How Swimming Pools Are Cleaned

Swimming Pools

Swimming pools must be cleaned to keep the water free of bacteria that are harmful to humans. There are three parts to cleaning a swimming pool. Chemicals, filtration and manual cleaning all work together to create sparkling and safe pool water.

Chemicals

To make swimming pools safe to swim in, a system must be used to kill bacteria. Chlorine is the most popular chemical used in swimming pools to kill bacteria and algae. According to the Water Quality and Health Council, "The majority of public pools and 9 out of 10 residential pools are sanitized with chlorine."

Baquacil is another chemical that is used to disinfect swimming pools. Some people prefer to use Baquacil because it tends to be less irritating to the eyes than chlorine is.

Salt water pools are popular with some people who want to cut down on chemical use. Salt water pools work with the use of a salt water generator installed in the pool. The salt water generator electrolytically breaks down the salt to make hypochlorous acid, which acts as a water sanitizer.

No matter which type of chemical sanitizer is used in a swimming pool, pH additives are used in the pool water to keep the water at optimum levels for the chemicals to work.

For people who want to do away with the use of chemicals completely, there is the natural swimming pool. Natural swimming pools use aquatic plants and fish to clean the pool water.

Filtration

Swimming pools are installed with a pump and filter. The pump cycles the swimming pool water through the filter. The filters contain a cartridge of diatomaceous earth or zeolite sand, which trap debris that is in the pool water. The debris stays in the filter while the cleaned water is pumped back into the swimming pool. A swimming pool pump and filter system is run for about six to eight hours a day to effectively clean the entire pool of debris.

Manual Cleaning

Even with the use of chemicals and filtration systems, manual cleaning is still necessary. Large debris such as leaves that float on top of the swimming pool need to be manually removed with a pool net. Algae that forms on the walls of the pool needs to be manually removed using a pool vacuum or brush. A pool vacuum is connected to the pool filter. Algae and debris that are sucked into the vacuum is sent to the swimming pool filter. Algae that is loosened from the walls of the pool with a brush is released into the water, allowing the algae particles to be swept into the filter by the pool pump.

References

• Water Quality and Health Council - Healthy Pools Mean Healthy Swimming
• Arch Chemicals - Baquacil
• "Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration for Harmony With Nature"; Michael Littlewood; Nov. 2005