Ozone: The Best Option for a Non-Chlorine Pool

Ozone does not totally replace chlorine, but it can reduce the need for it by 60-90% of it in most residential pools. The most effective sanitation routine you can have is to use a CD ozonator as your primary sanitizer coupled with small amounts of chlorine to make sure there is a residual sanitizer in the pool at all times.

The dream of a fully non-chlorine pool is attractive, but no chlorine-free pool sanitation system is reliable against all the possible contaminants. Further, a small amount of chlorine will not create the red eye, itch or swimmers’ asthma that a fully chlorine-based system will. The ozone will provide an effective first line of defense against almost all dangerous contaminants, with the chlorine as a backup.

Why Doesn’t the Pool Tech Talk About Ozone?

Chlorine is the traditional way of sanitizing pools in the U.S. (ozone has been used widely in Europe, especially in commercial or public pools, for many years). Most pool maintenance technicians were trained to use chemicals for pool water maintenance and they tend to rely on what they know. Heavy chemical use under the continuous control of an expert can eliminate most dangers, and pool techs want this security.

But now ozone systems are available that are reliable, durable and effective. There is no reason to use the complicated chlorine-based sanitation routines that are so prone to getting out of balance. You can get close to that non chlorine system!

Ozone versus Chlorine

Chlorine has significant drawbacks as a pool sanitizer.

• Chlorine is hard to maintain at the proper level, whereas ozone is injected automatically with a proper installation.
• Many recreational water illnesses, like red eye and swimmers itch, are actually caused by the byproducts of chlorine – ozone oxidizes these byproducts, leading to a healthier pool and swimmer.
• Over time, chlorine is expensive. DEL’s swimming pool sanitizers can save hundreds of dollars per year in chemical costs for typical residential pools.
• Chlorine reacts with other organics in pool water – like sweat, urine, and other human fluids – and creates dangerous chemicals like nitrogen trichloride and aldehydes. Ozone helps avoid this by replacing most of the chlorine and also by oxidizing the organics so the remaining chlorine can do its job more safely.