Fluoride is a substance that occurs naturally in water from saltwater springs and lakes. Its purpose is to protect your teeth by preventing cavities. However, there is evidence that too much fluoride can be harmful, particularly when it builds up in the human body over time.
What is the best way to remove fluoride from your pool water? Should you try using hydrogen fluoride or sodium chlorate? Or, perhaps there is a better alternative that nobody has thought of yet?
In order to find out, let’s explore the different methods of removing fluoride from pool water, one by one.
Table of Contents
Fluoride Test Kit
One of the most useful items in your pool cleaning kit is a fluoride test kit. It is highly advised by experts that testing your pool water for fluoride levels before and after you treat it with chemicals is necessary. This is because the effects of the chemicals you use could vary from one area of your pool to another. For instance, does your pool water contain more or less fluoride than other parts of your country? The answer to this question could determine which method of treating your pool water works best for you.
Hydrogen Fluoride Detector
If you want to remove fluoride from your pool water, one of the simplest and most effective methods is to use hydrogen fluoride. It is generally accepted that hydrogen fluoride is less harmful than other chemicals that you could use, though it is still highly toxic. It is used for a variety of things including electronics degreasing and cleaning. When used in electronics, bits of plastic could potentially drip into your pool which might cause environmental issues.
Sodium Chlorate Detector
Another way of removing fluoride from your pool water is with sodium chlorate. Like hydrogen fluoride, sodium chlorate is generally considered to be less harmful than other chemicals. However, like hydrogen fluoride, sodium chlorate is highly toxic when injected into the soil or water table. For this reason, it should only be used in limited situations. The most useful application for sodium chlorate is to control moths and other insects in your garden.
Activated Charcoal Filter
The most efficient and long-lasting method of removing fluoride from your pool water is with activated charcoal. Like other types of charcoal, activated charcoal is highly absorbent and has the ability to bind with even more substances. For this reason, it is usually used in situations where there is a lot of industrial waste or toxins present in the water. One drawback to using activated charcoal is that it must be regenerated with water and air and can become clogged easily which could cause efficiency issues.
Gel Filter
Another popular and efficient method of removing fluoride from your pool water is with a gel filter. It is generally considered to be the best method of removing chemicals including phosphorus and nitrogen from water. This is because it has the ability to filter out almost all of the chemicals whilst preventing larger particles from entering your pool.
A gel filter needs to be cleaned regularly with a mild detergent and water. It also needs to be replaced if it becomes clogged. For this reason, the life expectancy of a gel filter is generally considered to be much longer than that of other filters.
Sand Filter
Finally, we have the sand filter. It is one of the most popular and efficient methods of removing chemicals including phosphorus and nitrogen from water. It is also one of the simplest methods of removing these chemicals. Like other types of filters, the sand filter needs to be cleaned regularly with a water-based detergent. It also needs to be replaced if it becomes clogged. For this reason, the life expectancy of a sand filter is generally considered to be much longer than that of other filters.
Which one of these methods of removing fluoride from your pool water are you going to use? Is it safe to say that you are going to use more than one method?