!8: Where To Buy Salt Chlorinator Zodiac: October 2011

!±8± Alternative Swimming Pool Sanitizers

A majority of pool owners use chlorine to sanitize their pools. And I lot of people hate chlorine when in fact it is the most effective and cost effective way to sanitize your pool water. However there are other ways to sanitize your pool, and can still be cost effective.

Installing A Mineral Sanitizer

An Mineral Sanitizer is a mineral dispenser that enriches your pool water with silver that will sanitize your pool water. I was told that in the old days in order to keep water sanitized, they would throw silver coins into the water because the silver would sanitize it. Now whether that's true or not, what is true is that silver is absolutely a great sanitizer. Zodiac Pool Systems makes a Mineral Sanitizer call Nature 2. It comes in different sizes depending on the size of your pool. What this unit does is, like a chlorinator, pump silver particles into your pool (that you can't see) to help sanitize your pool water. The reason I used the word "help" is because you still need to shock your pool once a week with any type of non-copper based shock. And you should also keep a low level of chlorine present. A normal chlorine pool should have a chlorine level at 3.0 ppm (parts per million) where a pool with a Nature 2 Mineral Sanitizer or any other kind of Mineral Sanitizer should have a chlorine reading of 0.5 ppm.

Salt Chlorine Generator

For one reason or another this method of sanitation has been re-popularized since its debut, maybe because it makes taking care of your pool extremely easy. This system works by turning salt into chlorine. All you have to do if fill your pool with the recommended amount of pool salt and install a PVC unit (much like a chlorinator) that is connected to a electrical box or is all-in-one. As the salt water in your pool passes through this pipe, inside two titanium plates give off an electric charge that instantly turns salt into chlorine (pretty cool huh?). That way if you wanted to shock your pool all you would have to do is push a button and your system will generate more chlorine. Most newer systems even regulate the amount of chlorine that is in your pool. If your pool falls below the normal chlorine reading, it will automatically boost it back up, like cruise control for your pool.

Biguanide (or Best Known As Baquacil)

This is a liquid based non-chlorine sanitizer. It is easy to use but cost more money that then traditional chlorine method. Just like a chlorine pool you will still have to maintain proper water balance and calcium levels but instead of adding chlorine and shock you add biguanide and biguanide shock once a month.