Swimming In Saltwater Compared To Freshwater
Why can we swim better in saltwater? Many have experienced both and definitely will say that it is easier to float in saltwater. People who are used more to freshwater pool swimming also find a saltwater experience more enjoyable and relaxing. The reason is:
Buoyancy saltwater gives more buoyancy than freshwater because of the higher density of saltwater. Buoyancy makes it easy for the body to stay high in water, thus all other factors being kept equal, one can swim faster in salt water than in freshwater.
What Kind Of Filters Do Salt Water Pools Use
The salt cell in a saltwater pool is not responsible for the filtration. This job belongs to an ordinary pool filter that connects to the salt generator system. You can use most pool filters with saltwater systems, including sand filters, cartridge filters, and diatomaceous earth filters. Each has advantages and disadvantages. One important thing to remember is that the filter will need to run a lot because the pool will only generate chlorine when the filter is on.
Myth : Saltwater Pool Water Smells Strong And Tastes Like Salt
When you imagine owning a saltwater pool, you might assume that its like having a little piece of the ocean in your backyard. Its notand thats a good thing. A saltwater pool wont dry out your hair, make you smell like salt, and cover you in sand. As a swimmer, this pool type couldnt be more convenient.
And no, it doesnt taste like salt, eitherbut you shouldnt be drinking it anyway! And by the way, that includes your pets, too. This is not a water source for Fido, for his sake and yoursthe last thing you want to deal with is a dogs stomachache. Ill leave it at that.
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What Is A Salt Water Pool
A saltwater pool is a pool that is chlorinated using a special piece of equipment called a salt chlorine generator. You can use regular salt in a salt water pool as long as the salt doesnt contain too many impurities. Ordinary salt is chemically made up of two elements: sodium and chlorine. When pool water comes into contact with the salt chlorine generator, the machine turns the salt in the water into hypochlorous acid.
Hypochlorous acid is also produced when you add chlorine to a pool. The difference is that in a saltwater pool, hypochlorous acid is constantly recombining with the sodium in the water and turning back into salt. Salt does not evaporate, so there is no need to regularly add more salt or chlorine to the system. These systems typically do not experience chloramine buildup the same way traditional pools do.
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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Is It True That Saltwater Pools Need No Maintenance
No, it’s not true that a saltwater pool needs no maintenance. What is true is that they need considerably less maintenance than a regular chlorine pool.
Saltwater pools still need to be properly winterized before closing them and opened when the season started. For routine maintenance, you should test the pH and free chlorine levels every week, the salt levels every month, and inspect the salt cell every three months. This is still a lot less work than a traditional pool. Adding PEPPER® to your pool can also help keep it in good health.
Saltwater pools are superior to traditional pools in many ways. It’s very important, however, to understand the differences and not believe the various myths that circulate. If you are looking at building or converting a saltwater pool, we have everything you need from sacrificial anodes and salt cells to full saltwater compatible pools, both above ground and inground.
We hope that answers the most common questions you have about saltwater pools. Here are some additional resources you may find helpful!
Why Can We Swim Better In Saltwater Saltwater Vs Freshwater Pools
Saltwater pools become popular not only in swimming schools but also in residential properties. What makes saltwater so popular? Why can we swim better in saltwater, and why do we feel better in saltwater? Lets compare saltwater vs freshwater pools and see what the main advantages of saltwater are.
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The Cons Of Salt Water Pools
1. Costlier to InstallSalt water pools require more installation costs throughout the process. However, when installation is complete, you are not required to spend any more money.
2. Salt Content Can Damage Parts and AccessoriesThe presence of salt content in the water can affect the underlining system of the pool and overall framework.
3. Damage Plant GrowthThe waste water of salt water pools can easily damage the growth of plants in the surrounding area.
4. More ElectricityWhile a salt water pool requires less maintenance costs, the downside is the electrical costs associated with increased energy consumption. With a chlorine generator, higher amounts of electricity is used.
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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Salt Water Chlorinators Vs Chlorine Pools Explained
Is there really a big difference in saltwater pools and chlorinated pools? Well, the answers might surprise you. In a nutshell, satwater pools are easily the best investment you can make for your home pool. A saltwater pool isn’t just dumping sacks of salt into your pool, it’s much more than that. We’ll go over the advantages of saltwater pools from traditional chlorinated pools, and why you should really consider converting your pool to one.
The Downsides Of Saltwater Pools
While upkeep is inexpensive, startup costs can be rather pricey. Saltwater pools have an initial cost of $800 to $1,000 for the chlorine generator alone. Salt cells need to be replaced every 3 to 8 years and each cell costs $300 to $600.
Starting up a saltwater pool requires many hundreds of pounds of salt to get the water to its correct levels. Bulk salt, too, requires a lot of storage space, so you’ll need a shed and a cart to move it around.
Salt cells must be cleaned frequently , using either a cell cleaning stand or a bucket. Cells are cleaned in muriatic acid, a hazardous chemical.
Saltwater does not work with all types of pools or pool equipment. Salt will corrode vinyl pools that have metal wall panels. It will also corrode some handrails and ladder bolts.
In cold climates, the chlorine generator may not be able to produce enough chlorine to winterize the pool. So, you may still need to resort to traditional chlorine additives during the winter.
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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.
How Long Do Saltwater Pools Last
You won’t have to spend as much money to maintain an above ground saltwater pool, either. That’s because the typical life span of a salt cell is three to seven years. And when you use a saltwater system instead of chemicals, you will no longer have to buy chlorine tablets, liquid chlorine, or as many shock treatments.
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Its Easier/more Affordable To Have Saltwater Pool Systems
Some people think that because the salt water pool system will make the chlorine, they may be easier or more affordable to keep and maintain their pool.
This isnt true either.
Having a saltwater pool system helps with replacing the daily sanitation of the pool, like adding the chlorine tablets, sticks, or granules.
Just because your system will do this automatically, you still have to do other pool maintenance, like testing the pools pH, calcium, and alkalinity levels. No matter which way you choose to sanitize your pool before, you will still need to test and adjust the levels in your pool or hire someone else to do it.
These pools also can actually end up costing you more to install and maintain.
According to consumers, if you add up all the costs over time, it can sometimes be more expensive to own a saltwater pool because they have to pay to maintain it, replace generator parts, and even buying the chlorine generator may all add up to some expensive costs later on down the road.
Myth : With A Saltwater Pool I Wont Need A Pool Filter
If only! As with any other type of pool, youll still need to have the right pool filter for you. This is because while a saltwater pool keeps chlorine super stable, it doesnt magically vanish contaminants. Once bacteria is neutralized , it still has to exit your pool somehow. Plus, theres also microscopic bits of contaminants and debris throughout your water that your pool vacuum will missespecially if they float up from the pool floor. Its just better to keep them far, far away from you and your fellow swimmers.
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Take It With A Grain Of Salt
So you decided a saltwater pool is the way to go. Thats great, and after you get your saltwater generator, youll never regret it. Now you can enjoy smooth, relaxing swimsall without any of the drawbacks of chlorine. And the next time your hair changes color, itll be because you wanted it to. Thats all the more reason to swim and keep swimming. Enjoy.
There Is No Chlorine In A Saltwater Pool
A lot of people actually believe that salt water pool systems have no chlorine in them.
This really isnt true.
The salt systems actually just generate the chlorine itself using a process called electrolysis.
If you dont remember from chemistry class, electrolysis zaps salt water with electricity which mixes with the chlorine that is found in salt.
This process creates the chlorine, and then follows the water into the pool, mixing the chlorine in with the water. The chlorine then cleans the water and kills any bad bacteria living in it.
This process creates chlorine by using the salt chlorine generator instead of adding the chlorine in by using granules, tablets, or sticks.
The advantage of this is that the salt system doesnt require as many other chemicals to help stabilize the chlorine. The chemicals are in the granules, tablets, and sticks which is harsher on the skin.
The only chlorine free pool would utilize bromine or Bacqucil. So you shouldnt install a saltwater pool system into your backyard and then be surprised when you find out that there will be chlorine in the water.
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Advantages And Disadvantages Of A Saltwater Pool
One of the biggest advantages of designing a custom home in Florida is the opportunity to design a luxury pool. Gone are the days of having to stick to the simple, rectangular pool. When you work with custom home builders in Clearwater, you can design the shape and style of the pool to meet your preferences, as well as choose saltwater or chlorine.
Saltwater pools are a new trend that are becoming more and more popular with custom homebuyers, and weve put together a few advantages and disadvantages to help you make your decision.
Does The Water Taste Salty
No. Again, this isn’t ocean water. The salt levels are a fraction of what you encounter if you decide to swim in the sea or in a hotel’s sea pool. It’s well below the threshold of human taste at about 3,000 parts per minimum, as opposed to the 35,000 ppm in the ocean. If there is a salt taste to the water it may mean that you have a chemical imbalance or your salt cell has a problem. A very small number of people may be able to detect the faintest of salt tastes, but for most people, there should be no detectable taste of salt. There also isn’t enough salt in the water to make swimming and floating easier.
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More Natural And Cost
The initial cost of putting salt water in is not very high. Although the saltwater chlorine generator system isn’t cheap, the cost will definitely be offset by the time you save maintaining your pool.
Moreover, the sodium chloride is applied only once, and it recycles and lasts for a long time before adding more salt.
Sodium chloride, the same stuff you use on the table, is cheaper and locally available than all that chlorine bleach you use in the traditional pool.
Why You Might *not* Want A Saltwater Pool
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Chlorine And Salt Levels
It is a common misconception that saltwater systems do not have . In fact, these systems are currently the most popular of the chlorine systems. A saltwater pool will have lower levels of chlorine than a traditional chlorine pool because the chlorine is produced at a steady level rather than added to the pool with chlorine sticks or tablets. Salt is added to the pool instead, and a saltwater generator produces hypochlorous acid for sanitation through electrolysis, which is the breakdown of the salt by passing electricity through the saltwater solution.
Despite the name of a saltwater pool, the salt content is approximately that of human tears, about one-tenth the salinity of ocean water. Swimmers can open their eyes underwater, and their skin feels softer after a swim.
What Kind Of Maintenance Does A Salt Water Pool Require
The main maintenance tasks for salt water pool owners are testing and washing the salt cell. Water testing is still required because chlorine is only one parameter that needs to be controlled to maintain a healthy pool. If the pH level or another parameter is not where it should be, the addition of certain chemicals may be necessary to balance the system.
Cleaning the salt cell is only required if you find a scale on it during a regular maintenance check. You should do these checks every three months. It is easy to remove the scale with a plastic or wooden tool or a quick rinse in diluted acid.
You also need to keep an eye on your salt levels. Use my salt calculator to figure out how much salt to add or water to replace to get into the ideal range.
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Alternatives To Saltwater Pools
Source: Houzz
This is the most common type of pool and supplies are easy to buy when you need them right away. It does require a lot of maintenance and upkeep to keep the water healthy for swimming, but many homeowners prefer this option.
Pros
- These pools are incredibly affordable, and chlorine itself is not very expensive, which means that you can easily sanitize your pool.
- One of the most effective ways to prevent bacteria and algae from growing, chlorine will ensure that everyone who swims in your pool is safe and healthy. This is important if you have children or the elderly using your pool or are concerned about compromised immune systems of any of your family members or friends.
- These pools are a lot less expensive to install than saltwater pools. There are some homeowners who find that they can more easily afford the installation and start-up fees for chlorine pools.
Cons
