Pool water treatment: an overview of tools, methods and recommendations

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:44

The advantages of country houses are not only in the absence of fuss and intrusive neighbors. A huge plus is the presence of your own land, which can be ennobled to your liking. Some sow the land with a lawn, others plant fruit trees. Still others dig a hole and build a pool. Swimming in it is quite an entertaining pastime, especially on hot summer days. But do not forget about the care of the pool. An important procedure is the treatment of water in it. It needs to be cleaned regularly. Dirty water is not only a smell and discomfort, but also a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Therefore, today we will look at different ways to purify water in the pool and their features.

Methods

Today, there is a huge choice of products and methods for disinfecting pools, thanks to which you can avoid frequent water changes. So, the following cleaning methods are distinguished:

• Mechanical.
• Chemical.
• Electrophysical.

Disinfection method can be:

• Manual.
• Automatic.
• Semi-automatic.

What is the cheapest water treatment in the pool in the country? The easiest way is manual. However, it is worth immediately noting the cons. This is the complexity and duration of the procedure. If you're looking to save time and have a bigger budget, you might want to consider an automatic pool water purifier.

The third method is a kind of compromise between the automatic and manual methods.

What is used in mechanical disinfection?

This procedure is performed by filtering the liquid. When using the mechanical method, water is purified from particles such as:

• Insects.
• Leaves.
• Hair.
• Dust.
• Dirty.
• As well as other mechanical and organic debris.

How does it happen? In this case, special filters are used to purify the water in the pool. They process the top layer of liquid, passing it through their nozzles and returning it back to the tank. But it is worth remembering that the equipment for water purification in the pool must have such power that the entire volume of liquid can pass through it at least three to four times a day.

Types of cleaning plants

Today, there are several typesfilters:

• Sandy. Most often used. Their advantage is that minimal financial costs are required for work. Gravel and sifted quartz sand are used as cleaning elements.
• Diatomites. They have a high degree of disinfection. Inside contains granite backfill and diatomaceous sand.
• Cartridge. Very easy to use, but does not give the same result as the previous type.

It is worth noting that if the water in the pool is cleaned without chlorine with a pump, it is impossible to get rid of the contaminants that settle on the bottom and walls of the structure. In this case, it is advisable to use an underwater vacuum cleaner. It is designed to purify swimming pool water from various bacteria, mold and other high density particles.

Types of underwater vacuum cleaners

Many have already appreciated the benefits of using this equipment. It is these vacuum cleaners that are most suitable for high-quality water purification in the pool. But before choosing, you need to decide which type of unit is most suitable:

• Manual. It is also called bottom. Differs in small cost. It is mainly used for water treatment in an inflatable or collapsible pool. Connecting the element is simple. It connects to the filter and cleans the bottom of the pool.
• Semi-automatic. This equipment allows you to disinfect both the bottom and the walls of the reservoir. The semi-automatic vacuum cleaner is universal and suitable for all types of pools. Some models can be connected to skimmers. There are also options withdirt bag.
• Automatic. Has high power. It is used in reservoirs with a deep bottom and a large area. Reviews say that this device does an excellent job of disinfecting the bottom and walls of the pool.

Underwater units are great for processing artificial reservoirs. When working, they do not emit any harmful substances. Also, their action is not accompanied by additional pollution, as is the case with the manual method. All debris and bacteria enter a sealed bag specially designed for this purpose.

Hand Cleaning Kit

If the budget for water purification in the pool is limited, you can apply a cheaper method. For manual disinfection, you need to prepare:

• Set of nets. With the help of these tools, all debris from the surface is collected. If it is necessary to remove dirt from the bottom, a deep net is used.
• Brush. Needed to eliminate algae on the walls of the reservoir.
• Telescopic rods.

But even with a professional manual pool cleaning kit, the result will be different compared to using a pump. In addition, no chemicals are used in this treatment. This means that there will be no neutralization of bacteria and dangerous microorganisms that enter the pool along with garbage.

Chemical treatment

In order to properly disinfect a pond, you need to use special chemicals. Thanks to them wewe will completely destroy various types of bacteria and microorganisms, achieving the required water quality. Why is pool water treated with chlorine and other chemicals? This is done for the purpose of:

• Maintain normal pH levels. This can be achieved through the use of active oxygen, bromine or the same bleach.
• Prevent water pollution. These products for water purification in the pool allow you to exclude the development of lime deposits and algae on the surface of the walls of the reservoir. Also, thanks to chemistry, the transparency of the liquid is maintained.

Are these drugs harmful to the human body? Experts say that when using the recommended concentrations, such water is absolutely safe for bathing. The main thing is to follow the instructions and not exceed the allowable limits.

Today you can buy chemicals for disinfection in different forms. This is:

• Powder.
• Granules.
• Pills.
• Briquettes.

In order not to get confused when choosing, you can purchase universal multifunctional tablets. They are suitable for disinfection of any reservoirs. In addition, they adjust the pH level of the liquid and remove lime deposits and prevent their further development.

It is worth noting that for faster cleansing it is better to use halogens. These are bromine and chlorine. These preparations are the cheapest and are suitable for disinfection of largevolume of water. Today, gaseous chlorine is widely used (less often, its dioxides and chloramines). But when using such chemistry, you should not forget about safety. Halogens (including bleach) are very aggressive substances. Don't increase their concentration.

Active Oxygen

The gentlest disinfection method is the active oxygen method. This operation is not fast and is rather slow. But it is active oxygen that is the safest means for chemical cleaning of a reservoir.

Electrolysis

This is another method of liquid disinfection. It is produced as follows:

• A certain amount of edible s alt is added to the pool.
• S alt passes through the electrolysis station.
• As a result, it splits into two components. It's sodium and chlorine.
• The latter enters the reservoir and interacts with pollutants.

Reviews indicate that electrolysis is a fairly effective method of disinfection. In addition, such a water purification system in the pool does not cause allergic reactions and does not irritate the human mucosa.

Reagentless method

In this case, electrophysical disinfection technology is used. It can be done in several ways. This is:

• Ozonation. Experts say that the use of ozone is a more effective solution for disinfection than the use of bleach. In addition, this tool is absolutely safe for the human body.
• UV irradiation. It's prettyeffective method, but it must be done using an ultraviolet emitter. After treatment, such water will be completely safe for humans.
• Ionization. This process is carried out using metals such as copper and silver. The essence of the process is as follows. Special equipment is installed in the pool through which polluted water passes. The equipment contains electrodes that are affected by an electric current. When working, they will delight silver and copper ions. Water passing through them is disinfected. It also eliminates microorganisms that form algae and other organic plaque.

How often is disinfection done?

Purification of water in the pool (peroxide, chlorine or ultraviolet lamps - it doesn't matter) should be done at least once a season. Only with timely procedures it is possible to maintain the purity and transparency of the liquid in the pool. In addition, such water will be absolutely safe for the human body.

Helpful tips

There are situations when water loses its appearance very quickly. It begins to bloom and emit an unpleasant odor. Doing a weekly cleaning is also not an option. But how to be? In order not to puzzle over the question of how to disinfect the pool, during its construction it is necessary to produce high-quality waterproofing. It is also worth using a filling magnetic water softener. It must be included in the closed circuit "pool - filter - pool".

You need to carefully approach the issuefilling the reservoir. Do not use liquid from rivers, lakes and ponds. Why is that? This water has a lot of bacteria, algae and impurities. Therefore, in an artificial reservoir, it will begin to bloom quickly. In just a week at a 30-degree temperature, such a liquid will acquire a green color and an unpleasant odor. Swimming in such a reservoir is not only unpleasant, but also harmful to the body. The pool must be filled exclusively from the centralized water supply system. It will be cheaper than regular chemical cleaning of the reservoir.

Also note some more useful recommendations:

• Before the start of the season, check not only the liquid for contamination, but also the pump itself for cleaning water in the pool for operability. Replace filter element if necessary.
• Indoor pools can be disinfected less frequently as they do not come into contact with external sediments.
• If there are fatty deposits and algae on the walls of the reservoir, it is better to treat them with alkaline cleaners.
• Acid cleaner can be used to remove lime scale. But do not use hydrochloric acid, even if the pool is empty. It penetrates into the space between the tiles and, during subsequent filling, mixes with the liquid. Also, do not use products that contain phosphates. They will promote the growth of fungus and mold on the tile.
• At the end of the disinfection of the reservoir, it is worth rinsing the surfaces of the pipes. It is unacceptable that they rust. An acid cleaner can be used to prevent corrosion.
• To prevent future algae, lubricate the pool walls with an algaecide solution.
• When cleaning tiles, do not use aggressive products. They should not cause bleaching effect and affect the uniformity of color.
• When cleaning the air-water area, use products with dirt emulsifiers.
• It is not recommended to choose cheap products for disinfection. They can form an active foam and coating on the surface, which will last a very long time afterwards. Also, cheap products can have an unpleasant odor. He says that ammonia and ammonia compounds were used in the product. These products adversely affect the human body, including the respiratory tract.
• To get rid of lime on the bottom or walls of the pool, it is worth using special products to lower the pH level or chlorine powder. After ten minutes, it can be washed off the surface.
• If there are stainless elements in the pool, you should be careful. They must not come into contact with cleaning agents, otherwise their color may change. To clean such a metal, you need to use specialized tools (etching pastes), and also exclude brushing with steel fibers. This is the only way to preserve the original appearance of stainless elements in the pond.

Conclusion

So, we found out what are the methods of cleaning the pool. As you can see, there are many ways. However, for effective disinfection, it is betterapply complex measures, that is, mechanical and chemical cleaning. So we will maintain a normal pH level, as well as prevent the development of harmful microorganisms in the pond.