Should I add a SWG??

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C

Cody

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Bronze Supporter
Aug 17, 2014
240
Prosper, TX
I've thought about this in the past, but am starting to really consider adding a SWG. A few facts:

Pool is about 5 years old. I was sold on Ozone at time of construction along with Nature 2 system (I didn't know any better). I was told absolutely DO NOT get salt because it will corrode everything metal in my back yard including furniture, the basketball goal we put in with our pool, etc. Also was told it would destroy our travertine coping.

I now know my ozone generator isn't really doing anything useful. I have taken the minerals out of the Nature 2 system with the help of a post on this site. I've been using liquid chlorine.

My pool is PERFECT! I absolutely love it, but I don't love having to constantly buy liquid chlorine. Wal Mart Pool Essentials is my go-to, and it's 3.64 per gallon. Cost isn't really the issue....it's having to buy so much of it. I lose about 3ppm FC per day, so I'm adding a lot of liquid chlorine daily.

Here's what I THINK I have learned about Salt Water Pools from reading on TFP (PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong on any of this).

The water has a great FEEL to it
The SWG will be able to mostly service my needs for added FC, with occasional supplement of liquid chlorine
I'll need to add Muratic Acid regularly to keep pH down, but not nearly as much of a pain as my current liquid chlorine daily addition
It will NOT be corrossive (I really need to be re-assured about this one....if i destroy our travertine coping my wife will kill me)
I'll need a SWG rated for at least 40k gallons since i have a 20k gallon pool
I should stick with Jandy since that will match my existing stuff and automation

Is all of that accurate?
What am I missing?
Does anyone have a D/FW installer they recommend? I'm not really a DIY guy.
I bought a robot from Marina which was awesome and a great deal...should I buy this online as well and then pay an installer?

Thoughts?
 
First thing I would do would be by the Taylor salt and test and test what your salt level actually is in your pool already from the continued use of bleach. You may find that the salt level is over half what would be required for an swg. Or at least get a pool store to test your salt level. I have no idea why they would tell you that your furniture Whittaker Road. It's not like by the ocean which is 10 times as much salt with salt spray spraying all over everything
 
I have travertine all around my pool and I haven’t see a spec of damage. That includes the coping as well. I’ve had my pool for 1.5 years and keep my salt concentration at 3800-4000 ppm. It’s a ploy from the builder to get you to not install an SWG. I was dumping in MA every other day when I first got the pool but now only dose once a week. Of course that depends how much you run your water features.
All in all I’d rather take my chainsaw I just purchased and cut my arm off than not have an SWG...
 
Why do you think pool builders are so against SWCGs? I could understand a pool service company being against it since it takes away chemical sales, but not builders. This seems to be a common occurrence. ???

Regarding the conversion to a salt pool, people will probably notice that the water is a little salty, but just a little. No one in my pool has had an issue with that. The feel of the water is indeed better, and you don't feel like you need to take a shower when you get out.
 
rowiac said:
Why do you think pool builders are so against SWCGs? I could understand a pool service company being against it since it takes away chemical sales, but not builders. This seems to be a common occurrence. ???
...
Click to expand...
I think it's just ignorance, they have been told it will cause damage so they believe it.
 
CHAINSAW! yikes...
Yes all that is accurate. I put my SWG in 15 years ago.. I'm on my second cell (they don't last forever).. it was the best investment I've made! Yes check your current salt level.. you can use it as proof to your wife that "Hey.. look how much salt is already in the pool and Travertine looks fine". Your tears and sweat are twice as salty as an SWG pool.
Installation is pretty easy.. if you are at all handy (cutting and gluing PVC and basic wiring) the gurus here can walk you through it... Otherwise... buy from your favorite vendor and hire someone to install it. And the gurus here will still help you oversee the project
 
First off, not all pools with SWG require frequent MA additions. I may do it 2 or 3 times a year.

To answer Rowiac's comment about builders- I think they're clueless because they don't do the chemistry and they get told that by pool store folks (who want to make repeated sales). Maybe not as much mark up profit??

Maddie :flower:
 
Everything in your backyard will corrode... if it is going to corrode, it will do so with or without a SWCG.

As far as the travertine is concerned, we have seen reports of damage, but none have proved the saltwater itself had anything to do with it... Travertine is a soft rock and water will wear it away.. The cheaper the stone the worse this damage is.. If you have not seen any issues over the past 5 years, then it is unlikely that the saltwater will make any difference..

If you are not in any rush, you could pick an out of the way place and run a test for a few months.. Make a little dam out of putty and fill it full of pool salt and water.. Make it much salter than a pool would be. Let it sit a few months and see what effect it has. Actually you might want to do two of them.. One with your current pool water and the other with really salty water.. Not scientific, by any means, but it would be real interesting to find out the results.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
rowiac said:
Why do you think pool builders are so against SWCGs? I could understand a pool service company being against it since it takes away chemical sales, but not builders. This seems to be a common occurrence. ???

Regarding the conversion to a salt pool, people will probably notice that the water is a little salty, but just a little. No one in my pool has had an issue with that. The feel of the water is indeed better, and you don't feel like you need to take a shower when you get out.
Click to expand...
Mr Bruce said:
I think it's just ignorance, they have been told it will cause damage so they believe it.
Click to expand...

Some ignorance.. and trying to avoid blame if they mess something up, they can blame the SWG
 
rowiac said:
Regarding the conversion to a salt pool, people will probably notice that the water is a little salty, but just a little. No one in my pool has had an issue with that. The feel of the water is indeed better, and you don't feel like you need to take a shower when you get out.
Click to expand...
So true.... I have heard the term "Pool salt water is no saltier than a teardrop". I cannot confirm that however. I had way too much time on my hands and I actually tried to make a comparison, but I'm not smart enough to make the conversion from 0.3 mg of salt in a tear drop - to a salt content of approximately 3800 PPM. I know there are a few on TFP that probably CAN do that however. :p

I would much prefer to swim in a very slightly "salty" pool.
r.
 

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Cody said:
...
Is all of that accurate?
What am I missing?
...
Click to expand...
Missing, here's some more stuff
-I know salt water pools are less irritating. My daughter has very sensitive skin.. she breaks out if she in a regular pool or a public pool.. probably the CC's But she is fine our salt pool.
-since a SWG makes CL at a slow continuous rate, the chemistry in the pool is more stable.. and makes maintaining all the other chems easier. This was the biggest surprise I had after putting in a SWG.. all of a sudden my pool maintenance list changed to turning a knob every now and then... well not quite but almost.
-You get lazy checking you pool chem because it doesn't change as much.
-You still have to chlorinate the old way in the winter.. they stop working in cold water temps
-I don't know if your controller supports any automation, but yeah keep with the same manufacturer if there is an automation interface for it, you can add it down the road
 
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MyAZPool said:
So true.... I have heard the term "Pool salt water is no saltier than a teardrop" I cannot confirm that however. I had way too much time on my hands and I actually tried to make a comparison, but I'm not smart enough to make the conversion from 0.3 mg of salt in a tear drop - to a salt content of approximately 3800 PPM. I know there are a few on TFP that probably CAN do that however. :p

I would much prefer to swim in a very slightly "salty" pool.
r.
Click to expand...
Salt water pool: ~3400ppm
Tears/sweat: ~7000-9000ppm
Ocean Salinity: ~34000ppm
:whistle:
 
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Okay...maybe dumb questions:

Since I have iaqualink and Jandy equipment, what should I buy, and from where (is there a great source we know of like Marina for robots?)?

I have a two speed pump, which I run right now from 10am to 8pm (about equally split between high and low)...will that need to change considerably?

I have the TF 100 test kit currently....I'll need to add a Taylor Test Kit for salt?

If a SWG says it produces 1.25 lbs per day, what does that mean? How much FC is that?

If you were me, and you decided you were going to do this, what would YOU buy?
 
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Bumping this thread to see if you guys want to weigh in on these questions:

I have a two speed pump, which I run right now from 10am to 8pm (about equally split between high and low)...will that need to change considerably?

I have the TF 100 test kit currently....I'll need to add a Taylor Test Kit for salt...is that the only testing change?

If a SWG says it produces 1.25 lbs per day, what does that mean? How much FC is that?

If you were me, and you decided you were going to do this, what would YOU buy, and from what source?
 
Since I have iaqualink and Jandy equipment, what should I buy, and from where (is there a great source we know of like Marina for robots?)?
INYOpools.com is a good source, and you can compare also at discountsaltpools.com
The second place has a great chart showing the chlorine produced by each device.

I have a two speed pump, which I run right now from 10am to 8pm (about equally split between high and low)...will that need to change considerably?
No, not really. When you're looking to make chlorine you'll just have to have it at a high enough flow to trigger the device.

I have the TF 100 test kit currently....I'll need to add a Taylor Test Kit for salt?
Yes, you'll need the Taylor K-1766 salt test kit. www.tftestkits.net will hook you up.

If a SWG says it produces 1.25 lbs per day, what does that mean? How much FC is that?
I forget how that's figured.. let me call in someone whose memory is better- @JamesW @mknauss
 
JamesW said:
1.25 lbs is chlorine gas. You can use Poolmath to calculate the amount of fc that that will provide.
Click to expand...

Okay, got it...for my pool, 1 pound of chlorine gas, according to pool math, increased TC by 6.0....so I'd need about .5 lbs of chlorine gas per day....

Pool Math also says 1 lb of chlorine gas LOWERS pH by .5

I was under the impression with a SWG the pH creeps UP moreso than with liquid chlorine....am i wrong on that? I read all the time how SWG peeps add muratic acid regularly.
 

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