Have Salt Systems fallen out of favor?

[PoolDoc]

Richard, do you know of products that have worked for sealing stone?

[Poolsean]

PoolDoc,
I think that would depend on the type of stone used and the environmental conditions the pool is in.

[chem geek]

Richard, do you know of products that have worked for sealing stone?

Not for stone specifically, but for concrete, yes. We have troweled concrete made to simulate flagstone and use Glaze 'N Seal Multi-Purpose Clear Sealer (with a fact sheet here) every year as recommended by our concrete installer. Stone is trickier and as Sean noted the proper product depends on multiple factors. John Bridge Tile Forum is an excellent forum on tile but also talk some about stone and sealers. Other forums such as Stone Forums aren't as busy and I'm not so sure the information is as reliable.

[steveinaz]

We're in our 7th season of our salt pool, and haven't seen any degradation in either the stainless light bezel, nor the stone coping/waterfall. We do have a pronounced white line on the stone, which I suspect is more calcium build-up than anything. We haven't had to replace any equipment due to salt being a factor (knock on wood). Our deck is Kool-deck, and seems to be just fine, despite my grand kids efforts to empty 1/4 of the pool on it.

I'm in extreme Southern Az, where humidity is very low, year round with the exception of monsoon season.

[PoolDoc]

and seems to be just fine, despite my grand kids efforts to empty 1/4 of the pool on it.

[rpoldervaart]

We're in our 7th season of our salt pool, and haven't seen any degradation in ... the stone coping/waterfall.

Hi Steve. I'm curious as to what kind of rock you have on your coping and waterfall. My moss rock waterfall has some rocks that have deteriorated to below the mortar. My flagstone coping is very gradually degrading. But with my pool being 7 years old, the moss rock is the worst problem, and the coping is the lessor problem, but still noticeable. I'm in Houston.
Robert

[chem geek]

Keep in mind that the problems aren't just having saltwater splash out onto softer stones, but also having fast enough evaporation and not having summer rains dilute the water. It's the combination of splash-out and evaporation that leads to salt recrystallization pressure that puts stress on softer stone. This is probably why more problems are seen in dry and hot Texas compared to wet Florida, for example. The local stones used also matter and some builders use materials that would be a problem for a non-salt pool as well, though it may take longer to notice in such a pool.

[rpoldervaart]

It's the combination of splash-out and evaporation

Ahh. That helps explain some things. My neighbor and I both have salt pools and natural rock. We were noticing that the rock under the water line (along his water line and under my water line under the falls) was not deteriorating noticeably.

[steveinaz]

Robert
Not really sure what the rock is, around here it's known as rip-rap. It's colorful and not at all smooth, has alot of purple, browns, reds in it.