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How Does Natural Saltwater Sanitizing Work?
Traditionally,
domestic and commercial swimming pools have been sanitized by the
use of liquid, granular or gas chlorine. The storage and
application of chemical chlorine has fallen out of favor in many
countries due to environmental concern. The danger of having
hazardous chemicals around your home, the cost of chlorine based
chemicals, the cost of automatic dispensing machines or tedious
manual application and the health hazards of these chemicals have
all led to alternative sanitizing methods.
HOW SALT SANITIZES:
First,
the perception is wrong that swimming in a saltwater
sanitized pool is equivalent to swimming in ocean water. A
saltwater sanitized pool system does require the addition of salt
to the swimming pool water, but only in a very mild
solution. Saltwater sanitizers typically require a
concentration of only 0.50% salt (about half as salty as a human
teardrop). This compares to sea water and our own bodies, which
have a salinity concentration of 3.75%.
This mild , pleasant
saline water is sanitized through the process of electrolysis.
This electrolytic cell, through the use of a small electric
current, breaks down the water into it's basic elements, Hydrogen
and Oxygen. By adding small quantities of granulated salt (much
like household table salt-NaCI), Hypochlorous Acid (common
chlorine) is produced. During the process, the Hypochlorous Acid
(Chlorine) is ultimately converted back to salt. Thus, the salt
does not get "used up". Salt only needs to be "topped off" once or
twice a year and only to replace salt lost due to water splash-out
and/or filter backwash.
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