Ever gone swimming in a Tampa pool and come out with red, burning eyes? Ever wanted to go swimming in hotel or community pool only to have your plans nixed because it closed to swimming after a chlorine shock treatment?
This is because traditional chlorine pool systems use a combination of highly concentrated liquid chlorine and slowly-disolving chlorine tablets in an attempt to maintain the proper chlorine concentration for the pool water. At first when the tablets are dissolving, the chlorine level can be too high. Then as the tablets get smaller, less chlorine is dissolved making the chlorine level too low. When the chlorine level is too low, algae grows. Algae is then treated with concentrated liquid chlorine, which causes the chlorine concentration to increase dramatically to the level where it irritates the eyes. This roller coaster ride in the chlorine concentration level is frustrating, time consuming, and reduces the time you can swim in your pool.
Fortunately, we now have saltwater chlorination systems that eliminate the dramatic fluctuations in chlorine concentration. Bags of salt are added to the system, the salt dissolves, and the saltwater flows through a cell where a low-voltage direct current is applied. This process, known as electrolysis, converts the saltwater into hydrogen gas and hypochlorous acid. The hydrogen gas leaves the swimming pool water in the form of bubbles. The hypochlorous acid keeps the pool clean.
The primary benefit of a saltwater system is the chlorine concentration is controlled electronically, and chlorine levels are able to be kept relatively constant even when there is rain, debris enters the pool or large groups of people using the pool. For most salt water pools, the only chlorine maintenance needed is to add a few bags of salt to the system once or twice a year.
A saltwater system has a higher initial cost, but because salt is much less expensive than liquid chlorine and chlorine tablets, the ongoing cost is lower.
With a saltwater system, you don't have to make regular trips to the pool supply store for chlorine, so It increases the amount of time you and your family can spend swimming in your pool. You also don't have to store chlorine on your property which can be dangerous and damaging if spilled or fumes inhaled.
To upgrade to a saltwater Tampa swimming pool, contact us at Grand Vista Pools today!
