Bromine is a sanitizing and oxidizing agent for a swimming pool.
As bromine is a chemical substance so if somehow the bromine level rises in a swimming pool which doesn’t occur generally then it will create a perilous situation for the swimmer instead of making it clean and safe.
It is necessary to lower the bromine level or neutralize the level if it is higher than the required amount. So now the question comes to our mind is
How to lower bromine in pool ?
Or how to reduce bromine in pool?
If bromine level is increased which is not expected then we can lower the level of the pool water by partial draining and halting or stopping the application of bromine to the pool water to neutralize the level.
You can also lower the level by some other ways which will be discussed further but these are the common ways.
So if the bromine level is high in a swimming pool then the level should be dropped down to ensure safe water.
What should the bromine level be in a pool
We use bromine in a swimming pool but what does bromine do in a swimming pool?
Bromine is used as a sanitizer in a swimming pool and it kills bacteria, algae and other contaminants to ensure clean and safe water for swimmers.
But we have to maintain the proper level in a pool so that it sanitizes and oxidizes the pool properly.
For a swimming pool, the correct range of bromine is 2 to 4 ppm. If it is less or more than this then it will not ensure fresh and safe water for the swimmers rather it will be dangerous.
As we use chlorine as a sanitizing agent in a pool, so is bromine in a pool safe?,
Bromine is an alternative to chlorine and it is totally safe for us even in recent years bromine has gained much popularity in this regard.
Both chlorine and bromine are halogens, that’s why both of the chemical substances are used in a pool as a sanitizing agent.
Bromine is more suitable for indoor pools and spas because it burns out quickly in the presence of sunlight.
How to lower bromine level in a pool
As bromine is a halogen and it is used for the sanitizing purpose so to ensure safe water it is necessary to maintain an accurate level in the swimming pool.
Why do we have to lower the bromine level, is high bromine in the pool dangerous?
Though bromine is gentler to human skin and doesn’t have a strong smell like chlorine but high bromine creates a strong smell in the pool and creates itchiness and causes corrosion, irritation and rash to the skin.
Though the situation of high bromine level is very rare. Rather, you have to add bromine in the pool on a regular basis as the level of bromine goes down to ensure safe and freshwater.
It is better to keep the bromine level 2 to 4 per millions then it will serve the purpose of sanitizing properly by ensuring safe water for the swimmers.
We have to test the bromine level on a regular basis and if the bromine level is high in a pool then the level should be dropped down in the following ways:
- Exposing the pool in sunlight:
Bromine evaporates easily from the surface of the pool as it is volatile. If it is exposed in the sunlight then it will evaporate easily.
- Adding Sodium Thiosulfate:
You can add sodium thiosulfate to lower the concentration of the bromine if you are in a hurry to swim in the pool.
- Disconnecting the floating bromine dispenser or automatic bromine feeder:
We have to disconnect if any floating bromine dispenser or automatic bromine feeder is connected and remove them as soon as possible then it will not increase the level further rather the added bromine will be neutralized with time.
- Backwash the filter system:
To minimize the bromine level we have to stop adding any bromine externally until the bromine level is balanced in the pool and we have to backwash the filter system of the pool.
- Adding pure water externally:
We can lower the concentration of the pool by adding pure water externally until the bromine level is balanced and we can also add clean water in the pool by partially draining the water.
These are the things we can do to lower the bromine concentration of a pool because if the level of bromine is high in a pool then we have to lower it or else it will create a hazardous situation for the swimmers and they can’t swim in the pool.
We have to wait to neutralize the bromine level and if we follow the steps properly then the level will be balanced soon then the swimmers can swim in the pool.
What if bromine level is too low
We have talked about the issue of reducing the bromine level in a pool. But what if the bromine level is too low already then will it serve it purpose properly or we have to higher the level.
As it is a chemical and we use it for the purpose of sanitizing to ensure fresh water so if the level is too low then it will not clean the water thoroughly rather we have to ensure proper level.
In a nutshell we can say like everything in this world if the bromine level is high or low then the accurate amount then it is unsafe so we have to make sure the correct level.
But now the question comes to our head is how can we fix the low bromine level in the swimming pool?
You can increase the bromine level by shocking treatment. You can also add a floating dispenser or automatic bromine feeder to increase the level.
So if you want to maintain proper bromine level throughout the year then you have to add shock once in a week and after thorough use to ensure clean and safe water.
But you have to be careful that after shocking you have to rest the pool for at least 8 hours to swim in the pool.
How to lower bromine in salt water pool
We have talked so much about the issue of lowering the bromine level if it is high though it is a rare case in general we have to raise the level. But if the water of your pool is salty then how to lower bromine in salt water pool.
But here the fact is you cannot add bromine to a salt water pool. As you cannot add bromine then the matter of lowering the concentration level of bromine is not needed.
In a salt water pool chlorine serves the purpose of sanitizing but we don’t have to add chlorine externally; rather a salt water generator is used in a salt water pool to produce chlorine from salt by breaking the chemical components.
As there is already chlorine in the pool we just use a water generator to activate it so that it sanitizes the pool. That’s why we can’t add bromine here, not even any sanitizing agent.
The amount of chlorine produced by breaking the components of salt ensures a clean and safe pool throughout the year.
Conclusion:
Bromine is a sanitizing agent. And you get the answer to your question of how to lower bromine in the pool.
We have tried to come up with the best answer in this regard and also wanted to give you an overall idea.
Though usually we want to raise the bromine level in a pool by regularly shocking the swimmers to get a safe place for swimming.
We have to test the level of bromine always and if the bromine level is high then we have to dilute the concentration of bromine or else it will create a dangerous situation for the swimmers.
In a nutshell, we have to maintain the accurate level of bromine in a pool then it will ensure fresh and safe water throughout the year.
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