Chlorine is the most popular treatment for keeping swimming pool water chemistry balanced because it's highly effective and relatively low cost. Other disinfectants include bromine, ozone, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Clean water and balanced water chemistry are the keys to pool maintenance. Establish a weekly routine to clean the pool and add pool cleaner. A shock treatment solves and prevents many pool problems. Test the pH and the free available chlorine in the pool water and shock-treat if necessary on a weekly basis.
At first you'll add chlorine in what's called “shock” levels – an extra heavy dose to start your pool off. A shock dose coupled with extra circulation will ensure that all the water gets treated properly in the beginning.
If the water is clean and clear, then add about 3 oz of liquid chlorine per 1000 gallons of water – while the pool filter is running. This should give you a chlorine level of about 3 ppm.
It is recommended to wait at least 20 minutes to an hour after adding water balancing chemicals. You should wait 2-4 hours (or one full cycle through the filter) to swim from the moment you use calcium chloride in your pool. It is safe to swim once your chlorine levels are around 5 ppm or after 24 hours.
Pools are sanitized using a variety of chlorine-based compounds including chlorine gas, sodium hypochlorite (liquid bleach), calcium hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite and chlorinated isocyanurates.
Liquid chlorine is preferred over chlorine tablets by pool professionals however home swimming pools will benefit too. Liquid chlorine quickly raises or maintains chlorine levels without raising stabilizer. Chlorine tablets maintain chlorine levels and add stabilizer to the pool water.
While chlorine is an effective option for disinfecting swimming pool water, it's not without its challenges. In fact, chlorine can be harmful to your eyes, hair, nails, lungs, and yes, even your skin.
A pool should have a chlorine level between two and four parts per million (ppm). Make sure your above ground pool has enough by testing your water about every other day with chlorine test strips, such as these Aqua Chek Test Strips. Learn more about maintaining your pool's chemicals.
If you test your pool water and can't get a chlorine reading, it may be due to your pool's high demand for chlorine. A high chlorine demand (sometimes referred as chlorine lock), simply means that although your water may appear clear and balanced, the chlorine in your pool is ineffective.
If your water's pH is too high, it hinders the chlorine's ability to efficiently clean the pool. A water pH level that is too low causes the chlorine to dissipate more quickly. Therefore you'll need to add more chlorine to accomplish the task.
In short, the UV rays produced by the sun have a major effect on chlorine. When exposed to UV rays, chlorine ions begin to separate, which eventually destroys them. And as your chlorine burns away, your sanitizer level drops. This is the very reason why CYA (cyanuric acid), or chlorine stabilizer, exists.
Pros of Saltwater Pools
There's less chlorine and less of the heavy chemical scent and content. They're gentler on the skin, with less irritation to the eyes, hair and swimsuits. The water has a softer, silkier feel to it compared to chlorine water. They have lower maintenance costs than chlorine pools.
It takes a lot of chemicals to make pool water safe for swimming. Untreated water can accumulate harmful Escherichia coli and Salmonella bacteria and protozoans such as Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia.
Looking at the structure of water itself, science tells us about the way the water molecules work. When interacting with light, the molecules actually absorb red light waves, whilst reflecting blue light waves. This selective process is known as electromagnetic absorption and is the main reason that water appears blue.
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: it depends on the formulation. The label on every bleach bottle should tell you the ratio of sodium hypochlorite (and available chlorine) in the bottle to everything else. A higher percentage is generally better, as you'll need to use less bleach to treat your pool.
Liquid Chlorine
The liquid form of chlorine is the cheapest way of adding chlorine to a pool. Simply pour it directly into the water in front of a return jet to disperse it throughout the pool.
Household bleach, Clorox and liquid chlorine can all be used to sanitize a pool. They are all types of chlorine. Household bleaches such as Clorox usually contain about 5-6% available chlorine, about half that of pool liquid chlorine. Household bleaches often have unwanted fragrances and colors.
Dichlor is perhaps the most “best of all worlds” chlorine sanitizer. It is typically found in concentrations of 60-65%, which is comparable to cal-hypo. It is a powder sanitizer, which makes it easier to spread or broadcast around the pool than chlorine tablets.
In theory, if you have a cloudy swimming pool, you can add chlorine to “shock it” and clear things up. Chlorine will get the job done. But, the amounts may vary and you may have to really pound the pool with chlorine to get the water totally clear.