What you may not know is that hydrogen peroxide is a powerful oxidizer that can be combined with ultraviolet light to disinfect swimming pools. SpectraLight clients are delighted when they discover how easy pool maintenance can be when SpectraLight is combined with a low dosage of chlorine (just 0.5 ppm). How to Winterize a Pool Without Lowering the Water, Causes and Remedies of Green Swimming Pool Water. 
Maintaining the correct water balance in your pool eliminates algae and bacteria, keeps your pool and its equipment in good working order and protects the safety of the swimmers. It is true that ultraviolet light, which is part of the sunlight spectrum, combines with hydrogen peroxide to eliminate algae, bacteria and other problem organisms in pools.
Chester, VA 23831 Store: 804-748-4330 Service: 804-748-4023, 2022 Swim-N-Pools Billiards & Spas. Although it varies depending on bather load, the typical concentration of hydrogen peroxide is 30 to 40 ppm in a typical swimming pool or spa. Give us a call or text at 804-748-4330.
Food-grade hydrogen peroxide (35 percent concentrate) has a shelf life of about 30 days, so dont plan to keep much more than a months supply on hand at any one time. Hydrogen peroxide disinfection requires a high dosage. But 30 40 ppm hydrogen peroxide is required. 
Chlorine & hydrogen peroxide can mix together just fine. We cannot forget that hydrogen peroxide levels greater than 100 ppm are dangerous and can be harmful to the eyes.
These radicals are powerful oxidizers that have an enhanced ability to destroy pathogens. Regardless of the substances you decide to use to keep your pool safe and clean, its important to keep in mind what those chemicals are designed to accomplish.
cancer patients swim in hydrogen peroxide pools for an additional therapy, 35% FOOD GRADE Hydrogen Peroxide BUY HERE, pinning some of my favorite natural pool designs. First, it is much easier to use hydrogen peroxide in a small body of water, such as a swim spa, hydrotherapy spa, or small indoor pool, than a large body of water.
If youre buying hydrogen peroxide from a pool supply company, it may have a longer shelf life. We often get the question, Should I use chlorine or hydrogen peroxide with SpectraLight UV systems? It depends. Hydrogen peroxide, known for its historical value as a wound disinfectant and its present use as a common household cleaner and stain remover, has been proposed as an alternative method of sanitizing and oxidizing swimming pools. Youre probably familiar with the household version of hydrogen peroxide, which is 3 percent concentrate that will not harm your skin or eyes when youre using it for things like stain removal. Perhaps the biggest disadvantage is the relatively high dosage required and the short life of hydrogen peroxide. Additionally, powerful reactive oxygen radicals enter the pool and control pathogens that do not pass through the UV chamber. Chlorine does both, though it comes with side effects that may cause damage to your skin, hair and bathing suit. If you are outside of the Chesterfield and Greater Richmond, VA area and/or not able to do a curbside pickup at our Chester, VA location, please visit our sister site, yourpoolstore.com, which ships nationally. Even if your pool is located in full sunlight, it wont get ultraviolet light at night or when the sky is overcast.
Hydrogen peroxide and chlorine are two sanitizing chemicals that can be used to ensure that a residential or commercial swimming pool is safe for swimming.
Although hydrogen peroxide cannot be used alone, the combination of ultraviolet disinfection and hydrogen peroxide can be very effective.
In the modern world, hydrogen peroxide is commonly used as a bleaching agent for paper or in detergents or as a disinfectant effective against a wide range of viruses and bacteria.
However, many pool owners base their decision to get away from all chlorine on a bad experience with water chemistry or misinformation. Where hydrogen peroxide excels is in the task of oxidization, or breaking down organic matter that would otherwise allow bacteria and fungi to grow in pool water. A chlorine-free liquid oxidizer of 27% specially-stabilized hydrogen peroxide.
Goat Butter: Making Butter with Goats Milk, https://apsp.org/Portals/0/RWQ%20Fact%20Sheets/2014-10-02%20FS%20Winterizing%20A%20Pool%20Final.pdf, https://www.ozoneservices.com/articles/008.htm, https://www.swimuniversity.com/frogs-in-pool/, https://www.purehealthdiscounts.com/h2o2.htm. Since hydrogen peroxide disintegrates rapidly when placed in a swimming pools or spas, daily monitoring and constant dosing is recommended.
Ultraviolet combined with hydrogen peroxide is extremely effective at controlling bacterial growth, destroying organic matter, and improving water clarity. Due to the dosage required, larger bodies of water can be more challenging. For example, reactive oxygen radicals render pathogens that attach to the pool wall harmless. Ultraviolet disinfection alone destroys more than 99.5% of pathogens that pass through the chamber. How much space do you need to raise goats? A low dosage of chlorine is safe and effective.
By contrast, hydrogen peroxide is gentler on your skin and hair but lacks the multiple uses that chlorine possesses. Unlike some other methods for creating a chlorine-free environment, the combination of ultraviolet disinfection and hydrogen peroxide is both proven and effective. Water can also be shocked with hydrogen peroxide to improve water quality. A final caveat about hydrogen peroxide is that it is incompatible with diatomaceous earth pool filtration, which is used in about a quarter of all residential pools. SpectraLight can be used with just 0.5 ppm chlorine. Fill your pool with water.
When it comes to oxidizing, its actually 30% more powerful than chlorine. When compared with chlorine-based bleaches, hydrogen peroxide is considered a more environmentally friendly choice.
A 35% concentration of food grade hydrogen peroxide is most commonly used in swimming pools and spas.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that even artificial UV light must operate 24 hours a day in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide and that sunlight isnt an adequate replacement. Ultraviolet and hydrogen peroxide is so effective at controlling biological growth, that is has become the method of choice in high volume medical facility pools. Some proponents of hydrogen peroxide use in pools have claimed that hydrogen peroxide is an effective pool disinfectant as long as the pool is located outside in the sun. Warm water therapy pools and therapy spas are breeding grounds for bacteria and other pathogens. Second, we always ask if there is a reason for not using chlorine. She holds a Master of Science in Publishing from Pace University. Hydrogen peroxide reacts very fast and disintegrates into hydrogen and water, increasing the amount of oxygen in the water. You're probably familiar with a hydrogen peroxide as a topical antiseptic for disinfecting a cut or maybe for bleaching hair. All of the common problems with chorine are a result of poor water management, chloramines, and other chlorine by-products, not the chlorine itself. Hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizer. If you plan to replace chlorine with hydrogen peroxide in your swimming pool, first check to be sure that you have another kind of filter, such as a high-rate sand filter or a cartridge filter. Do not use hydrogen peroxide with chlorine. This concentration is much higher than the 3% concentration used for medical purposes.
Additionally, the hydrogen peroxide levels must be carefully monitored and adjusted.
However, a breakdown of the chemical does mean that its less effective as an oxidation agent, so be sure to store your hydrogen peroxide in a cool, dry place. Log in, improve my thyroid function in a new protocol. This method is most popular in hydrotherapy pools and spas, and with individuals who are allergic to common pool chemicals.
Some users prefer a 50% concentration.
Unlike some chemicals, this doesnt create a safety hazard, as hydrogen peroxide breaks down into its component parts: water and oxygen. The first problem is that ultraviolet light breaks down hydrogen peroxide quickly (this is why hydrogen peroxide must be stored in a cool, dark place to preserve its effectiveness). To maintain a clean, sparkling pool, keep your hydrogen peroxide levels between 50 90 ppm. The combination of hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light produces reactive oxygen radicals that both oxidize and disinfect.
You can use water from the hose that is chlorinated.
As with any strong oxidizer, care must be taken when storing and handling. Most importantly, SpectraLight eliminates chloramines and disinfection by-products, making pools safer, healthier, and easier to manage than traditional disinfection methods. Used to clarify pool water by oxidizing organic compounds (swimmer waste). However, there are challenges with using this system effectively. Chlorine is better known, and the smell of chlorine is one of the most familiar features of a swimming pool. When you combine the two pool chemicals, hydrogen peroxide neutralizes chlorine via a chemical process that creates water, oxygen and salt, explains Lenntech.
But when it comes to disinfecting, hydrogen peroxide is less powerful than chlorine.
In order to maintain hydrogen peroxide levels in your pool, its necessary to test the water and frequently add more hydrogen peroxide to sustain the required level of 50 to 90 ppm.
In most regions of the country, health and safety standards require a disinfectant to be used in addition to hydrogen peroxide. She owns her own content marketing agency, Wordsmyth Creative Content Marketing, and she enjoys writing home and DIY articles and blogs for clients in a variety of related industries.
If someone is allergic or sensitive to chlorine, then hydrogen peroxide should be used.
The combination of ultraviolet disinfection with hydrogen peroxide allows pool owners to safely eliminate all chlorine in their pool or spa. Installing an automatic dosing system with an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) controller will add significant expense. You may be most familiar with hydrogen peroxide as it is found in drugstores: a 3 percent solution often sold in a plain brown bottle. The two mechanisms by which pool chemicals keep the pool clean are oxidation and disinfecting.
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more, 11210 Iron Bridge Rd. The chief disadvantage of hydrogen peroxide in pools is that unlike chlorine, it cannot serve the dual purposes of oxidation and disinfectant. The recommended hydrogen peroxide to water ratio for disinfecting pools is between 50 and 90 ppm, but hydrogen peroxide on its own is not an effective disinfectant.
A much higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide is recommended for use in pools, typically a 35 percent concentrate, also called food-grade hydrogen peroxide. Copyright 2015 Spectralight Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved Privacy Policy Terms of Use, Copyright 2015 Spectralight Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. By maintaining a level supply of disinfectant chemicals in your pool, youll ensure that swimmers are consistently protected from bacteria and viruses, and youll also have a sparkling, clean pool. Notify me when this product is available: This website, swimnpools.com, is setup forlocal customers of Swim-N-Pools Billiards & Spas. To be sure that your pool is completely clean and safe, use a secondary disinfectant as well as an algaecide in conjunction with the hydrogen peroxide. Is hydrogen peroxide a safe and advisable alternative to chlorine in your swimming pool? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's, National Library of Medicine: Hydrogen Peroxide, US Food & Drug Administration: Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Residential Swimming Pools and Spas, Lenntech: Disinfectants Hydrogen Peroxide, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 2018 Model Aquatic Health Code, How to grow your own herb garden in any indoor or outdoor space, How to Get High Chlorine Levels Down in Swimming Pools. Be sure to always use gloves and safety goggles when handling this chemical.
Hydrogen peroxide requires ultraviolet light disinfection as the primary disinfection agent. Powered by Shopify. The National Library of Medicine states that hydrogen peroxide, also known as hydrogen dioxide, is composed of two parts oxygen and two parts hydrogen, the same elements that make up water. Therefore, youll need to store it in a cool, dark place if you plan to use it for your pool. The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide can be delayed by adding a stabilizer to the water.
Bright light and warmer outdoor temperatures cause hydrogen peroxide to break down rapidly. To start treatment, shock your pool with hydrogen peroxide by adding, Use the test strips and test your pool about once a week. Danielle Smyth is a writer and content marketer from upstate New York.
Have a question?
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2018 Model Aquatic Health Code explicitly states that hydrogen peroxide has not been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency as a disinfectant in pools.
Hydrogen peroxide breaks down in light and warmth.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration includes it in its official list of substances generally recognized as safe. Pool chemicals, like chlorine or hydrogen peroxide, kill germs that can live in the water and cause infections, such as E. coli and giardia. Your pool will require a much higher concentrate 35 percent. Run the pump every night according to your manufacturers instructions and change out the filter about every two weeks. However, chlorine can cause unpleasant side effects for frequent swimmers, such as eye irritation, dry skin, damaged swimsuits and brittle hair. Home Depot says this includes checking the pH, alkalinity, water hardness and levels of your chosen disinfectant chemical, most often chlorine.
Hydrogen peroxides job in the body is to help maintain healthy cell function.