Addin salt without a SWG

[smforte]

Before opening my pool for the season I always take a refresher course in pool school. While reading about different chemicals I noticed this regarding adding salt without a SWG..."For improved water feel without a SWG, try levels around 2,000. These levels are less then one tenth of the salt level in ocean water, which has around 35,000 ppm of salt. People vary in their ability to taste low levels of salt. A few people can taste salt levels as low as 1,000, others not until 3,500 or more."

I don't have a SWG but wonder how beneficial it would be. Does anyone else do this? And, how beneficial is it other than feel. How would it affect FC etc?

 

[pooldv]

Sure, plenty of people add salt for the other benefits besides SWG. It will not impact your FC at all. Most SWG pools are around 3000ppm +/-500. 2000-3000 would be good to try.

 

[smforte]

What are the other benefits other than feel. Also how would I know how much to add?

 

[pooldv]

It just feels better, softer and silkier. Some people say it feels better on the eyes too. Everyone who swims in our pool comments on how nice it is on their eyes. Then I tell them there is bleach in the pool and the chlorine is around 10ppm and they freak out! LOL!

Poolmath can tell you how much to add. Set your target at 2000 and see about it.

 

[Brett_N]

Even though my pool is cold, I did jump in after adding salt. It definitely feels "softer" - as for other benefits, can't tell you.

I have a (roughly) 30K gallon pool - I put in 200 pounds of plain old water softener salt. I just ordered a salt test kit so I don't know PPM yet, but guessing it's around 1000ppm, so I may add some more.

It won't hurt anything. BUT! Be careful how you backwash if you need to, salt water will kill grass

 

[smforte]

It just feels better, softer and silkier. Some people say it feels better on the eyes too. Everyone who swims in our pool comments on how nice it is on their eyes. Then I tell them there is bleach in the pool and the chlorine is around 10ppm and they freak out! LOL!

Poolmath can tell you how much to add. Set your target at 2000 and see about it.

Thanks pooldv love pool,ath. Didn't think about using it for salt

- - - Updated - - -

Even though my pool is cold, I did jump in after adding salt. It definitely feels "softer" - as for other benefits, can't tell you.

I have a (roughly) 30K gallon pool - I put in 200 pounds of plain old water softener salt. I just ordered a salt test kit so I don't know PPM yet, but guessing it's around 1000ppm, so I may add some more.

It won't hurt anything. BUT! Be careful how you backwash if you need to, salt water will kill grass

luckily my backwash dumps into overgrown city property behind my house. That'll be an added benefit of hopefully killing some of it. Gotta get a salt test kit.

Thanks guys!

 

[Reddogdan]

Is that safe to do with flagstone coping?

 

[pooldv]

That is one of the great debates in pool land. My flagstone coping has not changed or deteriorated noticeably in the four years it has been installed around our saltwater pool.

 

[pikeman]

I think there is some middle ground here with enough salt to make it feel nice and not enough to harm the landscape.
As far as hardscape goes, my pool builder used lots of limestone and I'm not getting any salt water in that. I've already had some issues with my natural rock loosening up in the mortar, and I will not introduce any salt into those cracks.

 

[cowboycasey]

I can tell you Bermuda grass doesn't even flinch at 3500ppm salt water It just depends on the type of grass or landscape you have...

 

[Swampwoman]

^and how much fresh water grass or plants get...eg a water-starved plant might react to constant salt build up if no freshwater...but generally at these levels its not fatal to plants that get additional water.