Downsides to salt pools

[chem geek]

Brad,

Thanks for the info. PoolSean also mentioned (in an E-mail to me) how high chlorine levels can be corrosive and that those with SWG systems may sometimes forget to check their chlorine levels and find them to be too high. The important thing to remember is whether CYA is being used or not. If CYA is not used, then the chlorine level is much, much higher even when it "seems" not to be. An FC of 4 ppm without CYA is over 30 times more powerful as a disinfectant and oxidizer as the same 4 ppm FC in a pool with 30 ppm CYA. I presume that the corrosion ability of chlorine is related to its oxidation capability so a pool without CYA would be particularly at risk.

So my question is whether your pools, the commercial ones in particular, use CYA. Though one might think that they would if they are outdoors and exposed to sunlight, I have heard that some commercial pools with continuous chlorine sources (chlorine gas, hypochlorite liquid, or SWG) do not use CYA. That would be interesting to know and could explain a lot.

Richard