A pool that always has a balanced chlorine level does not need much to keep microorganisms, algae, insects, and bacteria away from the water. This is because chlorine acts as a sanitizer for the pool, although the major element that gives chlorine its sanitizing power is trichlor.
Unless you are using other chlorine alternatives like bromine, ozone, PHMB, ionizers, etc., it is not safe to swim in a pool that is not well sanitized. If your pool is chlorine-free with active alternatives, you can swim in it safely.
But, bear in mind that some chlorine alternatives still need a small amount of chlorine in the pool. All you need is a pool that is well sanitized. So, do a proper check before you can use the pool.
Chlorine tablets have proven to be the most effective among the other types of chlorine used. Many factors determine the amount of chlorine tablets you add to your pool, like temperature, climate, and the level of free and available chlorine in the water.
Let us assume you had a big pool party or your pets were allowed to swim in the pool. You would have to use more chlorine than when you did not really make use of the pool.
The major issues are knowing the size of your pool, the volume of water it can contain, the quantity of chlorine to add, and when to add it.
Is it okay to swim in a pool without chemicals?
For your pool to be stabilized and prevent damage like calcium buildup on the walls, green water, clogged filters, etc., your water chemistry must be balanced with the appropriate chemicals.
However, if the source of your water is perfect and the essential minerals such as calcium, iron, or chlorine, pH, and alkalinity are tested and at the right level, then there is absolutely no need to add any more chemicals. But knowing how almost impossible it is, you are putting your health and pool at great risk if you do not add chemicals to balance the water.
How long can water sit without chlorine?
The time the water would sit in the pool without chlorine would be different from others. This is because the maintenance of our pool is also not at the same rate.
Let us assume your pool was left open and treated at the same time I left mine open and treated. It is inevitable that sunlight and other microorganisms will get into the pool and contaminate it.
Before the chlorine level in my pool drops, it would take some weeks, while in your pool it might just take 3 to 6 days for algae to start growing and change the color of the water to green.
However, no matter the way you have maintained your pool, without re-adding chlorine, your pool water will not stay for more than 2 months before you start noticing some changes.
Can you swim in a slightly green pool?
You are probably tired and just want to jump into your pool that you think is not very contaminated because the color is not really obvious.
Even though many pool maintenance people would tell you that green pools or algae have no effect on the body, they are very concentrated and toxic. You also need to check the temperature of the water, especially if you have health-wise ailments that have to do with breathing, the skin, or your organs.
Can you swim in a pool that hasn’t been shocked?
Pool shock is done to sanitize the water and stabilize the properties of the water, which is needed to be healthy for swimming.
You should shock the pool every time you change the water.
If you have tested for all the water chemistry and it is balanced without shocking the pool, you can swim comfortably in the water, but make sure you shock the pool that day immediately after you finish swimming to neutralize the effect of body oil, sweat, hair, and other organic properties that would have on your pool.
How do I know if my pool is safe to swim in?
Every once in a while, you see something good in the market, online, or so many other places and admire it. The same goes with the pool. Once you have balanced your water and it has this crystal clear blue effect, you will love to jump straight in every time.
Aside from just looking out for changes in color, slimy walls, clogged filters, leaves, debris and knowing the water is clear to swim in, always make sure you test the chlorine, pH and alkalinity, and phosphate levels.
Your water might be looking good, but it’s very concentrated and toxic. You also need to check the temperature of the water, especially if you have health-related issues that have to do with breathing, the skin, or your organs.
How do you keep a pool clean without chlorine?
Aside from chlorine, there are some alternatives you can use to sanitize and keep your pool clean, but they are not as effective as chlorine, and many of these chemicals still have some chlorine in them. Below is a list of chlorine alternatives.
- Bromine: This is the most common substitute for chlorine. Many people prefer to use it because it has no smell after applying it to the pool.
- PHMB: It is a sanitizer based on hydrogen peroxide. Unlike chlorine or bromine, which come in powder or tablet forms, it is liquid. It is more expensive but effective and feels better to swim in because it is soft on the skin.
- Ozonator: With this process, you have to insert ozone gas into the pool, which in turn reacts with any impurities. They come in two major types, which are corona discharge and UV light.
The corona discharge uses electricity to create ozone to kill the pathogens inside the filter, while the UV lights are special lamps installed on the water return lines to kill all the bacteria that comes into contact with your pool. These two can be costly because you have to actually install products on your filter system with real hardware, not chemicals.
- Mineral sanitizers: These are not really an alternative but can be sort of a supplement because they add minerals like silver and copper to the water, which in turn kills bacteria. The only problem is that they do not kill all the bacteria, and you will still have to add a little chlorine, 0.5 parts per million, as a backup.
How soon can you swim in a pool after you shock it?
When you shock your pool, make sure you leave the pump running. Then it will take about 8 to 12 hours to shock the pool, but even more if the pump is not on.
It is always advised that the pool be shocked at dusk when the sun cannot interfere with the whole process and when the pool is less used, so that you can wake up and swim in it. In other words, you would have to wait for at least 12 hours for the shock to be fully activated and effective.
Can you swim if the free chlorine is high?
When you test your water, you are looking to see how much chlorine is active in your water, and this is known as the free chlorine in your pool. You want to make sure it is around 1 to 3 parts per million.
If the free chlorine in your pool is very high, you should not swim in it because it can lead to several reactions in your body, such as redness of the eyes and skin, itching of the skin, and dryness.
If you notice a chlorine smell in your pool, it does not mean the chlorine level is high. It comes from the chloramine, which means your sanitizer has been used up.
What does free chlorine in a pool mean?
There is more than one type of chlorine in your water, which is combined and total chlorine. Having knowledge of the differences helps you understand what to do in case you suspect low chlorine and have a green pool.
When you add chlorine to your pool, it dissolves in the water and forms hypochlorous acid, which is the major ingredient in bleach. It is a weak acid that dissociates and binds with the oxygen in the water to form hypochlorite and oxidizing ions, and together they form free chlorine.
Free chlorine is the chlorine that is available and free to sanitize and protect your water, and it is the major thing you test for before making any adjustments to your chlorine level. When you add chlorine, you are increasing the level of free chlorine in the water.
Combined chlorine is the chlorine in the water that has been mixed up with other chemicals, while total chlorine is the free and available chlorine plus the combined chlorine in the pool.
How much chlorine should be in a pool?
It is very important to understand that different people have different levels of sensitivity to certain things, like high chlorine levels in pools. Typically, people with fair skin tend to react poorly to high or low pH or chlorine.
If your pool has up to 10 parts per million of chlorine, it would be very hard to breathe close to it, open your eyes when swimming or make your skin itchy or dry. The chlorine level should be around 1 to 3 parts per million as the standard level.
Can you use bleach instead of chlorine in a pool?
Bleach and chlorine have one active chemical component in common, which is sodium hypochlorite, making bleach a very good replacement for chlorine. However, you must ensure that your water contains some free and available chlorine.
Bleach can totally be used as a chlorine substitute because it usually has about 6 percent active chlorine, but first make sure that the free available chlorine in the pool is up to 1-3 parts per million.
If you want to raise the chlorine level in your pool, you can add 1/4 cup of bleach per 1 part per million of the chlorine you want to raise.
