Pool and Spa Connection Pool Blog

Why is everyone promoting salt pools? Salt Swimming pools Part I

  

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So your friends, and what you are seeing on the internet are all talking about having a salt pool. What is a salt pool and why is everyone talking about them?

Let us take a moment to discuss what it is about a salt pool that has everyone talking and is it something that you may want to invest in?

Ok, let's just get quickly down to the nitty gritty on salt pools. First we have to understand basic chemistry so it's back to ninth grade chemistry. Salt is the molecule Sodium Chloride made up of protons and neutrons. Ok enough chemistry as that was a boring class and I flunked it. Just kidding.

Let's simplify this - All your doing is letting the electronic gizmo (A Chlorine Generator)  split the molecule to produce free chlorine from the salt in the water. Now that was easy to understand right?

Salt pools are about 3200 parts per million of salt which is very mildly tasting of salt. The ocean on the other hand is about 35000 parts per million of salt and tastes very salty.

So we can buy pre-packaged chlorine at a pool store, (we prefer you buy it from us of course) or, you can make it yourself. If you want to make it yourself you turn your pool into a salt pool by adding guess what? Yup, your were right salt. The salt is specifically washed salt that is very pure and manufactured for swimming pools.

Adding Pool Salt to Swimming Pool

IntelliChlor video

Once we add salt to our pool by dumping it in around the perimeter we brush it to let it dissolve. Then we want to let it circulate for a good 24 hours to disperse and dissolve. Now we are ready to be simple backyard scientists! You know how? By flipping a switch.

Pentair IntelliChlor - Salt Chlorine Generator

A salt generator (see picture above)  is an electrical device that splits the sodium chloride molecule so that it creates pure chlorine which is mixed into the water that has just been filtered back into your pool. Once there, the chlorine is actually hypochlorous acid, which is the technical name for pure chlorine. This is what kills germs and bacteria.

Undesirable Germs and Bacteria

So there you have it in a nutshell. A salt pool is one where you have added a specific amount of salt to it and an electronic device converts the salt into free chlorine so you automatically create pure chlorine and automatically sanitize the pool killing germs and bacteria.

This automation is the biggest draw for having a salt pool but there are other benefits which we will discuss in parts II and III coming soon.

Please feel free to post comments and ask questions so we can clarify your understanding of salt pools.

Thank you,

The team at the Pool and Spa Connection