Advantages of a Salt Water Swimming Pool

Automated Chlorine Distribution

Salt Chlorine Generators turn the routine task of adding chlorine to the swimming pool a thing of the past. Pools without salt chlorinators require addition of chlorine at minimum of once a week, depending on the pool and type of chlorine being used. With a salt chlorinator, given that the salt level is maintained at the required level and the chlorine generator is working properly, chlorine is automatically created when the pool filter is running. The amount of chlorine created is directly related to the length of the filter run making it very important to monitor the filtration time. Most salt chlorine generators stop producing chlorine when the water temperature gets extremely cold, so the only time traditional chlorine is required is for a short time in the winter.

Longer Lasting Power

Even though it is highly recommended that the water chemistry is still tested on a weekly basis at minimum, a swimming pool with a salt water chlorinator can be left unattended for longer periods of time than a pool using traditional chlorine. This advantage can be a great benefit when going on extended vacations.

Reduced Chlorine Costs

Since chlorine is generated automatically with a salt water chlorinator, the cost of adding chlorine to the pool is greatly reduced. Traditional types of chlorine only needs to be added during the coldest months of the year, reducing the cost of chlorine by 70% to 90%.

Softer Pool Water

Many salt water swimming pool owners will testify that salt pool water is more comfortable than pool water with traditional chlorine. Although salt chlorinators still produce the same chlorine chemical, the salt water creates softer water reducing some common complaints with traditional pool water such as dryness of the skin and burning of the eyes.

Avoid Chlorine Lock

One major issue with using traditional stabilized chlorine is called "chlorine lock". Chlorine Lock occurs when the level of cyanuric acid, also known as stabilizer or conditioner, gets too high. Stabilizer is needed in a chlorine swimming pool to protect the chlorine from the sun. Without it, the chlorine will get used up very quickly and the cost to keep the pool chlorinated will be very high. Since stabilized chlorine has cyanuric acid in it, each time it is added to the pool, the level of cyanuric acid rises. The optimal level of cyanuric acid is 20 – 60 ppm. Once the level gets above 60 ppm, the chlorine becomes less and less effective. At some point when the stabilizer level gets above 100 ppm, the chlorine stops working all together leaving the swimming pool unprotected. When chlorine lock occurs, the swimming pool needs to be partially drained in order to dilute the conditioner level. With salt chlorine generators, this is a non-issue and the stabilizer level only needs to be tested a couple times a year with a cyanuric acid test kit. When the level falls below 20 it is time to add stabilizer to the pool.

An excellent and probably the most popular salt chlorinator for pools on the market today is the Hayward Aqua Rite Goldline , designed to work for all residential pools up to 40,000 gallons.

Up to 15,000 gallons - Aqua Rite 15K

Up to 25,000 gallons - Aqua Rite 25K

Up to 40,000 gallons - Aqua Rite 40K

More Articles on Salt Chlorine Generators