Tonight I add salt to my non SWG above ground pool

[The Raddish]

I have read as much of the salt threads as I could find, and as soon as my wife heard me say something about adding salt to the pool she insisted I go for it. So I'll be stopping by Lowe's tonight to pick up some salt.

From what I have read, I want to get the purest water softener salt I can find. Also, I'm shooting for low levels now as I can add more later as needed. I have a 24' x 52" round pool (about 12,500 gallons), so according to the bleachcalc I need about 100 pounds of salt to get about 1000ppm. If salt is sold only in 40# bags instead of 50#, then I'll only add 80# for the first run, as I can always add more later.

The only thing missing is a test kit for salinity (not included with my Taylor kit), so I'm going strictly by "feel" on this one. I'll post the results of adding the salt in the next day or two after we get some swim time.

[cleancloths]

I'm lost! WHY are you adding salt to a NON-SWG system? What will it do for you?

[The Raddish]

Many people here on this site and elsewhere claim that adding salt to your pool helps make the water less 'harsh'. The claim is that it is good for the hair and skin, and reduces or eliminates eye burn.

All of these things are attractive to my wife and I, so I figure why not give it a try? After all, it's the same concept used for in-home water softeners, so why wouldn't it work in a pool environment?

[cleancloths]

Not sure I buy that it does anything for you, but your pool already has salt in it. Think about it for a few minutes.

You add chlorine as either sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite. You add borax, or baking soda or other pH up chemicals. Thus you have Cl ions an Na ions floating around in the water. That is exactly what you get when you add NaCl (salt). These ions are all dissolved in the water. When you add salt you are adding more which may or may not dissolve depending on what levels you all ready have. You may actually create water chemistry problems, not to mention the potential for corrosion on certain metals. Don't think it a good idea.

[Sherra]

Cleanclothes,

There are several "veterans" on the board who have added salt to their non-swg pools with excellent results. Take a look through the Salt Generator forum and you'll find a couple of threads about it. It does no harm to a properly balanced pool, liners, finishes, etc.

[Rangeball]

cleancloths, hundreds, thousands or even hundred thousands of SWG pool owners probably disagree with you.

I added salt to my non SWG pool and the way the water feels while in the pool or after getting out is noticably better, much preferred.

If you have an open mind I recommed you do a search for adding salt. I've had absolutely none of the problems you mentioned, and expect never too. The salt levels I ended up with are less than half those recommended for SWG pools.

[cleancloths]

While it likely has done no harm, it will impact the overall water balance chemistry. Salts act as buffers and you should already be buffered, thus you will end up with slighly salty water - if you like that go for it, but I would never add a chemical that I really don't need.

There are millions of people that claim things do things that they really don't - that does not make them right.

I would be interested in seeing some technical documentation (not just opinions) that adding NaCl to a chlorine sanitized pool has value. Please let me know of a link where I can see that.

Thanks

[Rangeball]

If you have an open mind I recommed you do a search for adding salt.

Guess not...

[waterbear]

Not sure I buy that it does anything for you, but your pool already has salt in it. Think about it for a few minutes.

You add chlorine as either sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite. You add borax, or baking soda or other pH up chemicals. Thus you have Cl ions an Na ions floating around in the water. That is exactly what you get when you add NaCl (salt). These ions are all dissolved in the water. When you add salt you are adding more which may or may not dissolve depending on what levels you all ready have.
considering that seawater has a salinity of about 35,000 ppm and that everything dissolves in it and that the most a pool with a SWG might have is 6000ppm your argument doesn't hold water, so to speak
You may actually create water chemistry problems
As you stated sodium and cloride ions already exists in the water, however, they are fairly neutral players in the water chemisty that goes on. All they do is add to the TDS which is not important as far as water balance chemistry goes.
, not to mention the potential for corrosion on certain metals
Here you MIGHT have a point but the actual fact is that years of use of SWG systems have not documented many corrosion problems in inground pools.
. Don't think it a good idea.

Look at the installed base of SWGs worldwide, some have been in use for about 30 years now. the addtion of salt has had no bad effects and subjectively makes the water feel more comfortable.

[The Raddish]

I added a third bag of salt to the pool tonight. Oh my, it made such a huge difference!! I'll test the salinity tomorrow, but three bags should be about 1150ppm. We'll probably stay right here, as the water really feels wonderful at this salinity.