Enzymes are a powerful tool to keep your pool water clean and sparkling with easy maintenance. John Weber with “Pool and Spa News” writes about the benefits of enzymes as part of regular pool maintenance and some myths that seem to find their way around the pool and spa industry.
Enzyme Truths
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Enzymes are like a specialty chemical that are used for many different things. For starters, enzymes help reduce the severity of scum at the waterline and its severity.
As a matter of fact, they IMPROVE sanitizer efficiency by REDUCING the amount needed and help diminish the amount of filter cleaning necessary to maintain healthy water.
What ARE Enzymes Afterall?
Enzymes are proteins produced by a biological process that act as a catalyst to speed up reactions. They do this by lowering the level required for that reaction to occur.
Uniquely, enzymes are selective in nature, with specific enzymes acting with certain types of products.
The Many Benefits of Enzymes
The use of enzymes in a pool has several beneficial effects. For starters, oils, lotions, and other organic contaminants float on the surface of the pool water and collect dirt and debris.
Over time, these contaminants accumulate along the wall surface at the waterline or in skimmers. Enzymes will break this down saving YOU time and energy.
Additionally, since enzymes help break down some very complex molecules in the water, oxidizing sanitizer, chlorine, and bromine are more effective at breaking down those contaminants too, thus becoming more readily available for their intended use of KILLING BACTERIA.
Another payoff of enzyme use is that by breaking down large complex products, your pool filters will not likely become foul-smelling, resulting in longer runs between cleanings. (A win-win for everyone!)
While enzymes are compatible with all available sanitizers, they are sensitive, and can be destroyed by high levels of bromine and chlorine. Therefore, enzyme action time in your pool is limited. **For this reason they NEED to be used as part of a REGULAR maintenance program in order to maintain their benefit.
Two Types – Natural and Synthetic
Natural enzymes form through fermentation, while synthetic enzymes are manufactured. The biggest difference between the two is the range of use. Natural enzymes break down a wider variety of organic material, whereas synthetic enzymes are more specific in what they can break down and are less stable than natural ones.
Specific Enzymes
Since enzymes occur both naturally and, in a lab, you must understand which works best for a particular purpose. When using enzymes in a hot tub, their main target is biological waste. In a swimming pool, enzymes treat both biological and environmental components. Waters Choice enzymes are natural and the perfect choice for swimming pool and spa water.
A Few Enzyme MYTHS
*Enzymes are living organisms. This is NOT TRUE. Enzymes are produced by living things but they themselves are NOT living. This means that they cannot be killed. Instead, their ability to help catalyze reactions can be destroyed.
*Synthetic vs Natural enzymes – there is some confusion in the industry with terms like this. Enzymes by their very nature are produced by natural things and are therefore themselves NATURAL.
Synthetic enzymes are substances which are NOT actually enzymes; yet they’ll MIMIC natural enzyme activity. Since they are not actually enzymes, they cannot accomplish what Waters Choice’s natural enzymes do.
*Here’s another one for you … All enzymes are alike – Broad spectrum enzymes are products that contain a wide range of enzymes, and this is what Waters Choice’s enzymes are. Other products contain selected or targeted enzymes which mean that proteins are selected to target particles and contaminants that need to be broken down. In our opinion, those are not going to work for you.
Softer Water? YES!
When we add enzymes, eliminate some chemicals, and cut back on others, many water maintenance problems go away and thankfully, many positive things happen. Once again, pool and spa filters are easier to clean and won’t need to be cleaned as often, allowing you to save water, AND another additional benefit … your water becomes SOFTER!
Remember, Waters Choice enzymes are a powerful blend of select enzymes that do a variety of jobs allowing you to dramatically decrease the amount of toxic chemicals you use.
Isn’t it time you started reaping the benefits of Waters Choice enzymes?