Salt or chlorine...Permasalt????

[kelemvor]

Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on having experienced both of the happiest days of a boat owners life! Although honestly when I sold mine, I wasn't all that happy about it- but I digress. Salt pools are chlorine pools. Here's an excerpt from poolsolutions.com. I highly recommend some reading the guides there. Here's a quote:

Swimming Pool Salt Water Chlorine Generator FAQ

What is a salt water system?
A salt water system or “salt water chlorine generator” (SWCG, SWG) is used to replace traditional chlorine with chlorine produced from salt in the pool water.

How does it work?
Salt, or sodium chloride, dissolves in water separating into sodium (ions) and chloride (ions). By passing a low voltage electrical current between special metal and through the water, the SWCG then converts the chloride into chlorine in a process called electrolysis.

The newly created chlorine creates a chlorine residual, and is available to sanitize the pool. When it is used up, it changes back to chloride, and allowing the process to start over again.

So a pool with an SWCG is not chlorine free?
Correct! An SWCG is just another way of adding chlorine to your pool. It's a good way of doing so, but the end result is still a chlorinated pool.

I'm not sure what "perma salt" is but most likely it is simply a brand name for a salt system. The salt in a SWCG system is never used up so technically all salt pools are permanently salt pools. Unless you replace the water.

[kelemvor]

I looked up the Perma Salt system. It is NOT just a swcg. It adds copper and silver to your water along with the chlorine generated. Personally, I'd avoid the product. Copper turns hair green, stains pools and is only marginally effective as a sanitizing agent.