Treating your swimming pool at the outset of winter is the secret to it remaining pristine for the duration of the season. At the same time, pool owners can dramatically reduce their chlorine consumption and cut costs by using Pratley’s Clinobrite filter medium.

Clinobrite is a direct substitute for ordinary pool-filter sand or glass, scavenging unwanted ammonia from pool water, and thereby reducing its chlorine consumption. Clinobrite is an all-natural Zeolite filter medium that can remove 40% to 50% more physical dirt than traditional sand or outdated glass filter media. Unlike ordinary filter sand, Clinobrite grains have a rough surface. This means that they attract and trap ultra-fine dirt particles and algae. “You should notice a great improvement in the water clarity of your pool just a few hours after changing your sand to Clinobrite. The product essentially has a “polishing” effect on pool water. An added benefit is that Clinobrite is even able to entrap minuscule diarrhoea-causing cryptosporidium cysts, a major health risk in some water supplies.” highlights Pratley Marketing Director Eldon Kruger.

As Clinobrite is lighter than ordinary sand, it lifts better during backwash cycles. The effect is that backwashes are much shorter, thereby saving precious water and costs.

Unlike sand or glass filters, Clinobrite also acts as a filter on the atomic scale by absorbing ammonium ions (NH4+) from pool water. The powerful negative charge within the mineral’s chemical structure attracts and entraps positively charged cation contaminants such as ammonia.

Ammonia and nitrates in pool water react rapidly with pool chlorine to form highly undesirable odours causing Chloramines such as monochloramine and dichloramine, which are also the cause of red and burning eyes. Clinobrite removes these Chloramines from your pool water, leaving more free chlorine to sanitize the pool. This means a healthier swimming environment, lower chlorine usage and cost savings for the pool owner. Unsaturated Clinobrite never stops working and absorbs ammonia from pool water on a 24/7 basis.

“It is very cost-effective and easy to change from an outdated filter media such as sand or glass to Clinobrite,” continues Kruger. First, unscrew the filter top, drain out all the water and remove the current filter media. Fill half the filter tank with water. Slowly add Clinobrite to half the tank volume and close the lid. In intervals of approximately 15 seconds, alternate several times between the backwash and the rinse cycle on your filter valve. This removes any fines generated during transport. Top up with Clinobrite to the normal sand level and close the lid. Alternate between the backwash and rinse cycle until backwash water is clear. Switch to your filter cycle.

For normal swimming pool loads, Clinobrite needs to be replaced only every two to three years. Being completely natural, the product can even be recycled by mixing it into flowerbeds or lawns as a slow-release fertilizer. The average-sized pool filter tank uses the same quantity of Clinobrite as it would ordinary sand, translating into 2 x 25 kg bags (if using a two-bag filter tank).