Super dumb question. If the SWG is so fantastic because of how the salt makes the skin feel, how come I can't just pour some softener salt in my BBB pool and reap the benefits. (my husband says that you are going to say that salt is not used because of the effect on the skin, it is used because it is cheaper and simpler to maintain clear water.) We are dedicated BBB pool people, but the chlorine is VERY drying to our skin and hair. I am confused because chlorine is chlorine so I am assuming the SWG would still cause the same drying problem. Perhaps it is the salt additive that makes it bearable. Which brings us full circle. Why can't I just pour some softener salt in my pool?

You can add salt actually..there is a few threads here that discuss it ..do a search or im sure someone that knows more about it will chime on in soon...I was plan on doing the same but don't know if we wanna have that slight salty taste/smell? ?

No problemo and this is NOT a dumb question!

When adding salt for feel, 2,000 ppm is a good level to aim for. It is best to get an initial salt reading, since salt will never start at zero and there is no point in adding too much.

Don't forget to post back and tell us how you like it!

I would add that simply adding salt just for feel has tepid results. Many people try it, some like it. Some simply don't report back which I take as "I can't tell that much difference".

All you "salt for feel" enthusiasts can chime right in....it's an interesting topic that I don't think has been thoroughly discussed.

thanks for the advice. I did search this and found that indeed it is not a dumb question (I ran to tell my husband)! He is skeptical about the results and wants to hold off. I assume this is because he has very short hair and only swims when he returns home every other weekend. The daily swimming is really taking its toll on our long locks. The good news is that I have a friend that has a SWG pool and she lives just around the corner. I am going to take my daughters over there tomorrow to take a dip and see how we like it. If he still doesn't want to add, I will secretly swim in her pool at night. Sounds like there is a delicate balance of what people like. What if we add too much and hate it? I assume we are stuck with it until we reopen and refill next year?

Yes, once you add salt it will be around for a while unless you replace a significant amount of water.

Have you added borates? I feel they make the water feel silkier, but your mileage may vary.

I know nothing of borates. I just now am learning about salt. School me!

oh duh, borax! I do know about borax. I was under the impression that it was only for pH. Since my pH is in the recommended range, I haven't messed with it. After my AGP experience, I am terrified to tweak any numbers that don't need tweakn. I just read a little about it and I am afraid of moving my pH numbers on purpose. If someone knows EXACTLY how to tell me to add it and how much, I would try it.

Borates are optional but here is the thread on the subject: http://www.troublefreepool.com/so-you-want-to-add-borates-to-your-pool-why-and-how-t4921-20.html

On the "chlorine is very drying to our hair and skin", what cya, fc, ph are you maintaining.

I add salt and love it. I definitely think it feels better on my skin, and so do my kids. I also can taste it very slightly, which is no problem for me but I understand some people don't like that. So far we have just added it for feel (and the fun of swimming with the salt before it dissolves - looks like diamonds!), but I am considering going SWG this year.

I took my water samples to two pool stores today because I am so skeptical of them now. The first one said I had a salt reading of 610 ppm. The second one said level was 1500 ppm. Should I average? Should I go to another pool store? Should I error on the side of the lower one? I would like to share the hilarious conversation I had at pool store #1

me: I would like for you to please test this water for cooper and salt.
her: sure!

I waited 15 minutes while she talked on the phone and told a customer that copper makes chorine not work at all in a pool and it was a waste of time and money to add any more chlorine when there is copper in the water.

her: no copper in MY water!

I waited a bit longer for the salt results to come back. While I did this, I witnessed a complaining customer who said that she dumped in the stuff they requested and it started to look better, but now it is cloudy and green again today. The pool store girl said, "you just have to keep adding more bags of shock. At the same time, another store girl was telling a man that he had high copper and suggested he use different pucks. I felt bad for everyone.

FINALLY, the girl came back with the salt info.

her: OMG, you need like a ton of salt
me: oh goodness, I don't care to know how much salt i need, just how much I have in the water now.
her: oh, I don't know how to test for that, the computer just tells me how much pounds for you to buy.
me: how about you figure out how to get my starting point and I'll handle the pound conversion
her: you can't do that. you won't know how
me: Then I looked at her computer paper and noticed that it said 610 ppm salt
her: oh, I never noticed it that before.

I smiled and left
THANKS TFP!! You made my day!!

Now, back to my original question. Which number should go with?

So, she was going to tell you how much salt to buy, did she ask how big your pool is?

Yes, at the very end. She asked like it was an afterthought. My car couldn't carry "a ton" anyway!

It took 1400 lbs to get mine to the proper level.

Hmmm, that is almost a ton.

I don't know if adding salt will help for your hair because your pool is still going to have chlorine in it. One thing you can do for your hair is to wet your hair thoroughly in fresh water before getting it wet in the pool water. If your hair is saturated already, then less of the chlorine water is going to absorb into your hair. You could also spritz your hair with diluted conditioner before going in the pool.

You definitely should rinse your hair after getting out, too. An occasional rinse with (diluted) apple cider vinegar may help also. Here is a link about it: http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits ... oduct.html


(Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk. Please pardon any typos!)

I just starting doing this about a week ago. I rinse before and after swimming and then condition. It is better. So much hassle though. And the water is cold. Is the chlorine the same for a SWG? or is the chlorine 'different' because it is not from the bottle?

The chlorine is exactly the same but with a swcg your FC is less with a higher CYA so that may be a consideration.

Bama has already done a great job answering you question...here are my thoughts (since I have already written them).

The "chlorine" is not any different, but you can get away with a little lower FC level using a swg. With my swg and at my current cya level of 60 ppm, I keep at 3 ppm FC minimum, but if I was running my pool without the swg I would probably have 50 ppm cya which would mean the minimum should be 4 ppm FC (per poolcalcultor.com). The disinfecting chlorine levels are what is hard on hair, skin, equipment and in this case are approximately 0.02 ppm Cl2 (3 ppm FC, 60 ppm cya) verses 0.033 ppm Cl2 (4 ppm FC, 50 ppm cya) with the non swg case being significantly (~65%) higher.

In addition, the non-swg pool could also see higher peaks in FC since one would need to proactively bolus dose ahead of swimming and maybe during swimming to maintain the 4 ppm minimum.