OZONE
While ozone has gained wide acceptance and use in hot tubs, it is now gaining more use in pools as well. Chemically, ozone is a highly reactive oxidizer and is the most effective of all oxidizers in its ability to kill the microorganisms it comes in contact with. Because it is so reactive, it must be produced on-site by specialized equipment or UV light. In nature, ozone is produced by electrical discharge such as occurs in lightning. While effective, ozone is not very stable because it has a very short life in the water, which means that only water and contaminants actually in contact with ozone at any given moment can be considered sanitary. Therefore, ozone must be supported by the use of a backup sanitizer – usually chlorine or bromine. The advantage ozone holds is that it will reduce the levels of chlorine or bromine normally needed to operate a given pool.
