Different types of pools

[walter05]

Today, I learned that an indoor pool I have access to is a salt water pool. I was told that these are much better than traditional chlorine pools.

What is a salt water pool?

What are the advantages?

What are the disadvantages?

[Eric6420]

I will try to answer your questions even though I am not a specialist.

First, what is a salt water poll? I am not sure because there are different kinds od salts.

I know for example that some people use a kind of salt instead of chlorine, and that kind of salt is cheaper than chlorine but may be hazardous to your health.

There is also, ordinary table salt, this salt is not as good as sea salt, because sea salt is more healthy (it contains a greater quantity of minerals in the right proportion).

There is also bromium that some people use intead of chlorine. It is more expensive, but less irritating for the eyes.

Finally, I am sure that there are other ways to maintain the water clean, but I do not remember thoses. It may have to do with ultraviolet light filter.

Anyway, a water with to much salt becomes very irritating, first for the eyes, and the for other parts of the body.

[NCguy49]

Originally Posted by Eric6420

I will try to answer your questions even though I am not a specialist.

Finally, I am sure that there are other ways to maintain the water clean, but I do not remember thoses. It may have to do with ultraviolet light filter.

I used to work in a plant that had to purify water for inkjet printers. We used UV light to kill "bugs" (bacteria and things) then filter them out. So using UV light can make water more healthy.

[OZJames]

We have had a salt pool for over 18 years and ir is fantastic. A very low salt content - 4000 ppm is used by tipping salt granules in ordinary water until the content level is correct. The salt level is so low that it is hard to detect it in the water. I think that sea water may be more salty than that.

The water is pumped through a "cell" with some sort of electrical mechanism. This causes the production of Chlorine in the water which kills bacteria . The Chlorine level is also at a level that I cannot taste it or smell it. Very occasionally I tip extra Chlorine in the pool is the water balance is "out of wack". A salt pool is much cheaper to run than a Chlorine pool because almost no Chlorine is needed to be bought and salt is only tipped in usually once a year.

[DenitaLC]

You will love the salt/saline pool. It leaves your skin and hair feeling great, unlike chlorine treated pools or spas. My mom lives in FL in a very large retirement community...all the pools are saline. We are going on a trip in two weeks to Palm Springs and the resort there (Terra Cotta) uses saline.

[Journeyman]

Walter, I visited Bare Oaks this summer (outside Toronto) and it has salt water pools. From its website (http://www.bareoaks.ca ) :

"People generally find that the salt-water feels softer. They don’t get dry skin and hair doesn’t get damaged or bleached. Eyes don’t get irritated.

Salt-water pools are also environmentally friendly because no toxic chlorine is manufactured, transported and handled.

For effective sanitization, the salt level is kept at 3,000 ppm. (ppm = parts per million) In contrast, the ocean is between 30,000 and 60,000 ppm.

A digital controller constantly monitors and adjusts chlorine production and alkalinity based on temperature to ensure a clean and safe pool and spa."

[Mosquito_Bait]

I have a chlorine pool. I have been satisfied with it. I have a friend who had a saltwater pool and he was satisfied with it; however, he did have to periodically add chlorine. After over a decade of service, the salt ionizer gizmo broke down. It was cheaper to replace it with a chlorinator, so now he just uses chlorine.

My brother-in-law has a chlorine pool. During Hurricane Isabel, the tide rose high enough that the salt marsh behind his house overflowed into his yard and submerged his pool. There has been saltwater in his pool ever since. It doesn't seem to have harmed the pump or filter even though they were never intended to be in service with saltwater.

[Tsirutan]

I'm the proud owner of a salt pool and will attest that the water is "softer" - you do not get that dried out feeling of the skin when you get out. Plus, there is no eye irritation. A common misconception is that a salt system pool does not have chlorine. This is not true, the salt chlorinator uses a process known as electrolysis to produce Sodium Hypochlorite (liquid chlorine) from a low concentration of salt added to the pool water. The generator then reuses the salt and the process is continous. A properly maintained pool will require no addition of chlorine. That said, proper maintenance is most important, and proper regulation of pH must be maintained (usually 7.5). Consequently, here in the desert where the water tends to be a little hard, I find myself using just as much acid as I would have chlorine to keep the chemicals balanced, but I feel the benefits outweigh the alternatives. I've also had a chlorine pool and would not go back. If your a stickler for maintaining things, then a salt pool is definately the way to go.

[Zorro]

The pools at Harbin Hot Springs here in California use hydrogen peroxide, and it is supposedly very effective. I have, however, gotten two sinus infections from the water (it's been years, but I'm very careful about that!), and after spending the day soaking in the warm pool, my skin gets super itchy for a few days afterwards (normally only my lower legs and lower back, once in a while my arms itch a little). Washing with soap and water helps, but hasn't eliminated it...

[EricNY]

Salt-water pools are NOT chlorine free. They use what is called a "Chlorine Generator"

A chlorine generator's main function is to produce chlorine for the pool so you do not have to buy it, store it or handle it.

These are big advantages for many pool owners. Chlorine generators, when functioning correctly, produce chlorine constantly (when the pump is running) with most units. This keeps a residual of chlorine in the pool that prevents algae from growing. The secret is keeping the cell free of calcium and mineral deposits--the cell itself is made up of precious metals-it must be maintained so it can continue to make chlorine.

When the ions in salt are passed over specially coated blades and induced with a low voltage electrical charge it is converted into chlorine. It is the same process that is used to convert seawater into laundry bleach. When this process is incorporated into your swimming pool you have your very own "chlorine generator".