Sanitizers
Chlorine, bromine, salt, and alternative sanitization methods.
Articles
Free chlorine is the active disinfectant in your pool. Its effectiveness depends almost entirely on pH — understanding this relationship is the key to efficient chlorine management.
Combined chlorine is spent, ineffective chlorine bound to nitrogen compounds. It causes the eye irritation and pool smell that most people mistakenly blame on too much free chlorine.
Breakpoint chlorination destroys combined chlorine by adding free chlorine equal to 10 times the combined chlorine reading. This is the only reliable way to eliminate chloramines from a pool.
Liquid chlorine raises FC immediately with no side effects on CYA or pH. Tablets are convenient but add cyanuric acid with every dose. Understanding the tradeoff helps you choose the right product.
Shocking a pool means adding a large chlorine dose to destroy combined chlorine, kill algae, and reset water clarity. The type of shock and the timing of application matter significantly.
Bromine is more stable at high temperatures and more effective in hot tubs. Chlorine is the standard for outdoor pools. The choice depends on pool type, location, and management preferences.