Pool Chemical 101: What’s the Difference Between Chlorine and Bromine?

Pool Chemical 101: What’s the Difference Between Chlorine and Bromine?

Many pool owners are unsure of how to treat the water in their pools. Ultimately, you will need to decide which pool chemical meets your needs.

Many pool owners are unsure of how to treat the water in their pools. After all, you still need to leave some water in there. An empty pool isn’t going to be safe to refill when spring comes back. So let’s look at the differences between pool chemicals, namely chlorine and bromine. 

Chlorine 

The first pool chemical we will discuss is called chlorine. Once you drop it in the water, it starts to dissolve surprisingly quickly, much like using a bath bomb. The chlorine is meant to sanitize the water and comes in many forms. Some examples include tablets, sticks, delivered via dispensers, and through feeders. It’s also possible to place the chlorine in the skimmer, but we would advise you against doing that. It’s just not a good idea. If you have granular chlorine, then you can dissolve it in a bucket of water and then walk around the edges of the pool, spreading it out as you go. 

Chlorine creates compounds that help clean the water and kill the algae that are forming in the water. This is what produces the “smell” of chlorine that many people recognize. Still, eventually, the chlorine compounds become less effective. That’s why pool shock treatments are so useful.

Bromine 

Now let’s look at the other type of pool chemical that we named above. Bromine is different from chlorine. One difference is that bromine takes longer to dissolve. You can use a booster to help increase the number of bromine ions in your water. One reason to consider using bromine is that it doesn’t produce the same smell like chlorine, and it won’t burn your eyes, either. Bromine is also the pool chemical that many experts recommend for use in spas and hot tubs, so if you have those high-end home features, you might want to consider using this solution on them. 

Which One to Use? 

Ultimately, you will need to decide which pool chemical meets your needs. If you are on a budget, then chlorine could be the right choice. After all, it is much more affordable than its counterpart. Chlorine also sanitizes the pool water much faster than bromine can. But if anyone in your family has sensitive skin, then bromine could be the better option. 

Questions? Ask Sunrise Premiere Pool Builders LLC

If you still have questions about how to build a brand new swimming pool, Sunrise Premiere Pool Builders LLC is here to help you. We here at Sunrise Premiere Pool Builders LLC can build and install your pool or spa and also provide you with pool chemicals, services, and more. If you have questions, feel free to give us a call at 410-349-3852. To see more from us and for tips and tricks, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

This entry was posted on Friday, November 15th, 2019 at 2:11 pm. Both comments and pings are currently closed.