Pool Care
The primary purpose of this page was to look into alternatives to Traditional methods of pool care, primarily for the purpose of methodology that would reduce maintenance needs and long-term costs.
common pool diagram
Ozone Generators
Using ozone generators to sanitize
swimming pools and spa is more effective than chlorine for oxidizing organics,
bacteria, cysts, spores, or viruses. Water ozonators are non-irritating to
skin and hair and the by-products of the oxidation process have no adverse
health or environmental effects.
Everyone needs to promote better health instead of destroying it. There are
no advantages when using chemicals only but there is a great advantage when
you use a water ozonator machine. The bacterial kill rate is 3,125 time faster
than chlorine and it is 50 percent stronger oxidizer than chlorine. It is
25 times more efficient than Hypochlorous acid, 2,500 times more effective
than Hypochlorite and 5,000 times more effective than Chloramine (http://www.appliedozone.com/spa_pool.html)
Eliminates red, irritated eyes & dry, itchy skin
Eliminates foul chlorine/chloramine odors
Reduces constant repurchase of chemicals
Eliminates replacement of faded swim wear
Eliminates foaming "bathtub ring" & environmental worries
Eliminates environmental worries
Reduce traditional chemical chlorine/bromine use 60-90%
(one reference states 1.5 - 2.5 ppm is normal, and could be reduced to 0.5
- 1.0 ppm with ozone)
Reduce handling and storage of unsafe chemicals
Ozone 101 - Pocket guide to Ozone from Del Ozone
This is a copy of
a posting on America OnLine concerning
Ozone
in swimming pool purification
Things to watch for
Most units only work when your pool pump is running, but some have
their own circulation pumps built in.
Ozone will not kill algae because
it does not last very long in the water
With UV lamp models, the lamps will need to be replaced
(one manufacture states every 9000 hours)
The electrodes in a CD model have
a 15,000 hour life.
If you run your pool pump 6 hours a day, this means just under 7 years.
If you buy a continuous model with it's own pump, it is under 2 years.
Manufactures
Del Ozone
I questioned the noise of
the Total Eclipse model that runs continuously with it's own pump.
"John.
The Total Eclipse has a small 1/20 H.P. circulation pump & makes very
little noise.Please call 1-800-676-1335 Ext.249 for further info.
Tx.Charlie"
I haven't called the number yet, but a 1/20 HP pump should be pretty quite.
Ozonet
http://www.oxi-ion.com/detail.htm
Ion Generators
Copper / Silver Ionization (Disinfection)
Electronic water disinfection utilizing Ionization was first developed by
NASA for drinking water purification aboard U.S. spacecraft. An "Ion
Chamber", containing specially formulated Copper/Silver alloy electrodes
is installed in the pool's recirculation system. A safe, low voltage is applied
to the electrodes by the Oxi-Ion Controller, producing "Ions" (positively
charged atoms of copper & silver), which enter the water steam, where
they act to kill algae, bacteria, viruses, fungus, yeast and mold.
The dead organisms are then removed by the pool's filtration system. The
metal ions provide a long-term, stable disinfection residual that is not affected
by heat, sunlight or evaporation.
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An ion is an atom, or group of
atoms that possess an electrical charge. Ions exist everywhere and your pool
is full of ions. It was discovered long ago that copper ions behave as an
algaestat, that is, they inhibit algae growth, while silver ions behave as
a bactericide, that is, they kill bacteria.
An ionizer is a device that uses electricity to produce these metal ions right
in the plumbing, so they are dispersed into the water to do their work. Copper
and/or silver electrodes are energized with a low voltage, DC current supplied
from the equipment sub panel. The voltage is applied to two metallic electrodes
placed in close proximity to each other within the plumbing pipe. The electrical
current causes atoms of the copper or silver electrode to lose an electron
and become cations. These cations are drawn towards the opposite electrode,
but are swept away by the rushing water passing by. After this introduction
in the water, these ions float dissolved in water until they encounter a microorganism.
Ionization is not a stand alone sanitizer. It cannot oxidize organic matter
effectively, so additional chlorine or non chlorine shock treatment is necessary.
There also is the potential for staining of interior surfaces. Copper can
deposit itself on these surfaces, giving a blue-green color, {which isn't
too bad to look at, some pool people like the color} Silver can react with
sunlight, similar to the way photographs are produced, and create black stains
on the plaster.
Ionizers can reduce reliance on traditional chemicals, or provide additional
power to your sanitation program.
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Copper causes another common stain in swimming pools. Like iron, copper comes from the domestic water supply, copper plumbing in houses and pool heaters as well as older pumps and pool plumbing. Iron was the original material of choice for pool installations until the builders had to field the iron stain complaints from customers. They switched to copper since copper doesn't’t corrode as readily. Unfortunately copper does corrode. It will leave a light blue/green color on the plaster. Many pools have copper stains without the knowledge of their owners. The pools develop a bluish tint to the water that people find pleasing.
Eventually the pool develops what seems like smudges of turquoise in patches and blotches on the plaster. Like Iron, copper will adhere first to the rougher areas of the plaster (like around the light ring), the return lines, main drain and steps -- anywhere that extra trowelling might have been done during construction.
With a heater for a spa or pool (spa must be the type that shares the water supply with the pool) the problem will worsen for two reasons: Pool heaters are built with lots of copper which is very efficient for transferring heat from the gas flame to the water inside the heater. However, they contribute to the quantity of copper in the pool water. Solar panels were often made of copper in the early days of the solar industry and can contribute to copper content as well. Even if the heater isn’t used, as long as water passes through the heater, copper is eroded and released to the pool.
The second reason heaters exacerbate copper staining is that heating the water makes the erosion worse and further increases evaporation. Eventually the water will saturate with copper and create copper staining. One very easy way to confirm this is to compare the surface of both the spa and pool. They were probably built at the same time and with the same materials but the spa will have many more stains due to the effect of the heated water.
Recommendations include (same as for iron stains) getting some chelating or sequestering chemicals. These will cause the metals that are in water to clump together into larger pieces that can be filtered or vacuumed. The pool may also be drained. This puts an end to stain buildup until the metals have a chance to accumulate again. It’s also a good idea to have heaters checked periodically by a qualified pool professional (call Pure-Chem, Inc. for a referral) for both gas and water leaks. Also, small creatures are often found living in rarely used heaters and could cause problems when the unit is turned on for the first time in a season.
Manufactures
Oxi-Ion Systems
Carefree Clearwater
Model 1100
Triangular Wave Technologies
Power
Ionizer
Aquamatics
CPI
Salt
Magnetic
http://www.ddchem.com/clear.htm
Electronic Induced Resonance
EIR (Electronic Induced Resonance)
The third technology that Hydro-Max has added to the Oxi-Ion System is an
advanced process that generates a complex modulating waveform. The waveform
or signal is transmitted through the pool's circulation system, altering the
normal behavior of water molecules, suspended solids and dissolved minerals.
Suspended solids are forced to coagulate, forming larger particles that are more easily removed by the pool's filter. Dissolved minerals are forced to remain suspended in the water. Scaling of pool tiles, electrodes and pool heater surfaces is stopped. Existing scale formations are gradually softened and removed. Free water molecules created by EIR give the pool water a silky feel.
http://www.oxi-ion.com/detail.htm
Traditional
How does chlorine
work to clean swimming pools?
Chlorine
Chemistry Q&A
Cleaners
Test Kits and Meters and Software
Hanna
Instruments
Model HI
98204 Water Test
ExStik
4-in-1 Chlorine, pH, ORP, Temp
Chemtrol 230 pH and ORP Digital Controller
Why ORP?
The ABC's of ORP
" . . .ORP technology has received widespread application in this country
as the basis of automated chemical control equipment. The reasoning is clear:
Only an ORP sensor can deliver the kind of feedback needed to control feeders
for sanitizer and pH adjusting chemicals. . . ."
Q: What is the range of ORP (units of measure)?
A: ORP is expressed in millivolts (mV). A range of -1000 mV to 1000mV is common with most ORP instruments.
Q: What does ORP really measure?
A: ORP measures the total activity of a solution in mV or the total of reducing and oxidizing activities in a given solution. Practically speaking, ORP is useful for monitoring and controlling chemical addition of oxidizing or reducing agents. Oxidizing agents include chlorine, bromine and ozone. Reducing agents include cyanide and sodium bisulfite and metabisulfite.
Conductivity
About Conductivity Meters, Dissolved Solids Meters and Resistivity Meters
Software
Perfect
Pool and Spa
Swimming Pool Control with
Linux
Retailers and Purchasing and Links
Links
Reference
Energies Required To Destroy Some Microorganisms by Ultraviolet Radiation
Microorganism Microwatt -------------------------------Seconds per cm2
Pencillium Roqueforti ----------------------------------------28,400
Oospora Lactis ------------------------------------------------11,000
Brewer's Yeast ---------------------------------------------------6,600
Saccharomyces Cerevislae --------------------------------13,200
Strep Lactis -------------------------------------------------------8,800
Staph. Aureus ----------------------------------------------------6,600
Staph. Albus ------------------------------------------------------5,720
Sarcina Lulea --------------------------------------------------26,400
Escerichia Coli --------------------------------------------------7,040
Bacillus Subtills ------------------------------------------------11.000
Bacterlophage (E. Coli) ---------------------------------------6,600
Influenza ------------------------------------------------------------3,400
Algae -------------------------------------------------------------22,000
Proteus Vulgaris ------------------------------------------------7,480
To calculate time in seconds required to kill organism when holding light 2 inches away, divide the time required to destroy microorganism by UV microwatt output.