FAQ: How Clean is the Water in a Float Tank?
FAQ: How Clean is The Water in a Float Tank?
Often, people ask if we change the water in our float tanks between each user and, equally as often, people are surprised when the answer is "no". That said, the water in the Pod will likely be some of the cleanest water you've ever entered. We'll explain!
The Floatation Tank Association (yes - it exists!) has created the US Float Tank Standards - a stringent set of regulations regarding sanitation, cleaning, and maintenance. They state the water should be changed every 1000 users or every 6 months. We are also regulated and inspected by the same arm of the health department that inspects public swimming pools.
The massive difference between public swimming pools and hot tubs is that they are used by many people simultaneously and the health department regulations state that the pumps must flow at such a rate that all the water gets filtered once every 6 hours…once every six hours. Our Pods are designed to filter and sanitize the water 24/7 when the Pod is not in use which means the circulation and sanitation systems run non-stop between each single user who has also showered before entering the tank.
Our float tanks filter the ENTIRE contents of the tank at least 3-5 times between each single user through a two step filtration and a 3 step sanitation system.
In North Carolina, we are required to maintain a specific level of bromine (a traditional pool sanitizing agent) in our tanks.
Additionally, each Pod contains about 1,100 pounds of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) which is a natural antimicrobial. In reality, the salt content in the Pod is so high that bacteria can't survive. Researchers have actually injected bacteria into this concentration and it died very quickly.
Surely that's enough to cover our bases, right? Probably true, but the float tank industry is committed to the highest standard of cleanliness and float tanks often exceed the requirements of the health departments...so there's more!
UV Sanitation
As humans, we're able to tolerate the UV rays of the sun. Bacteria, viruses, and molds aren't so lucky.
From Float Pod:
UV works to purify by damaging cellular DNA—when anything undesirable in the pod meets these purifying rays, they are killed. UV treatment protects against viruses (including Hepatitis, which is resistant to chlorine), molds and bacterias.
Ozone Purification System
You know that heavenly smell in the air after a summer thunderstorm? We can thank Ozone for that! It's (O3) comprised of 3 oxygen atoms, however, it's unstable like this, thus causing a release of one of the atoms. When this extra oxygen comes in contact with anything undesirable in the water, it's almost immediately oxidized and, thus, purified.
Ozone kills bacteria 3,000 times faster than chlorine and has 50 times the power.
It eliminates organic material and viruses in addition to bacteria, mold, and yeast.