A saltwater pool is an alternative to a traditional chlorine pool. Although you don't add chlorine tablets to a saltwater pool, it does still contain chlorine. It just has a smaller amount that's generated through the filter system. A saltwater pool contains 10 times less salt than the ocean.
When the free chlorine level is low, that usually means it's time to add more salt, but it may mean a couple of other things as well. For instance, low chlorine readings can indicate that you need to increase the chlorinator output or run it more frequently.
Saltwater swimming pools draw on dissolved salt in the water to generate chlorine. The salt cell or generator utilizes a process called electrolysis to break down or separate the salt also known as sodium chloride or NaCl in the water.
Pros of Saltwater Pools
There's less chlorine and less of the heavy chemical scent and content. They're gentler on the skin, with less irritation to the eyes, hair and swimsuits. The water has a softer, silkier feel to it compared to chlorine water. They have lower maintenance costs than chlorine pools.
Swimming in a salt water pool is better on the joints and muscles than a traditional chlorinated pool. Salt water contains bromide, a mineral that helps relieve those everyday aches, pains and soreness we all feel deep within our joints and muscles.
Brush the salt towards the main drain. The salt should be dissolved within 24 hours. After the salt has dissolved, the salt chlorine generator can be started.
Shock also helps to raise the free available chlorine level of your swimming pool. How do you raise the free chlorine in a salt-water pool? You can use granular shock or shock pods in your saltwater pool. Just make sure that you use your long-handled pool brush to disperse any shock that settles to the bottom.
So, not only is shocking a saltwater pool okay, but it's actually important to your pool's health. Shocking is the process in which you overload your pool with chlorine (3-5 times the normal amount) to improve your pool's cleanliness and kill off organic matter.
You will want to use NaCl, sodium chloride, of at least 99% purity. To add salt, turn on your filter pump and add the salt directly to your pool water. Use a brush to help the salt dissolve and to prevent the salt from piling up on the bottom of your pool.
Saltwater Pools Come With Health and Environmental Concerns
Providers have also linked higher heart mortality risks to sodium absorption through the skin, particularly among people with: High blood pressure.
Annual booster additions of pool salt are usually required, but only to replace salt lost from backwashing, splashout or lowering the water for winter. If you fully drain the pool for maintenance, you will need to replace all of the pool salt. Over a ten-year timespan, the cost of a salt water pool vs.
Chlorine pools are more traditional and are also cheaper than most saltwater pools. However, they can be more difficult to maintain over time. Because there is no generator making chlorine, you will need to add chlorine into the pool on your own.
Saltwater pools can definitely be heated just like freshwater pools. The saltwater chlorinator does not affect heating units, so you will not have to worry about this when installing a heater in your swimming pool. The heating units will also be set up and installed in the same way as in chlorine pools.
Salt water offers a pleasant healthful swimming experience with fewer chloramines produced, eliminating the harsh chemical odor. Salt cells convert salt into active chlorine for a lower cost as compared to the traditional form of liquid or solid chlorine.
While green algae are endemic in salt water pools, they are the easiest to kill. Green algae tend to grow during summers when the temperatures can get high. They float freely in the pool, making the water green. You might even see them growing on the bottom of the pool, on the walls, or in the crevices.
Is a salt water pool easier to maintain? Yes, a salt water pool is easier to maintain! There's no need to purchase, store and add chlorine to your pool. Simply add salt and your pool's salt chlorinator will do all the work of making chlorine.
As shocking has a tendency to push metals out of solution and salt (even when labeled as pure) can contain trace amounts of metals, it is recommended that you add salt at a different time from shocking.
Therefore, if you have a 20,000 gallon pool and want to determine how much salt you'll need to buy, you would use the formula “30/1,000 x 20,000”, which equals 600. Meaning, the pool would require approximately 600 lb of salt.
Reasons it could be high:
Your pool has been over dosed with too much liquid or powder chlorine. Your Chlorinator is turned up too high. Your TOTAL chlorine level is high (and your FREE chlorine is low) but ineffective due to a “chlorine lock”, which happens when too much Cyanuric Acid is added to the pool.