Every now and then it’s nice to see a company branch out into supplying ecologically sound alternatives to regular products. One area that I hadn’t previously considered is swimming pools. Think about all the chemicals maintaining a clean pool normally requires.
One company I have found that offers sound alternatives is Ecosmarte Pools. They have created a range of products all based around minimising the impact of running a chemical free pool.
Now, if you’re like me you may think that a good alternative to chlorinating swimming pools would be salt water pools, after all the sea is salt water isn’t it? But think about what happens to the salt water when you back wash the filters? You don’t want that saline water on your lawn or flower beds, that’s for sure.
Also, the main reason for using the salt water in a swimming pool is that a chlorinator usually works on the salt to convert some of it to chlorine. So we are back to caustic chemicals again. And let’s face it, whether salt water or chlorine based, neither taste too good when it gets in your mouth.
But there are alternitives and probably the best one right now is a pool ionizer which works by piercing the protective outer membrane of algae cells and disrupting their enzyme balance thereby killing them. When you use a pool ionizer the only other chemicals you may need would be to balance the water’s PH (acidity/alkalinity).
Of course there is a cost to such a system in terms of electricity usage, but it’s only a fraction of the money you normally spend on purchasing chemicals for your pool. In fact, it only costs a handful of dollars each year. And what’s more, you dramatically reduce your environmental impact by not using all those caustic products such as chlorine and sodium hypochlorite etc.
This clean technology works equally well with spas and hot tubs and is particularly suited to garden ponds as the potential chemical impact on your fish is entirely removed compared to most standard pond treatments.
Altogether, with an ionizer, you end up with a much cleaner and healthier environment for you and your family to swim in; you save a whole bundle of cash each year; and you know you’re making a postive contribution towards reducing environmental pollution.
Oh and I should also mention that Ecosmarte offer a replacement for sand filters by crushing pre-used glass. As well as being environmentally friendly this recycled material is long lasting and saves significantly on backwash water. They also donate 5% of their profits to environmental charities.
