Salt water pools have a salt chlorinator system to convert dissolved salt into chlorine and a salt cell that actually performs the function. Beyond that though, most aspects of salt water pools are similar to other styles of pools. The fact remains that salt water pools do have components that are different as well as several maintenance differences to deal with, too.
There is additional responsibility with a salt water pool in the sense that there is more valuable equipment (salt chlorinator and salt cell) to maintain. On the flipside, salt water pools are generally easier to maintain their water balance.
Here is a quick overview with facts and figures regarding salt water pools.
Salt Water Pool Facts And Figures
| Salt Water Pool Component | Salt Water Pool Specific |
| Salt content | 2700 ppm – 3400 ppm range |
| Chlorine | 1 ppm – 3 ppm |
| pH | 7.2 – 7.8 range |
| Total alkalinity | 80 ppm – 120 ppm |
| Stabilizer (CYA) | 60 ppm – 80 ppm |
| Total water hardness | 200 ppm – 400 ppm |
| Salt chlorinator system | $600 – $2,000 installed |
| Salt cell replacement | $300 – $700 |
| Salt cell maintenance | Using the reverse polarity feature or manually cleaning |
| Salt level in the ocean by comparison | 35,000 ppm |
| Salt required in a brand new pool | 200 lbs for every 10,000 gallons of water |
| Taste of salt in the pool | Tasteless |
| Smell of the chlorine produced | Odorless |
| Salt replacement costs per year | $20 – $50 |
| Required salt purity | 99% and up (listed on the bag) |
| Type of salt required | Pool salt or standard water softener salt |
| Salt to avoid using | Rock salt, salt with pink and brown coloring |
| Pros of salt water pools | Soft water on the eyes and skin. Relatively easy to maintain water. |
| Cons of salt water pools | Expensive up front installment cost. Salt is corrosive. |
Salt Water Pool Quick Yes and No
Here are is a Q & A with answers to many questions that potential and current salt water pool owner often ask.
| Question | Answer |
| Can salt water freeze in winter? | Yes. Depending on where you live, you may need to drain some water at winter closing and winterize the pool to prevent pipes and equipment freezing during the winter. |
| Does a salt water pool require a filter? | Yes. You can use the same filtration systems on a salt water pool as other pool types. |
| Can a salt water pool use a heater? | Yes. A salt water pool uses the same type of heaters that other pool types use. |
| Does a salt water pool have chlorine? | Yes. The salt chlorinator converts dissolved salt into a milder form of chlorine that isn’t as hard on the eyes, skin and your clothing. Plus it doesn’t produce the strong chlorine smell that you find in other pools. But it is still chlorine nonetheless. |
| Does a salt water pool kill germs? | Yes. When people hear chlorine pool they generally assume that is means clean given what we know about chlorine’s disinfection properties. When they hear salt water pool, they aren’t sure since we don’t associate salt with cleaning. A salt water pool uses salt and converts it to chlorine to kill germs and sanitize the water. |
| Does the salt water taste salty? | No. The salt content in a salt water pool is typically less than 1/10th the level of salt found in the ocean. |
| Does the salt water smell like chlorine? | No. The chlorine produced by the salt chlorinator doesn’t come with the strong chlorine smell that commercial chemical products give off. |
| Does salt water rust or corrode metal? | Maybe. Salt is corrosive and even though the salt level in the pool is low, it can damage metal equipment like the pool ladder. Keeping your water chemistry balanced goes a long way to preventing this. |
| Can I use regular water softener salt if my pool company says so? | Yes. Check with your chlorinator manufacturer too. Typically pool salt is twice the price of regular water softener salt so there is a cost savings and it tends to work just as well. |
| Do salt water pools require maintenance? | Yes. The salt cell needs to be inspected and cleaned unless your chlorinator has a reverse polarity feature to do this automatically. Plus salt water pools have to be vacuumed, skimmed and cleaned just like any other pool. |
| Is a salt water pool better? | Maybe. It depends who you ask. Chlorine pools require less up front cost but more maintenance. Salt water pools produce softer water with generally less work balancing the water but have a higher up front cost. |
| Can a salt water pool have a liner? | Yes. A vinyl-lined pool can accommodate a salt water chlorinator. Vinyl pools are commonly built with salt systems and existing chlorine pools may be converted to a salt water system too. |
| Can a salt water system be used in a fiberglass pool? | Yes. You can install a salt water system in a fiberglass pool. Fiberglass has long been used to build boats due to their durability in water and particularly salt water. Fiberglass stands up well to salt. |
| Can a concrete pool use a salt water system? | No. A concrete pool doesn’t work as well with a salt water system due to the salt’s effect on the concrete and the damage it can cause over time. Some pool builders won’t recommend them and may not even install a salt system in a concrete pool. |
| Will salt damage a pool liner? | Maybe. Salt has a corrosive aspect to it and water chemistry is not adhered to, other water factors can damage the pool too. In general terms, keeping water balanced will ensure your pool liner lasts many years as expected. |
| Does salt water pool ruin hair color? | No. While you may want to wash your hair after swimming to rinse it out, salt water tends to be softer on hair than chlorine. If you’ve heard of light colored hair turning green in a pool, it’s because of high copper content. |
| Will a salt water pool kill grass? | Large amounts of salt water emptied could be problematic for grass and garden areas. If you drain a small amount of water into the grass area as I’ve done numerous times when the water level is too high, you shouldn’t have a problem. But if you have to drain several thousand gallons such as during winter closing, you may be dumping 50 lbs or more of salt into the lawn. Check with your local jurisdiction if you have doubts if you are allowed to empty large amounts of water from your pool in the sewer. |