Chlorine is the most widely used swimming pool disinfectant today. Chlorine is a solid or aqueous substance used for treating swimming pools. It can be combined with ammonia or left on its own. However, swimming pool users and owners often complain of the painful effects of swimming in chlorinated water. These effects include red, swollen eyes and limp hair. Some people have even reported bowel movement interruption from swallowing too much chlorinated water. Today, there are available chlorine free swimming pool systems that make use of alternative treatments to keep pool water clean.

Salt-water pools

Swimming pools that use hydrolyzed salt effectively keep away bacteria and algae as these microorganisms cannot survive in salt-rich environments. Recently, chlorine-free swimming pool systems that use hydrolyzed salt have become popular in hotels and resorts.

This chlorine free swimming pool system has an electrical cell that charges a salt block to introduce salt ions into the pool. While not as salty as seawater, the salt from this chlorine free swimming pool system does give the water a brackish taste. However, the water becomes significantly easier on the eyes and does not cause limp hair.

Critics may argue that these chlorine free swimming pool systems do in fact contain chlorine. However, the adverse effects of using cyanurated chlorine are removed in this chlorine free swimming pool system. Chlorine is present only as a part of the salt in an inert chloride form.

Chlorine free swimming pool supplies

There are chlorine free swimming pool supplies that work just as well as chlorine, but without the side effects. Chemical compounds, which are considered chlorine free swimming pool supplies that kill algae and bacteria are now available. Some chlorine free swimming pool supplies can eradicate pest infestation in the filter, which is one of the dirtiest parts of a swimming pool. Other chlorine free swimming pool supplies can control metal and mineral buildup, preventing the water from becoming hard. Bromine tablets have become widely used as chlorine free swimming pool supplies. They are used in place of stabilized chlorine, and they have been proven to be easier on the eyes and skin.

UV-treatments

These chlorine free swimming pool systems feature an ultraviolet projector that is attached to the pool's filtration system. When water passes through the pipes, it is bombarded with ultraviolet radiation that kills free-standing bacteria and algae polyps. This method has long been used for purifying drinking water, but has only recently become a chlorine free swimming pool system.

However, there are some drawbacks to this chlorine free swimming pool system. Swimmers are exposed to ultraviolet radiation. The system also requires that it be run continuously. While ultraviolet radiation is effective in killing microorganisms in closed systems such as filtered water, open water systems such as swimming pools need the ultraviolet projectors and filtration pumps to work continuously. This can be very expensive over time.