8 Reasons Why You Should Convert to a Mineral Pool
As the popularity of mineral pools continues to surge, it's easy to see why pool owners are looking for a more sustainable and skin-friendly alternative to traditional chlorine and saltwater systems. Let's be real, who has the time or the energy to deal with pesky maintenance and sky-high running costs?
Enter mineral systems - the answer to your pool maintenance woes. They provide a cost-effective and low-maintenance option and a truly therapeutic swimming experience that can soothe your skin, alleviate muscle aches, and help calm your nervous system. It's like having your own personal day spa right in your backyard!
Sounds like the dream, right?
But what exactly is a mineral system, and is it worth the investment? In this guide, we explain how this system works and give you eight reasons why you should convert to a mineral pool.
Ready to turn your pool into a mineral oasis? Then let's dive in!
What is A Mineral Pool?
If you are seeking a healthier and more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional pools, then mineral pools are the answer to your prayers.
Mineral pools harness the power of naturally occurring minerals, primarily magnesium chloride, to sanitise your pool. Unlike traditional pools that rely on harsh chemicals like chlorine or salt, mineral pools provide a gentler and more natural approach to pool maintenance. When the minerals are added to the pool, they go through an electrolytic cell that converts them into small doses of active chlorine.
Unlike their chlorine-laden counterparts - which demand frequent and tiresome top-ups of granular or liquid chlorine - mineral pools require only periodic adjustments, solely in the event of water additions or when the chlorinator graciously indicates that mineral levels are waning.
For more information, check out the difference between chlorine, saltwater, and mineral systems.
Why Should You Convert to a Mineral Pool?
Not only are mineral pools the next generation in pool sanitation, but they can also improve your health, protect your pool equipment and reduce your carbon footprint. Here are 8 reasons why you should convert to a mineral pool:
1. Muscle relaxation and stress relief
Magnesium-enriched baths have been used for centuries to treat skin and muscular disorders. That’s because magnesium is responsible for more than 300 biochemical processes in our body, such as circulation, muscle contraction and brain function, making it essential for our overall well-being.
When you bathe in a mineral pool, you absorb magnesium transdermally (through the skin), which can relieve muscular pain, boost energy and improve sleep. Studies also show that bathing in mineral waters can manage or relieve stress and anxiety.
If you want a mineral system that’s 100 per cent free of salt (sodium), consider converting to a MagnaPool. Not only does it make your pool water softer, but it can also help you reap magnesium pool’s full benefits.
2. Less skin irritation
The combination of magnesium chloride and potassium chloride can have a hydrating effect on your skin. This can soothe irritation, improve elasticity and minimise wrinkles. In fact, people with sensitive skin claim that their eczema, rosacea or psoriasis doesn’t flare up as it usually does in an ordinary pool.
This isn’t surprising. Recent studies show that the use of mineral baths can reduce the severity of eczema and even minimise reliance on cortisone creams. This is because the minerals penetrate deep into your skin and continue to work even after you’ve left the pool.
But the benefits aren’t just skin-deep. Minerals are also good for your crowning glory. While traditionally chlorinated pools can strip your hair or even turn it green, minerals leave it feeling smooth and conditioned. This may explain why a lot of swimmers don’t wash their hair afterwards. It already feels clean, smooth and hydrated!
3. Bather comfort
Mineral pools are generally more comfortable for bathers than chlorinated pools. There are two reasons for this. First, the high concentration of magnesium makes the water soft and silky, providing a frictionless bathing experience. Second, the effectiveness of the active chlorine is increased helping reduce the nasty chloramines by 40 per cent. These can cause skin, eye and lung irritation in susceptible people. Without these nasty compounds (or at least not as many of them), swimmers can breathe easily and swim underwater without goggles or discomfort!
4. Cleaner Pool
Mineral pools contain a lot of magnesium, which is a natural flocculant. This means it removes excess particles and leaves your water cleaner and clearer than a chlorine or saltwater pool. In addition, systems like MagnaPool use recycled glass media in their filter, which discourages the growth of bacteria and provides more effective filtration than sand. For example, sand can filter particles between 20–30 microns, while glass (especially the fine crystals in MagnaPool glass media) can filter particles as small as 1.5 microns. That’s 15–20 times the filtration power!
5. Better for your equipment
Scaling can happen when calcium levels remain elevated or you have naturally hard water. This can block pipes, damage your filter and corrode the shell of your pool. When magnesium is circulating in your water, it helps prevent these from hardening and causing issues with your pipes, heat exchangers etc. Ensuring better hydraulics and longer life for your equipment
6. Easier to maintain
Unlike a manual chlorine pool, where you have to keep testing and adjusting the chemical balance until it’s just right, mineral pools have a chlorinator or hydroxinator that manages your water chemistry automatically (with the right upgrades). This takes all the effort and guesswork out of testing pool water. You can even monitor or control the chemical balance remotely, even if you’re at work or on holiday.
But it isn’t just about automation. The magnesium in mineral pools can filter out fine particles, particularly calcium, and keep your pool clearer for longer. Combined with glass media filtration, it minimises the need for clarifiers or flocculants and keeps maintenance to a minimum.
Having said that, mineral systems aren’t completely hands-free. You still need to set them up correctly at the start of the swimming season. But once this is done, ongoing maintenance is pretty simple.
7. No chlorine odours
Even though you may try your best to balance chlorine levels in your pool, it’s hard to avoid that chlorine odour after a pool party or day-long swimming sessions. But what you’re dealing with isn’t actually chlorine but chloramines, which is when chlorine and ammonia combine (usually from sweat or urine getting into your pool). This produces an unpleasant, chlorine-y smell that can cause skin and eye irritation, dizziness and even asthma.
But because mineral pools use far less chlorine and produce 40 per cent fewer chloramines than even saltwater pools, you don’t get any irritating chlorine odours. This makes them a safe and comfortable option for swimmers who have a smell or chemical sensitivity.
8. Saves water
Mineral pools can reduce your consumption of water in three ways. First, they use glass filtration media, which backwashes quickly (because of the smooth edges), saving you up to 65 per cent in water consumption.
Second, thanks to the ‘flocking’ abilities of magnesium, mineral systems keep your pool cleaner, eliminating the need to drain or top up the water when it gets too unbalanced or murky.
Third, if you have a MagnaPool mineral system, the backwash doesn’t have to be wasted. You can use it to irrigate your garden. That’s because magnesium and potassium are a boon for your soil, promoting plant growth, fighting disease and improving crop yield. If you decide to do this, remember to dilute the backwash with five parts of water so it’s not too concentrated (or straight into a rainwater tank is a great option).
Pro Tip: If you have a mineral pool that contains sodium chloride, avoid using the backwash in your garden. The salt concentration, even when diluted, may damage or kill your plants.
Bottom Line
Converting your traditional chlorine pool to a mineral pool offers a plethora of benefits that cannot be ignored. From improved water quality and reduced chemical usage to a more natural swimming experience and potential health benefits, mineral pools are a smart choice for any pool owner. Not to mention, they require less maintenance and can save you money in the long run. So why not take the plunge and switch to a mineral pool? Your skin, your wallet, and the environment will thank you!