UV Vs. Chlorine: Which Is Better for Your Pool?

Do you have to put chlorine in a pool? Can you have a pool without chlorine? What’s the best way to keep pool water clear and clean? For most people, maintaining a swimming pool is pretty straightforward — keep adding chlorine, and you’ll keep the water clear and clean. But chlorine is a harsh chemical, and it can often lead to more inconvenience than it’s worth. It’s important to keep your pool free from algae growth, harmful bacteria, and other contaminants so that you can ensure a safe swim for everyone, but chlorine is just one way to achieve this. The use of an ultraviolet sterilizer is another.


Swimming pools don’t offer the same circulation and flow that a lake or ocean does, so treatment is necessary to keep bacteria and other microorganisms at bay. Chlorine does this by chemical reaction, effectively destroying any bacteria in the water. Unfortunately, chlorine has downsides and is known to cause maladies including headaches and skin irritation.

Ultraviolet Sterilizer

Ultraviolet light is emitted by the sun naturally, though it can be harmful with too much exposure — that’s why humans use sunscreen and polarized UV sunglasses for a day at the beach. But when harnessed and amplified, UV light can effectively eliminate harmful bacteria, microorganisms, viruses, and other contaminants in pool water, providing a sterilized environment safe for swimming — with far fewer chemicals needed.

The combined use of chlorine (albeit smaller amounts) and a UV sterilizer can offer you advanced protection when spending time in your pool without many of the negative side effects that strictly using chlorine presents.

Do You Have to Put Chlorine in a Pool?

The short answer is yes. Even with the use of a UV sterilizer, chlorine is necessary to provide complete coverage and break down contaminants that a UV sterilizer can’t eliminate in time. While residential pool water is circulated, it isn’t circulated with enough speed to use only a UV sterilizer. As a result, chlorine adds a second layer of protection when dealing with the general stagnancy of a swimming pool.

Can You Have a Pool Without Chlorine?

It would be ill-advised to recommend maintaining your pool with zero chlorine. While you’re unlikely to encounter major health issues, over time your pool will turn murky as algae grows and it could end up causing harm in the long run. That said, when you use a UV sterilizer, you can use a lot less chlorine as it’s more of a backup than your first line of defense.

What’s the Best Way to Keep Pool Water Clear?

If you want to protect yourself, your pool party guests, and keep your maintenance and costs down, pairing a UV sterilizer with small amounts of chlorine is the best way to maintain your pool. This setup will eliminate harmful contaminants while also preventing algae growth, which is responsible for turning the water green and murky. Nobody likes to swim in a dirty pool — clear and clean is the way to go, and a UV sterilizer will help to increase safety overall.

Why Choose Aqua Ultraviolet for UV Pool Water Sterilizers?

At Aqua Ultraviolet, we develop products that we know will benefit your lifestyle. High chemical use causes numerous problems and can be detrimental to human health, so our focus is on using UV light to reduce chemical requirements for drinking water, swimming pools, aquariums, and more. Our products are built to last and provide continued protection while enabling you to lower operating and maintenance costs, improve air and water quality, and reduce the chance of irritation or health issues. Shop our line of pool sterilizers today to create a safer swimming experience for your family.

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