Chlorine-free swimming pools in JHB?

[dracs]

Virgin Active pools used to have salt water, but I heard from the swim instructor at my gym that they are changing all their pools to chlorine, and all the new VA pools are to be chlorianted pools

The VA in Greenstone seems to be salt water...

[SwissVan]

Virgin Active pools used to have salt water, but I heard from the swim instructor at my gym that they are changing all their pools to chlorine, and all the new VA pools are to be chlorianted pools

 

That's a pity, do you know why?

[Azi]

The VA in Greenstone seems to be salt water...

Quite possible, apparently they will be changed as and when maintenance is required on a particular pool.

 

That's a pity, do you know why?

She never mentioned the reason. I would imagine cost?

[clivem]

Years ago I was swimming with a tri squad in Benoni at a local gym (Sports Connection, now Virgin Active) in the mornings before work, I developed a cough that persisted and became a constant irritation even when not training and had to stop training at that pool. Other members of the squad also complained of similar issues.

 

The gym management at the time insisted that the pool chlorine levels were normal.

Eventually after numerous complaints it was established that "the boxes" working for the gym that were responsible for the pool used to dump loads of chlorine into the pool at night just before closing time, switch everything off (pumps) and then cover the pool to retain the heat. First thing in the morning usually minutes before we started swimming everything was switched on and the pool uncovered.

 

My local GP specializes in breathing issues and on occasion he has me doing these lung function tests where you sit in a sealed off chamber and have to take a deep breath and then blow into a pipe, most times they ask me to redo it again to verify as the result is lower than what is expected....Sometimes I wonder if its not related to the above chlorine issue from many years ago...

Did you ever find out more about what was causing the cough? I had a similar experience and blood tests revealed an allergy to mould rather than Chlorine. The allergy caused the cough much like pollen can cause hayfever, I was told. Mould is is apparently found in/at swimming pools.

[DMD 1]

That's a pity, do you know why?

 

Ok Guys and Gals

 

A salt water pool is also a chlorine pool. The salt water chlorinator is just a onsite chlorine factory. The unit turns salt into chlorine gas. Nuff said

 

 

Cheers

 

The Pool Guy

www.pooldoctor.co.za

[HowellingWulf]

Is your issue Chorine for sanitising the water or stabilised chlorine present in the water? Salt water pools still use chlorine for the sanitising action but electrically separate the chlorine from the sodium for a period. During this period the chlorine kills the bugs then recombines back to salt. As a result there is no obvious chlorine presence in the pool.

 

Salt water pools are far more gentle on the skin, hair and airways.

 

Typically pools are saltier than tears but not as salty as the sea. The water does not taste particularly salty but it is noticeably different to water with stabilised chlorine presence.

 

VA Victory Park is salt water.

Same with Eco Park in Centurion.

 

Used to swim at the pool in my complex. Eventually stopped doing it because of the chlorine levels - four showers later I still used to reek of chlorine. Skin completely dried out and felt taut all over. Was horrible. Goggles did not prevent eyes from being burnt

[DMD 1]

Is your issue Chorine for sanitising the water or stabilised chlorine present in the water? Salt water pools still use chlorine for the sanitising action but electrically separate the chlorine from the sodium for a period. During this period the chlorine kills the bugs then recombines back to salt. As a result there is no obvious chlorine presence in the pool.

 

Salt water pools are far more gentle on the skin, hair and airways.

 

Typically pools are saltier than tears but not as salty as the sea. The water does not taste particularly salty but it is noticeably different to water with stabilised chlorine presence.

 

VA Victory Park is salt water.

 

The Salt water chlorinator builds a up a chlorine residual in the water that should be about 2-3ppm. So there should always be chlorine in the water otherwise the pool will not be sanitized properly.

[Madmac]

Is this not one of those issues where we overthinking health and safety? Although there is new technology coming out, the good old chlorine pool is still stock standard issue. I grew up in swimming pools having been a swimmer and waterpolo player and still swim train regularly. Does this mean i am doomed?

[krl747]

I guess the question should be how many times a week do you actually swim? At what point does this become an issue?

[dracs]

Ok Guys and Gals

 

A salt water pool is also a chlorine pool. The salt water chlorinator is just a onsite chlorine factory. The unit turns salt into chlorine gas. Nuff said

 

 

Cheers

 

The Pool Guy

www.pooldoctor.co.za

I'm aware that the salt chlorinators "make" chlorine, however do you not also get a genuine salt pool (presmably mimics sea water)? IMO the gym water in the greenstone VA has a notible salty seawater type taste to it compared to the other pools around town.... Not arguing - genuine question. Edited August 13, 2013 by dracs

[SwissVan]

Did you ever find out more about what was causing the cough? I had a similar experience and blood tests revealed an allergy to mould rather than Chlorine. The allergy caused the cough much like pollen can cause hayfever, I was told. Mould is is apparently found in/at swimming pools.

 

No, at the time it happened (younger and stupider) I never went for any tests. We just stopped using that pool and it cleared up. Some of the other squad members also got the cough and or headaches which all stopped after changing pools.

 

I've been swimming in lots of different pools mostly chlorine types and never had the same problem.

 

 

Ok Guys and Gals

 

A salt water pool is also a chlorine pool. The salt water chlorinator is just a onsite chlorine factory. The unit turns salt into chlorine gas. Nuff said

 

 

Cheers

 

The Pool Guy

www.pooldoctor.co.za

 

Interesting, but then why are salt pools are much more nicer to swim in?

Nicer in that the water feels "silkier" and does not dry the skin / hair like a "normal" chlorine pool?

[DMD 1]

I'm aware that the salt chlorinators "make" chlorine, however do you not also get a genuine salt pool (presmably mimics sea water)? IMO the gym water in the greenstone VA has a notible salty seawater type taste to it compared to the other pools around town.... Not arguing - genuine question.

 

Different salt chlorinators have varying Ideal salt levels and for this reason you may have the perception that that the one pool is more salty than the next.

 

Salt by itself does not sanitize the water. We had a client who had a floating pool. This means that the salt level was similar to that of the dead sea and they still needed a specialized chlorinator to sanitize the pools

[Guest JPC]

I guess the question should be how many times a week do you actually swim? At what point does this become an issue?

and why are we talking about swimming on a cycling forum.. aint this bad for the cycling industry?

[DMD 1]

No, at the time it happened (younger and stupider) I never went for any tests. We just stopped using that pool and it cleared up. Some of the other squad members also got the cough and or headaches which all stopped after changing pools.

 

I've been swimming in lots of different pools mostly chlorine types and never had the same problem.

 

 

 

 

Interesting, but then why are salt pools are much more nicer to swim in?

Nicer in that the water feels "silkier" and does not dry the skin / hair like a "normal" chlorine pool?

 

A salt water pool feels more silky as you say due to the fact that the salt in the water is more gentle on your skin eyes and hair. Yo can achieve the same effect with a normal chlorine (HTH) pool by simply adding 200kg of salt per 50000L of pool water and still use the chlorine to sanitize.

[DMD 1]

and why are we talking about swimming on a cycling forum.. aint this bad for the cycling industry?

 

We all have to earn a living some how and cycling is the hobby. The day job funds the hobby

 

Cheers

The Pool Guy

[SwissVan]

A salt water pool feels more silky as you say due to the fact that the salt in the water is more gentle on your skin eyes and hair. Yo can achieve the same effect with a normal chlorine (HTH) pool by simply adding 200kg of salt per 50000L of pool water and still use the chlorine to sanitize.

 

Thanks

 

200kg's Salt, how many Pick n Pay trollies is that.....?