Pool and spa: chlorine water treatment

Chlorine is the most common product used to treat water in swimming pools and spas. It is also the most economical treatment compared to salt and bromine. Its disinfectant property eliminates all micro-organisms in the water and it is an effective algicide. Are you unsure of what to use for your pool or spa? Read this article to find out.

Benefits of chlorine treatment

Chlorine treatment offers many advantages:

• It is a powerful algaecide and disinfectant
• It is very easy to use and convenient.
• Chlorine is the most economical product.
• It is sold everywhere (supermarkets, specialized stores,...)

Chlorine in all its forms

Pool and spa chlorine is available in several forms:

• Le chlore en galet : This is the most commonly used form. Simply slip a pebble into the skimmer of your pool or into a floating diffuser (for self-supporting/out-of-ground pools) and let it dissolve gradually. These chlorine pebbles are slow-acting and are used to keep the chlorine levels as they are. Smaller pebbles can be used for occasional chlorine shock actions.
• Chlorine powder: dissolves quickly and is often used as a "shock treatment" restarting your pool or when the water is very dirty.
• Liquid chlorine: is more difficult to dose and handle.

The different types of chlorine to disinfect your pond

You can find two types of chlorine in the market to treat your pool:

Unstalibized Chlorine. Il a un fort pouvoir désinfectant, mais les rayons UV peuvent fortement diminuer voir annuler son pouvoir désinfectant en quelques heures. Il est possible de le compléter avec un stabilisant. C’est un produit d’avantage utilisé par les propriétaires de spa. Read more.

Stabilized chlorine contains a stabilising agent, cyanuric acid, qui le protège des rayons UV. C’est la forme de chlore la plus utilisée pour les piscines pour son usage confortable et complet.

How to measure the chlorine level?

There are several types of chlorine: free chlorine, total chlorine and active chlorine. Not all of them are responsible or active in disinfection. That is why you have to be careful with the type of chlorine that your strips or devices measure in your pool. This can explain differences in results between different measuring solutions (strips, DPD tablets, connected probes).