Salt Water Pool Vs Chlorine Pool
One common misconception among homeowners looking to add a pool to their property is that salt water pools do not have chlorine. That couldnt be further from the truth, as salt water pools do feature chlorine. Of course, the levels of chlorine are certainly lower than a traditional chlorine model, though. A saltwater generator will produce hypochlorous acid for sanitation through a process called electrolysis. This is the breakdown of salt by passing electricity through a saltwater solution. With a smaller salt content than most expect, it is possible to open your eyes underwater in a saltwater pool.
What Is A Saltwater Pool And How Does It Workwhat Is A Saltwater Pool And How Does It Work
In a traditional chlorine pool, chlorine is added directly to the pool. With a saltwater pool, salt is added to the water in which the levels are maintained by the chlorinator. In turn, the electrodes in the chlorinator will convert the saltwater into chlorine for clean, clear, and luxuriously soft water.
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What Is Pool Ozone Generation
A pool ozone generator is a system that uses ozone to sanitize, disinfect and clean pool water inside the pipes to effectively replace chlorine as the predominant sanitizing agent to clean the pool water.
You cant actually buy ozone due to the dangers involved of handling it and being exposed to it. So a pool ozone generation system was designed to produce ozone internally to sanitize pool water while not exposing humans directly to it.
The problem is that the use of ozone in your pool doesnt actually replace chlorine. In actuality, when you use a pool ozone generation system you still need to manually add chlorine to the water to keep the water clean, just at a lower level.
Why is this?
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It Can Corrode Pool Parts
While salt water isnt harmful in average doses, it can start to break down equipment if it starts to build up. Automatic pool covers, pool liners, metal pool equipment, and even natural stonework or landscaping near the pool can start to erode with too much salt water exposure. So keep an eye out for exposed metal components, especially on vinyl pools. But fiberglass pools are generally more safe from salt water corrosion.
What Kind Of Salt Does A Salt Chlorine Generator Use
Three types of salt are used with salt chlorine generators: solar salt, mechanically evaporated salt and mined salt.
- Solar salt is derived from seawater evaporated by the sun and contains impurities such as dead brine shrimp and bacteria. Impurities make the salt generator work harder.
- Mechanically evaporated salt is also made from seawater, but generated heat is used to evaporate the water instead of sunlight, which burns organic matter. Mechanically evaporated salt may, however, include pool-damaging minerals.
- Mined salt is dug from the ground and is considered the purest form of salt.
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Salt Or Chlorine Which One Is For You
In case you didnt read much of this article or need something a little more direct, Ill try to bottom line this decision for you.
If you have it in your budget , then get a salt pool Most who get a salt-chlorine generator for their above-ground pool will also be getting an upgraded pool model. This is because most will want what is called a salt-water friendly pool.
This means that having a salt above-ground pool may cost you considerably more, but youll be getting a nicer pool.
If you are not good with maintenance or dont have a lot of time, get a salt pool Some are just not good at maintaining stuff. If you cant keep a cactus or bamboo alive, get a salt pool. This will make it easier for you to keep the water clear and healthy in your pool.
Also, if you are a super busy person and wont have time to service the pool at least once a week , then get a pool with a salt-chlorine generator .
If you are new to maintaining a swimming pool and have the money, get a salt pool Although having a salt pool requires a lot of learning, having a salt-chlorine generator with the pool increases the margin for error. So the learning curve is an easier one.
If you are retired and love maintaining things, do not get a salt pool I have put in pools for some very happy retired people who love to keep their household in perfect order. If you are this person or have someone like this taking care of things, then dont bother with the expense of a salt pool.
The Scg Cell Will Need To Be Replaced
For anyone who has done some math and think that they will save money in the long run by having a salt-chlorine generator, consider that the average cell in a good quality chlorine generator unit will last about three years.
Salt cells are easy to replace, but they are not cheap. So dont think that you will ever recover the cost of having a salt pool. As stated above, you can buy a lot of chlorine for what you will pay to purchase and maintain a salt pool.
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A Saltwater Pool Is A Gentle Alternative To Traditional Chlorine Pools Know The Details Before Choosing One Over The Other
Everybody has different swimming preferences. Fortunately, there are plenty of options available for your backyard pool. You can get a zero-depth entry for leisurely wading or a deep end for excited cannon balls. You can get a rectangle for swimming laps or an oval for social gatherings. In addition to size, shape, activities and accessories, you can choose a water sanitization method that fits your needs. Here are the differences between two of the most common types of pools: saltwater vs. chlorine.
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Advantages Of Salt Water Pools
Less Maintenance
With a saltwater system, pool maintenance is much simpler. Saltwater pools still require some chlorine, but its minimal. With these pools, the salt cells will produce any chlorine as needed, but you will still want to monitor chlorine levels periodically to ensure everything is working properly. Additionally, cleaning your saltwater pool is only required about once a year, where you drain the pool, change the filter, and scrub.
Saltwater Pools Are Gentler
No more red eyes and itchy skin. Because chlorine levels are much lower with a saltwater generator, people that are sensitive to chlorine will have fewer irritations.
Softer Water
Like rainwater or water softeners, saltwater pools make water feel smooth and silky as opposed to the abrasive feel of chlorinated water.
More Cost Effective
Though expensive upfront because of the purchase of a saltwater generator, saltwater pools are actually more cost effective in the long run. With saltwater pools, homeowners can forgo buying pool chemicals on a regular basis.
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What Is A Salt Water Pool
Perhaps the biggest misconception or myth about saltwater pools is that they have zero chlorine content because the water in them is sourced from the sea. But this is very much not the case.
Saltwater pools are often mistaken for seawater pools, but salt water does not equal sea water when we are talking about pools. While yes, the water in salt water pools is indeed salty, that water is not actually from the ocean.
Saltwater pools are made up of regular pool water that has salt added in. Salt is important for pools because its chemical structure has chlorine. This chlorine can be used to aid in keeping your pool clean as well as free from certain perks microbes.
To make low levels of natural chlorine, salt water pool systems utilize electrolysis. A generator then converts the salt to low amounts of chlorine and adds enough of it to maintain the cleanliness of the water without the use of excess chemicals. With a good saltwater pool system, you will need to check the levels of the salt in the pool just once per month.
Since an electrolysis generator is used in salt water pool systems, they often have a higher upfront cost.
What Makes A Swimming Pool A Salt Pool Exactly
There are only two things that make a swimming pool a saltwater pool. One is that a salt-chlorine generator has been installed within the pools equipment, and the other is that the water has had a small percentage of salt content added to it.
Everything else is the same. The pump and filter are the same. The pool surface is the same. And the pool chemistry is the same.
With some pools, having a salt-chlorine generator making chlorine may change the chemistry very slightly. Some will have higher PH or need some Cyanuric acid added depending on the chlorine demand, but not all.
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Pros To A Chlorine Pool
Chlorine pools still remain a popular option because they are more affordable to install and usually easier to maintain. Other benefits include:
- Lower upfront cost
- Requires less electricity salt water pools need a special generator that converts the salt into chlorine. Chlorine pools simply rely on the pool pump to circulate water and chlorine throughout the entire swimming pool.
- Repairs tend to be less invasive and easier to conduct
Are Salt Water Pools Easier To Maintain
Yes, a salt water pool is easier to maintain! … Simply add salt and your pool’s salt chlorinator will do all the work of making chlorine. While all pools require chemicals to maintain clean, clear water, salt water pools are more stable than traditional chlorinated pools, so they require fewer chemicals.
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Saltwater Or Chlorine Pools: What’s The Difference
Basically, there is no special difference. Both saltwater and chlorine pools use chlorine to kill harmful bacteria and organisms in the water. The only difference is that saltwater pools use a special chlorine generator to produce chlorine through electrolysis and inject the required amount of less harmful chlorine automatically into the water, saving you from manually adding any chlorine shocks for pool sanitization.
So they are easier to maintain, and that is why I converted. Ever since I converted my pool, I spend much more time swimming and less time fiddling with the chemicals.
Corona Discharge Pool Ozone Generator
A corona discharge ozonator or CD ozone generator produces ozone through a electrical discharge or spark. This spark splits O2 molecules into O molecules which then bind to other O2 molecules to produce O3 .
Product example: DEL Ozone systems are a range of pool sanitizing systems that utilize corona discharge technology to clean water in both inground and above ground pools. While DEL used to manufacture UV-based systems, they now focus on corona discharge technology.
Benefits of these systems are that the ozone produced may destroy contaminants that are normally resistant to chlorine while also breaking down smelly chloramines which can be a problem in chlorinated pools. These systems tend to keep water clearer while also reducing chemical usage.
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Ozone Vs Salt Vs Chlorine Pool
You may not heard of a relatively new kid on the block for swimming pool sanitation: Pool ozone.
A pool ozone generator is an an option for home swimming pool sanitation and is a competitor to both salt water and regularly chlorinated pools.
If you had to choose between an ozone vs salt vs chlorine pool, what would you choose and why?
Lets take a closer look at a pool ozone generator vs salt chlorinator vs regularly chlorinated swimming pool.
Are Salt Water Pools Bad For Concrete
However, your chlorine levels may be much higher than they should be. Saltwater pool water can become too acidic if not properly monitored and rebalanced as needed. Acids are known to deteriorate concrete. Insufficient or improper maintenance is the culprit, not the saltwater system.Jul 10, 2020
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Potential Drawbacks Of Salt Water Pools
The up-front cost of a salt water generator is, admittedly, much pricier than the chemicals youd use in a chlorine pool, to say nothing of the utility costs that come with running a generator for up to 12 hours a day during pool season.
Furthermore, the salt can be corrosive to certain pool liners and pool lights, but those issues can be avoided simply by purchasing liners and lights in the first place that are designed specifically for salt water pools.
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Salt Levels And Chlorine
As we mentioned above, a common misconception is that salt water pool systems do not contain chlorine. In reality, saltwater systems are currently most favored over chlorine systems. A saltwater pool will contain lower chlorine levels than a traditional chlorinated pool since the chlorine is made at a steady level and not added to the pool water with chlorine tablets and sticks.
Despite its name, the salt content in a saltwater pool is approximately just that of human tears! This is about one-tenth of the salinity of seawater. Swimmers will be able to open their eyes while underwater and the skin feels softer after swimming.
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Whats The Main Difference Between A Saltwater Pool And A Traditional Chlorinated Pool
In a traditional chlorine pool, chlorine is added directly to the pool. With a saltwater pool, salt is added to the water in which the levels are maintained by the chlorinator. In turn, the electrodes in the chlorinator will convert the saltwater into chlorine for clean, clear, and luxuriously soft water.
You Add Salt To Your Water Instead Of Chlorine
Handling pool-grade salt is a lot safer and easier than chlorine pucks or granules. And as the salt water generator uses the salt to produce chlorine, the salt gets recycled back into the water and reused again. That means you usually only add salt at the beginning of the pool season or if a heavy rainstorm dilutes your pool water.
It also means less maintenance constantly buying, adding and adjusting your chlorine levels. And pool-grade salt is much cheaper and simpler to buy than chlorine. A salt water pool can be worth it just to never have to handle chlorine again!
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How Much Salt Does My Pool Need
The amount of salt your pool requires depends on the level of salt needed for your salt chlorine generator to function properly. Check the owners manual to find this amountit usually ranges from 3,000 to 4,000 ppm .
The number of gallons in your pool and its current salt levels determine how much salt to add. Use a saltwater test kit to determine the pools current salt level, then calculate how much salt you need based on the pools size in gallons with a salt table, subtracting the current salt level .
As an example, a 20,000-gallon pool with a current salt level of 500 Ppm would require 501 lbs. of salt.
Can You Open Your Eyes In Saltwater Pool
If it’s a saltwater pool, by all means, open your eyes. So long as you know perfectly well that the pool is clean and free of any bacteria or viruses. … Feel free to do it here and there if you believe the pool to be extremely clean, but you might still suffer from some irritation, stinging and redness due to the salt.
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Choosing The Best Pool System For You
When youre trying to identify the best pool for your needs, the factors that can help you choose include:
- Cost
- Maintenance
- Pool features
Here at Sensorex, we offer a wide range of sensors that can assist with measuring the quality of pool water. If you need to make sure that the pH levels arent too high, the main pH sensors that we offer include the pH2000 sensor and the S272CD sensor. As for the ORP sensors that are available at Sensorex, you can select the SD7000CD-ORP sensor, which provides precise measurements and is designed to withstand pressurized applications if necessary.
today if you have any questions about the products we provide.
What Is A Saltwater Pool
First of all, what is a saltwater pool? If the name has you imagining a pool filled with ocean water, youre certainly not alone.
However, a saltwater inground pool is not the same thing as taking a dip in the ocean at the Isle of Palms the name actually comes from the type of equipment that the pool uses to keep the water clean and sanitized. Rather than adding chlorine to your pool to keep the water chlorinated, you pour in simple table salt directly into your pool, stir it up a bit and the salt chlorine generator will then convert it to chlorine.
If you still have the taste of salty ocean water or images of Daniel Islands beaches flashing through your mind, not to worry. Saltwater pools use a concentration of salt that is much lower than that of ocean water. Indeed, if you can taste the salt at all, it will be mild, almost saline-like. Whereas the ocean has salt levels of around 35,000 parts per million, saltwater pools typically have 3,000-4,000.
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What Are The Disadvantages Of Salt Water Pools
Saltwater pools are an attractive option, but owning one has a few disadvantages. Initially, they can be expensive, as they require a separate salt cell unit that requires more maintenance than a chlorinator. Saltwater pools can also require as much as 1250 pounds of salt each year, which can splash out if not replaced promptly. Whether you choose to own a saltwater pool depends on your personal preferences.
One major drawback is the high cost of electricity. Saltwater pools are expensive to operate, requiring at least 500 watts of power to keep them operating. Another disadvantage is that salt water systems require special equipment, such as a chlorinator, which can damage your equipment. Underwater lights, pool liners, and even masonry work can be ruined by saltwater. Maintaining a saltwater swimming pool is also harder, so you need to be more diligent about monitoring pH levels.
Saltwater pools have a high sodium content, and their wastewater contains high amounts of sodium. Saltwater swimming pools can also cause crop damage in certain areas, such as Australia. Because of these concerns, some neighborhoods have banned saltwater pools. Saltwater pools can also be harmful to pets. Those with high blood pressure, a history of stroke, or circulatory problems may be particularly vulnerable to saltwater. However, these concerns are outweighed by the advantages of owning a saltwater pool.
