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Saltwater Swimming Pools
Saltwater pools are a cheaper alternative to the traditional chlorine home pool because they do not require as many pool treatment chemicals. These pools are not as salty as seawater and have the same salt content as the human body. Ask questions here about installation, costs and upkeep here.
129 Questions
If your saltwater pool sometimes stings your skin could it be electrical voltage or is it the salt?
I doubt it would be either, unless you've got a sunburn or otherwise irritated skin, which case the salt might sting a bit. But then, the ocean is much saltier, and it doesn't really sting. I'd say check your overall water chemistry. Make sure your chlorine and pH levels are right.
NEW ANSWER:: If this is a tingling feeling if you touch the water then . . . .
Wow! RIGHT NOW , TRIP YOUR CIRCUIT BREAKER AND TURN OFF THE SYSTEM!
It sounds like you have stray voltage. You need professional help with this one. Someone who is qualified to do trouble shooting on voltage leaks to the pool. Do you get this feeling when you touch anything metal which is connected to the pool? Do you have a pool light. Is there water inside the lens of the light? This or a few other things may be causing the problem but I doubt it is an imbalance in water chemistry. Is all the equipment grounded? Do you know if the equipment is "bonded" electrically? Is there a GFCI connected to the pool light?
If this is an itchy feeling then your pH and total alkalinity are not within the proper ranges. Adjust these to 7.5 - 7.8 and alk to 80 -120 ppm. k
I have a salt water system and recently had my pool resurfaced. There was no staining. If you put your salt in the skimmer like you we're supposed to there should be no staining, If you put your salt directly into your pool it could stain from the minerals in the salt. If you used table salt there will be much less staining than if you used road salt.
ANSWER::
You should NEVER use road salt or table salt. Wrong chemical make up! Follow directions on the "pool salt" bag. The salt goes into the pool and not the skimmer!! You must brush any salt that lingers on the floor until it is mostly dissolved. DO NOT add salt until the water has filtered for at least 24 to 36 hrs. or that recommended by the manufacturer or pool builder. Do not rely on other people to tell you what needs to be done. GO to the source -- builder - manufacturer. You should not have staining if the above basics are followed. Additionally, you must run the standard pool equipment for about 2 weeks or more. This gives the plaster time to cure properly. The salt system can and most likely be installed by the builder as he installs the pump and filter. The salt system unit will not be turned on until the plaster has cured. After the cure you must follow procedures on the proper start-up of the salt system.
K
1. Shock the pool and leave for a couple of days. Yes, you CAN do this. (By the time you are ready to use these pool chemicals will have dissapeared)2. When green starts to clear up, allow the water to go through filtering system with chlorinator switched off. (As you have shocked the pool there is no need for this to be on). I ran this for about 12 hours. You need to keep an eye on the filter. I had to clean (backwash) my sand filter often in these 12 hours. 3. When you are happy with the clarity of the water, run system as you normally would. My pool is pristine.
What do you do if the electrolytic cell turns black in an intex saltwater pool filter?
soak the copper electrodes in cider vinegar
Is it true that converting an older concrete pool to saltwater can be a problem?
It makes no difference how old the concrete pool is, or whether piping is copper. Better not to have a very old stainless steel filter or metal pump. The very low salinity used with latest saline systems is generally not corrosive.
Where can you purchase a DVD on installing an inground pool?
I did not find an installation manual for you, but I did find an step by step guide that shows how to build an inground swimming pool on a website. This would be helpful for you if you haven't already purchased a pool and you wanted to see what would be involved in doing it yourself. http://www.royalswimmingpools.com/construction.htm
In fact a salt water pool would generally be softer water. Those white deposits are from "Hard water" evaporating and leaving behind whatever minerals are found in the water. Usually the deposit is mostly calcium. Care must be taken to avoid unbalanced water and high concentrations of calcium hardness. The deposits can be removed with the proper acid (when they are still just a film; WARNING the acid may cause etching if not used properly). Once they have become a scale they must be removed with 1) pumice or wire brushes (WARNING: may scratch glaze) 2)by blasting with sand (WARNING: will almost certainly cause damage to glaze) 3) Blasting with glass beads (WARNING: will etch glaze if not done by an expert, but not nearly as bad as sand). 4)Water blasting (Won't/can't damage tile glaze). YES, I have a biased opinion, because I have professionally used all of these techniques. It may be more difficult to find a professional in your area that offers water blasting because it is relativly new (3 yrs)and there are only about 50-60 professionals using it in the US. Hope that helps, Steve
We have installed a salt water pool and the above and below water surface have combination of glass and amrble mosaic tiles. We used white portand cement to grout the joints. We applied a traditional sealer, let it cure and filled the pool. After two months we drained the pool in order o complete the coping as the material arrived later. We discovered to our dismay that the grout sealer was completely ineffective and the grout gave the appearance of never having bene sealed. We are now in the process of vetting the sealant industry and have not got a consistent answer from any company. Miracle says their Hydro Pourous Plus will work fine. Another company told us none of these producs including their product will work in an underwater, salt water, cement grout application. He recommended a "hydrostatic" sealer. I am having trouble locating such a product and I am not sure what is different with a hydrostatic sealer. In any event, my experience indicates that a salt water pool does have a negative effect on run of the mill grout sealers. I would appreciate any comments or thoughts others may have. Thanks. Tom
The build up on your pool tile and rock formation is efflorescence and it is a chemical reaction caused by water passing through concrete. Artificial rock made with type 1 (or type 10) portland cement, and tile set with lime admix will be inclined to calcify. Efflorescence is one of the hardest to eliminate and most common problems that concrete and swimming pool contractors encounter. The single best solution (other than resetting the tile and rock without lime additive) is to wash once monthly with a diluted vinegar solution and stiff bristle nylon brush. The addition of sealers over the rock or tile will dramatically worsen the problem at this stage. Answer from a Stone Person Any natural stone or masonry surrounding a saltwater pools should be sealed for protection to prevent pitting and flaking for the surface called "Spalling", This is caused by saltwater splash-outs penetrating into porous stone or concrete. The product you need is manufactured by DuPont specifically for stone and masonry surrounding saltwater pools. It can be purchased online at the link below http://www.levantinausaec.com/d14226675.html Depending on the type of stone you have you can potentially damage the stone by using vinegar which can react with the natural calcium that is found in some natural stones.
Well it all depends...usually in Florida the day temps are warm but the nights are cold and thats what makes the water cold. The water temps are usually in the 50s and maybe low 60s at the beaches so it would probably range from 55-65 degrees in a unheated pool. March may get alittle warmer but still could be in the 60s in the unheated pool which is cold for me
Can a repair kit be used to repair a leak around the nozzle on an Easy Set Pool?
I couldn't find a repair kit, but what I did last year was went to home depot and bought a 4"x4" sheet of very thin rubber, I cut this into a 2" strip which I wrapped around the nozzle then put the hose back on over this. (the hose had to be heated in boiling water to stretch it over the additional width) This worked really well no leaks for the whole summer. That was ingenious but the next time that same fitting leaks you will most likely have to replace the hose. It could split from age and sun damage without notice.
Do you need to turn off your automatic salt chlorinator when adding shock to a salt water pool?
By Shock I guess you mean a packet of Chrlorine marketed as "Shock or "Shock Treatment" which is esentially just chlorine packaged at a higfher price. Any ususal powdered or liquied chlorine will do the same job except those that are Di chlor or tri chlor. No need to turn of the salt chlorinator at all.
What does buffer and added hardness do for a saltwater pool?
Buffer and added hardness do the same thing in a salt water pool as in a fresh water pool. The buffer (sodium bicarbonate aka bicarbonate of soda) stabilizes the pH of your pool so that addition of acid or base doesn't change the pH very much. The hardness, mostly Calcium, helps achieve water balance to make the pool neither deposit (precipitate) excess Calcium Carbonate to your pool surfaces nor corrode (remove) Calcium from your plaster pool surface. The combination of pH, Total Alkalinity (adjusted for Cyanuric Acid), Calcium Hardness, temperature and Total Dissolved Solids determines whether your water is balanced. Just keep these values near their recommended amounts for your pool and you should be fine. If you're a techie and want the full formulas, do a Google search for "Langelier Saturation Index".
Why is our limestone coping on our saltwater pool turning white?
It sounds like you are describing efflorescence or a mineral deposit. It would be easier if you send a photo. If it is at the water line it's most likely calcium deposits. If it's at the edge of the pool it's most likely due to water seeping out. (efflorescence)
Does a saltwater pool require the PH to be adjusted more than a non salt pool?
A salt water pool is still a chlorine pool, but a weaker form of chlorine if you will! Your PH is affected by the reaction of the "chlorine" with the contamination in the pool. Your salt generated chlorine is working harder to kill the bacteria that it can kill. Therefore there is more "demand" in your pool which will require a more consitant Ph adjustment to keep the chlorine active! The "kill rate" or time it takes to kill, of salt generated chlorine is nearly double that of chlorine. E-coli for instance can live in a chlorine pool for up to 96 hours. A salt pool, as much as 180 hours. YUCK! You should be aware that many common pool bacteria have grown immune to chlorine and salt generated chlorine! Chlorine or salt does not kill Cryptosporidium or Girardia! Science has moved well beyond chemical additon to swimming pools. Check the World Health Organizations- Healthy Pool Guidelines! Ultraviolet is the way to go! Jon La
What system is more corrosive chlorine or salt system?
Not really a big deal more corrosive but the answer is salt because of electrolysis.
You will need 1 chlorine generator for every 25000 gallons of water in your pool, They run 1500-1700.00 each. It takes about 2.5 years to break even, If nothing breaks.The water is tons better feeling on your skin and you still need to keep PH in check add Pool conditioner and keep track of your phosphates.More info Kenny 801-232-5893
You also don't have to mess with chlorine tablets, granules, etc. Many of the newer chlorine generators are self-cleaning and easy to use. A good example is the Aqua Rite from Goldline / Hayward. You can see one here:
http://shop.bluehaven.com/product/aqua-rite/in-ground-pool-alternative-sanitizers
You changed your pool from chlorine to salt water you are noticing your scalp stays very dry now?
It should not make any difference. the salt concentration in a salt water pool is the same as the salt concentration in your body. I think you should look for answers elsewhere.
Is pool algae less with salt water?
yes algae levels are lower due to the salt levels. Salt water pools are more carrosive to the pools plumbing. PVC may be a better way to plumb a pool as time will tell.
What is the ideal salinity range for an in ground saltwater pool?
The ideal salt level depends on the manufacture of the unit. Some ranges are higher than others. The average range is 2700 ppm to 3500. But you should always consult the owners manual or manufacture of your particular unit. Most manufactures post their information on-line. 2700 ppm to 3200 ppm salt PH 7.2-7.6 Alkalinity 80-120ppm Preferably 0 phosphates
Do water recycling systems work for laundromats?
The current answer (August 2008) is no. Recycling has two main issues. First, there are no systems available to adequately clean the water at a reasonable cost. There is a company that can do controlled laundry systems, such as hotels, but it cannot process powdered soaps, which are still in great use in laundromats. Second, the latest generation of machines from all major manufacturers still do not allow the control of water from an additional input. Recycled water can generally only be used in the initial rinse cycle, with fresh water used for the final rinses. Current equipment does not support this delineation of water input.
Are these loose flakes? Could be calcium deposits if attached to pool walls etc. Are you adding proper amounts of muriatic acid? Are you testing your pH? Alkalinity?
