Adding salt?

[rustypixel]

I've been an on and off reader of this forum since we got our pool back in 2002. I've had nothing but success and can only thank this site for all of the information available. I've been reading about the benefits of adding salt to pool water and have a few questions that I'm sure can be answered here. First of all, what type of salt and where can I get it in the needed quantities?
Second, how do I go about measuring the level of salt in the pool water? Lastly, what are some (or all) of the negatives of adding salt to pool water?

Thanks in advance for any and all replies/responses.

[RocKKer]

You want to use salt like that used for a water softener - only make sure it says something like 99.8% pure sodium chloride. It cannot have Iodine or any Anti-Caking additive, Yellow Prussiate of Soda (YPS). I believe "solar salt" may be a clue that it use ok too.

I use Cargill Diamond Crystal Solar salt for water softeners. 99.6% pure. It comes in a fifty pound bag and I got mine from Lowes or Home Depot, about $2.50 (or so) a bag.

To figure how much to get, you can do the math for your gallons (ie: 250 lbs for every 10K gallons of water gives you 3000 ppm salt) or get the bleachcalc program from mwsmith2 (search these forums on the name or bleachcalc) and go to more calcs / Salt Calcs. I am not saying 3000 ppm is best, only it is enough for my poolpilot SWC to operate. Experiment with less and add until it feels best to you. This is one those things easy to add, but draining is the only way to get less. If I remember right (from before the "crash") 6000 ppm is where metal corrosion from salt starts. I think poolsolutions Ben has said tears are 9000 ppm.

Your local pool store can test the salt level for you or you can get a salt testing kit from them or get the poolsolutions ps234 with the salt test or purchase it seperately.

No negatives for an IG pool.

AG pools may have an issue, read here:
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=683

The 4th post from Mark_WATERMAID.

[rustypixel]

You want to use salt like that used for a water softener - only make sure it says something like 99.8% pure sodium chloride. It cannot have Iodine or any Anti-Caking additive, Yellow Prussiate of Soda (YPS). I believe "solar salt" may be a clue that it use ok too.

I use Cargill Diamond Crystal Solar salt for water softeners. 99.6% pure. It comes in a fifty pound bag and I got mine from Lowes or Home Depot, about $2.50 (or so) a bag.

To figure how much to get, you can do the math for your gallons (ie: 250 lbs for every 10K gallons of water gives you 3000 ppm salt) or get the bleachcalc program from mwsmith2 (search these forums on the name or bleachcalc) and go to more calcs / Salt Calcs. I am not saying 3000 ppm is best, only it is enough for my poolpilot SWC to operate. Experiment with less and add until it feels best to you. This is one those things easy to add, but draining is the only way to get less. If I remember right (from before the "crash") 6000 ppm is where metal corrosion from salt starts. I think poolsolutions Ben has said tears are 9000 ppm.

Your local pool store can test the salt level for you or you can get a salt testing kit from them or get the poolsolutions ps234 with the salt test or purchase it seperately.

No negatives for an IG pool.

AG pools may have an issue, read here:
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=683

The 4th post from Mark_WATERMAID.

Thanks Rockker for the reply and the information. I did forget to mention that this is for an I/G vinyl pool and that the only reason I'd like to add salt is to change the feel of the water. I guess my last question regarding this (for now) is how exactly do I go about adding the salt to the pool? Do I pour it in the skimmer? Directly into the pool at a return?

Thanks again!

[waterbear]

Plain water softener pellets, solar salt, or pool salt with a purity of at least 99.5% are fine. Just pour it in the pool and brush to dissolve it. It actually dissolves pretty fast. I have a SWG and have used all of the above. Pellets take the longest to dissolve, pool salt (smaller crystals than solar) is the fastest. Two grocery store chains in my area carry pool salt (Publix and Winn Dixie) and have the best price that I have been able to find (about $5.00/40 lb bag).

[rustypixel]

Thanks to all for their replies. I'm sorry that I don't get all of my questions out in one shot, but they just keep comming to me in my sleep! Next question, I'd like to get the salinity to about 3000 ppm. Will the water taste salty at that level? I ask only because my wife has some serious concerns about my future plans for the pool.

Thanks again!

[tonyl]

Just barely....very very slight taste. But your skin will feel great and you'll love the "feel" of the water at that level. My wife wasn't "real crazy" about the taste at first but is totally used to it now.

[rustypixel]

Thanks again to all that replied. I think I'll be looking for some salt this upcoming weekend.

Thanks again!