Tips on Treating Pools in Kelowna to eliminate “Pool Smell” and Algae
If you want your pool to be clean and clear of algae, what are your options?
Anyone who has ever swum in an indoor public pool knows that rank chemical smell that not only stings the lungs, but the eyes. Most attribute it to the chlorine that pools in Kelowna and around BC use to kill bacteria.
However, that “pool smell” is not just caused by chlorine, but by a cocktail of chemical compounds, known as chloramines, that can build up if a pool is not being treated properly.
Although many public pools are switching to other treatments, some still use a mixture of chlorine gas with other hypochlorites, such as bleach, as a sanitizing agent and to maintain pH levels.
The trend these days is to cut down on the harsh chemicals, but swimmers who want their pools to be clean and clear can look to some alternative treatments.
The choice in sanitizers
Although it’s impossible to eliminate chlorine all together in swimming pools, Kelowna is turning to other methods that can lessen the amount of chlorine being used.
They include:
- Sodium chloride (salt): Applying electricity to the salt generates the chlorine.
- Sodium bromide: This crystallized compound is used in conjunction with chlorine and is most effective when used with UV light.
- Ionized oxidation: An unstable gas, chemical oxidization along with a dual stream of sanitizing metallic ions such as copper and zinc can eliminate harmful bacteria. Although touted as chemical free, a small amount of chlorine is usually used for better sanitation results
Getting rid of the green
Although it doesn’t smell, that living and breathing organism known as algae can not only be harmful to your family, it can also make pools in Kelowna murky enough to make Ogopogo feel right at home.
Often brought in by the wind, green, yellow, or black algae spores can infect pools under certain conditions and cause a bloom.
The most common way to treat an algae bloom is to shock a pool with a large dose of chlorine and then leave it for 1-3 days depending on how much algae is present.
However, there are also a few other algaecides and treatments that can be applied to clear pools in Kelowna.
They include:
- A mixture of household bleach, baking soda and Borax, also known as the BBB method, is known to keep algae at bay when applied to the water on a regular basis.
- Although it can stain your pool and is known to turn blonde hair green, copper sulphate is known to be an effective algaecide, but must be used in small doses as it is poisonous.
- Polyquat is an algaecide that uses benzalkonium chloride, an organic salt classified as a quaternary ammonium compound. It is mainly used as a preventative for algae blooms and not as a treatment.
For more on the different kinds of water systems for swimming pools Kelowna homeowners are having installed, read our article on Kelowna Pools: Choosing Between Saltwater and Chlorine Systems.
As one of the pool companies Kelowna trusts, Rafter 4K Contracting specializes in vinyl-lined swimming pools in all kinds of shapes and sizes that will match the location and design of your home.
