WOOHOO! You have a saltwater pool! Congratulations!! Did you know that your pool is very special in terms of care and chemistry? What makes saltwater pool chemicals unique from fresh water supplies? The answer is SCIENCE. Salt pools need to be treated as the unique bodies of water that they are. No magic – just logic. Be confident though that the products you add to your saltwater pool are unique.
Reason # 1 that your saltwater pool is special
The first big difference is the ECG (electrolytic chlorine generator). This is your salt ‘cell’. It uses powerful electrical impulses to literally break apart the salt molecule to produce natural chlorine from the NaCl. This cell is the game changer. Inside the cell, the environment is too harsh for traditional pool chemicals – the temperature and sanitizer level are so high that most ‘regular pool chemicals’ are denatured and therefor useless. Don’t keep electrocuting your hard earned money – use products specifically designed for your saltwater pool.
Reason # 2 that your salt pool is unique
The second thing that makes your salt pool special is the salt! This creates a high TDS (total dissolved solids) level in the pool water. Traditionally, TDS levels over 1500 ppm lead to a variety of pool problems. Cloudy water, staining of surfaces, scale and chemical efficacy are large concerns. Most saltwater pools have a TDS from 4000-6000 ppm. How do you combat the high TDS challenges? , The answer is proper product design and knowing what to add and when. This is a great reason to partner with a pool professional who is a saltwater pool specialist.
Reason # 3 that your saltwater pool is different
Your saltwater pool is very special as the generation of chlorine is automated – it happens all without any work from you. This is both a blessing and a curse. When salt pools are good, they are very very good and when they are bad they are expensive. This really has a lot to do with the ease of automatic sanitizer production. In a ‘regular’ pool, a homeowner is constantly testing and adding chlorine manually. You will never open a pail of chlorine and get hit in the face with toxic fumes and you will never have to touch a chemical where the smell will stay on your hands for days. You do have to know that your automation makes your pool special and automation does need attention every now and then.
Reason # 1 that your saltwater pool is exclusive
Reason number four that makes your pool special is that saltwater pools have very similar chemistry to your own body – we humans are saltwater systems. The ‘sassolite’ that is in proper saltwater pool products is often used in ophthalmic solutions for cleansing and irrigating your eyes. It also contains minerals found in nasal drops and flushes used when treating sinus issues. These are things you never would, or should, find in freshwater pool chemicals but when included in a salt pool routine greatly increase the efficiency and comfort of your pool water.
