The continuous generation of chlorine is great at eliminating the chlorine byproducts that arise when chlorine attacks organic matter. Over time, after adding all these tablets, the cyanuric acid will accumulate over the 50 ppm max. blown. It is also nicer to have a machine put chlorine into your pool instead of having to monitor and add chlorine to the pool yourself. As pool water (which will now contain the 3,000 ppm of salt) passes through your SCG system, and makes contact with the titanium coated cell blades, an electrolytic process occurs and CREATES CHLORINE on site and on demand. Think of bleach, after all, bleach is most commonly chlorine and/or hydrogen peroxide. First, let's talk about salt. In short, you are making your own Chlorine versus buying it in a retail store and adding it yourself. 1) Mineral pools (pools with an ionizer) have less chlorine than salt water pools (0.5ppm - 1ppm vs 1ppm - 3ppm for salt), 2) Mineral pools are less maintenance that salt water pools (no pH balancing effort or salt cells to clean - no deadly muriatic acid around the house), 3) Mineral pools are less risky than salt water pools (no chlorine gas produced, no risk of corrosion in any circumstances). These costs offset themselves in smaller pools, but in larger pools can make this a cheaper year-to-year alternative. The biggest complaint of those who own a mineral system are having to use chlorine with them. mmilos, has made some good points about salt chlorine generators (SCGs)/electrolytic chlorine generators (ECGs), and some need clarification. The biggest benefit of a traditional chlorine system used to be that not only is the system a low-cost investment but the chlorine itself is relatively inexpensive and very easy to add to a pool. A Chlorinator is available in two forms: We offer a wide range of chlorinators to help maintain your pool's sparkle! Learn more about these handy doo-dads here! These minerals work together to keep your pool clean and help battle algae and bacteria, among others. I will never use chlorine in tablet/stick/liquid form again! So typically there is less acid or base required to keep pH in that ideal range with a mineral system. One gallon of liquid is comparable to about a pound or so of granular chlorine depending on brand and strength. If you want to learn more about how heat pumps work, what to expect from them in terms of performance, and how to size one for your pool then read these heat pump reviews: Heat pump comparison reviews, Keep your skin and the environment healthy with a pool that cleans itself, naturally, Learn which water purification method is best for your house, from pitchers to whole-house setups, If you want a classic sink material that rejects bacteria, babies your dishes and develops a patina, copper is for you, Have an old pool? Salt Chlorinator With a salt chlorinator, you add salt to the pool, rather than chlorine. Sorry, but I didn't understand your response above..So do you think the copper filtration system isn't a wise choice? If you would like to know more, make sure to check out the products below: There are so many choices to make when it comes to designing your perfect backyard gathering place. However, it is important to test the mineral level in the water regularly to make sure it is in the recommended range. Most commonly, granular chlorine is used with tablets, so that smaller amounts of granular is added, and a little less often. While pools traditionally purchased in the Spring or even late Summer can usually have many weeks of use that same year, the entire industry is currently delayed by several weeks and in some cases several months. 4 ppm of chlorine is 10x as corrosive on stainless steel as 4,000 ppm of salt. Chlorine tablets do have a lower ph than you keep your pool at, so you do have to adjust it a little more often than just granular chlorine, but not that bad. When youre finished, have a look at the benefits or see how pool ionizers compare with salt water pools. Before the world of COVID-19, a 50lb bucket of chlorine tabs typically cost you between $70-$75. I hope this basic information helps. Search your local Association of Pool & Spa Professionals here: http://apsp.org/about-apsp/find-a-professional.aspx Good luck! There are many types of SCGs on the market from various manufacturers and they will each have their own requirements in water balance, rules on operation, specific type of salt that should be used, length of cell life, etc., so be sure to brief yourself with the owner's manual. Salt, in and of itself, is not corrosive, Look at the metal top of a salt shaker. With salt chlorinators, it is important to clean the salt cell regularly. SacrificialAnodes will help to protect metal components of the pool connected and bonded together, but not movable items such as metal patio furniture. It is not uncommon for people to say they are using the same amount of chlorine as they did without. This also means that, unlike saltwater systems, you won't have to worry about the corrosive nature of salt on your metal, clothing, and concrete. Consider this example and I think you will see why fiberglass pools are so popular: Lets say you are a general contractor and you are building a house. The amount of chlorine required depends on the size of your pool, usage, sun, rain, etc. Generally, once per season is enough. Chlorine keeps a pool clean through a series of chemical reactions. Most salt cells will not operate at temperatures below 50 degrees and require packaged Chlorine anyway if your pool is to remain open during the winter. You still check the chemicals regularly in a salt pool, but you will typically make less frequent adjustments since you'll see fewer peaks and valleys with sanitation levels. Thanks for choosing Royal Swimming Pools for all of your swimming needs! However, once they have reached the desired level, which is typically 0.2ppm to 0.4ppm, they are very stable so you dont have to test it very often. This is a myth. To use, granular chlorine will need to be put in a bucket of water, dissolved, and then poured around the perimeter of the pool; preferably over the return jets. This post compares salt water pools with mineral pools that use a pool ionizer. Using the mineral systems reduces your need for chlorine by about 50%. Several large bags of salt are required to kick off the chlorination process. You go ahead and take this advice for what you will - I am just a random internet stranger that happens to be named "Swimming Pool Steve". You should use less than that, but this is a good estimate. To give the water a softer feel, you can use a borates-based product which provides that salt-like feel without the salt. What this means is that although a chlorine system pool is generally the least expensive option for a pool sanitation system, it also requires the most amount of maintenance labor. Pool Ionizer Pool ionizers add natural minerals to the water which assist in controlling bacteria and algae in pools and spas by augmenting the bactericidal and algicidal activity of primary disinfectants. The cheapest, easiest, best result remedy to high cyanuric acid is dilution - draining a portion of the pool and refilling it with fresh water. This usually results in keeping a huge storage barrel, or multiple trips to the pool store. Some prefer to spread the cost of maintaining a pool out over time, and it works for many budgets this way.A traditional chlorine system typically works by adding chlorine to the pool as needed; typically on a weekly basis. It also has a really high PH and is very corrosive. The mineral cell is then connected to a control box which is plugged into a regular wall outlet. It just takes up a large amount of space. When you add tablets, your chlorine level is usually the same as it was when you added tablets last time, not at the bottom of the testing scale. The salt chlorinator systems will eventually corrode the aluminum parts in your cover down in the vault. Due to the corrosive nature of salt systems, many more turned to mineral systems. If you have an SCG, there will be an initial addition of salt, and through water analysis performed by your pool professional, additions will be made accordingly to keep you at the optimal level. These have long been the standard in pool sanitation. That's on the manufacturers side of the business. If you are looking to buy a new pool in the next few years you may have a longer wait time than anticipated, especially if you're trying to get on a builders schedule as well. Technically, you can sanitize a pool with bleach, but that is much more expensive than buying the raw chemicals such as granular, or chlorine tablets. The easiest way to deliver chlorine in a mineral pool is with an inline chlorinator. However, pH balancing chemicals are used frequently. More on purchasing a pool during or even post-pandemic can be foundhere. Some manufacturers of above ground pools and equipment will void your warranty if you use a salt chlorinator, so its important to check that before you go with this system. There are many choices in materials and equipment that will dictate your costs and your local pool professional will be able to explain the differences and what fits your lifestyle and budget best. Zinc is a metal that gives up its ions faster than any other metal in the pool so the Zinc Anode will be the first to go. Obviously, when using an SCG, water balance is easier to maintain. Can a Swimming Pool Cause a UTI, Yeast Infection, Ear Infection, or Other Health Issues? And while the smell alone may be reason enough for some people to prefer alternative sanitation systems, the added irritation on eyes and skin and harshness on hair and clothing can take traditional chlorine out of the running for some swimmers. This helps divert the stray electrical currents generated by the chlorinator which can cause corrosion. It is also important to keep the chlorinator settings low if your pool is going to be covered for a long period of time. I would appreciate any insight to either or both systems. That's on the manufacturers side of the business. SCG pools still sanitize with chlorine. Now, The Drawbacks of a Traditional Chlorine System, As mentioned, the price of chlorine since. If you own a fiberglass pool installation company I am sure you are a nice and well meaning guy - this is just a simple matter of a technical comparison and I want to be sure all customers hear an objective point of view from a pool and spa expert who is not trying to sell a fiberglass pool (or any pool) so I have no vested interest other than to promote spreading of factual information. Extra bonding attachments to sink anything that isn't absorbed by the zinc sacrificial anode(s) will also ensure long life. What style pool do you think fits this house and property? While your skin and hair will thrive and will thank you for choosing a saltwater-based pool, your pool components may not. Now ask yourself a real question - would you rather a pool built by myself, a second generation swimming pool and spa expert, or a general contractor who has never built a pool before looking to put some extra cash in his pocket? Pools with ionizers stay crystal clear all summer, even if you forget to add chlorine, because the minerals are always in there working. We typically recommend adding one 3 tablet every week or two which is less than half of what you would need without an ionizer. Remember that classic "swimming pool smell" that brings back childhood memories around a pool. Because it is the easiest way to kill bacteria. As a secondary heat source a heat pump kicks tons of butt! The best plan you can have is to, before you'd like to start building. The main reason for this is the belief that salt water is a healthier alternative to chlorine treated pools. The first thing to get out of the way is this: No, saltwater pools do not taste salty like the ocean. More on purchasing a pool during or even post-pandemic can be found. Salt Chlorinator Salt water pools use a device called a salt chlorinator. However, if your water is really hard meaning there is a lot of dissolved solids or sediment, you will need to clean the salt cell more frequently. Leaving only the need to shock occasionally, such as after a pool party, or if your free chlorine test shows lower than your combined chlorine. OK, I have an ionizer and what ClearBlue Ionizer Inc said is not true. This is usually not a problem because the microscopic ions can still get through. We have several options for salt systems at Royal Swimming Pools. IMPORTANT INTERRUPTION: Due to the rise in demand caused by the 2020 pandemic,pools in general are experiencing delaysin manufacturing and shipping. In reality, salt water pools have the same amount of chlorine as pools treated with chlorine directly, which is typically 1ppm to 3ppm. The salt cell then converts the salt to liquid chlorine, effectively creating a mini chlorine factory. The Benefits of a Traditional Chlorine System. We have to have an auto cover on our pool (neighbor has 5 HUGE messy redwood trees) and want it in an underground vault. levels, and have your pool professional perform an analysis every 2 weeks to help ensure you are on the right track with water balance.