another type of treatment, ideally active oxygen. In the case where disinfection is done with chlorine, the UVs nevertheless make it possible to reduce consumption by about 50%.
Active oxygen
Active oxygen is the product generally recommended for small pools and spas. It can be used for shock treatments if the water in your pool becomes too polluted, for example in the case of algae and bacteria proliferation.
Ozone
Ozone is a gas generated naturally in the stratosphere by the sun. You will therefore need an ozonator that reproduces this process to treat your pool water.
In addition to being twice as powerful as chlorine treatment, ozone has several notable advantages. First of all, ozone water treatment is one of the most natural treatments available: it does not come into contact with the skin as it disintegrates when the water is treated. Moreover, its impact on the environment is almost non-existent.
Hydroxyl Radicals
The latest innovation in water treatment, hydroxyl radicals are disinfectants that result from the combination of UV and Ozone. This process, called AOP or Advanced Oxidation Process, creates hydroxyl radicals (OH-) when ozonated water is bombarded with UV-Cs radiation of a specific wavelength. This deactivation system produces a short-term supply of hydroxide that continues to disinfect the pond. The water in the pool will still have to contain chlorine, especially to comply with certain standards, but in half the amount.
Mineral Purifiers
These purifiers offer a treatment based on copper and silver ions. These purifiers are good bactericides and rely on porous ceramic mineral beads that contain copper and silver. The copper particles attack algae and the silver particles fight the growth of germs and bacteria.
The microbeads in the cartridge have an average lifespan of 6 months, so it is necessary to change them regularly. Furthermore, this device requires an additional chlorine treatment which is compatible with copper and silver ions. However, this device reduces chlorine consumption by about 50%.
In conclusion
We have presented several effective alternatives to reduce the use of chlorine or even replace it completely. All these alternatives are both better for the health of the bathers and less harmful for the environment. However, it should be noted that, depending on the size of the pool, it is often a combination of these different treatments that represents the best alternative, such as a treatment with active oxygen coupled with ultraviolet radiation filtration. Water treatment companies combine most of the most effective treatments in their filtration systems, such as Ultra Bio Ozone, so the most advanced systems offer 3 types of disinfection: UV-c, ozone, and Hydroxyl radicals.
Although the best systems represent a significant initial investment, swimming should remain enjoyable and healthy, so it is up to you to make the right choice.
