If the ocean comes into mind when you hear the word ‘saltwater’, don’t! Salt water chlorination systems are simply saltwater pools that serve as an alternative to the popular chlorination systems most pool owners use today. Since the early 2000’s though, more and more people as well as hotels and water parks are making the switch to saltwater chlorine generators. Salt levels in a standard saltwater pool system are usually 3000 ppm, a rather insignificant amount when compared to the ocean’s average salt level of 35000 ppm.
In traditional swimming pools, free available chlorine (FAC) become chloramines when contact with any human byproduct is made. The chloramines result in the “chlorine smell” in pools when there is not enough FAC, leading to skin and eye irritation and making shock treatment of the pool necessary. However in saltwater pools, a generator consistently supplies the water with FAC greatly reducing chloramines.
Despite removing the hassle of directly adding chlorine, water chemistry still needs to be monitored for low chlorine levels. Several factors can cause this including a failing generator, sun exposure and a lack of salt due to rainwater dilution, splashing that misplaces the pool’s water and backwashing (filter maintenance draining). To prevent the suns UV rays from breaking down the FAC in a saltwater pool, a stabilizer like cyanuric acid is essential. Convenience and less chloramine-related irritations are just some of the benefits salt chlorination systems have to offer.
Pool Supply 4 Less 