Oct
19
The chemicals that generate the sanitizing power of chlorine require special care because they are toxic. This problem is partly responsible for the current popularity of salt water pools. Salt water swimming pools are not chlorine-free pools, but rather they rely on salt water pool systems that generate chlorine from common table salt, otherwise know and sodium chloride. A device called a chlorinator produces chlorine from the salt that’s already in the water and periodically releases it into the pool. The chlorinator allows for a constant low level of pool chlorination and therefore properly kept salt water pools don’t suffer from the ill effects associated with high chlorination, such as eye irritation, and the chlorine smell.
Do Salt Water Pools Taste Salty?
The term “salt water pools” may conjure up notions of a swim in the ocean, but in reality, the amount of salt required is far lower than the content of salt in seawater. Therefore, salt water swimming pools won’t taste particularly salty. Ocean water has a typical salt content of 35,000 parts per million (ppm) and most salt water pool systems operate at 2,500 - 6,000 ppm. Humans can’t usually taste salt content below 3,500 ppm, so a chlorine generator that works with levels below that threshold is ideal.
Adding the Salt
One big advantage of saltwater pools is that the chlorine is generated out of the salt already present in the water. Therefore, once the proper amount of salt is added to the pool, little additional salt is required. Additional salt is necessary only about twice a year due to water lost to splash and filter flush.
Shocking Your Pool
Like standard chlorinated pools, a salt water swimming pool will require a shocking treatment if there is algae buildup. In a shocking treatment, a pool is treated with exceptionally high levels of chlorine. Some chlorine generators are able to generate those high levels on their own through a special “shock” setting, while others don’t have the capacity to do so. In the latter case a shocking treatment is administered by adding chlorine separately to the water.
Will a Salt Water System Damage the Pool?
Many believe that the saltwater corrodes pool systems, pipes, and stone structures, and therefore recommend you forget all about the salt water option. But proponents of saltwater pools say that only improperly maintained or operated salt generators lead to damage. The following news clip covers this controversy:
