SWG - Is it REALLY worth it??

[bballa21]

Hello all,

I just recently bought a CircuPool RJ-60 Plus (not installed yet) for my 32k gallon in-ground pool, supposed to be "top of the line", but I've really honed in how to manage my pool with what I've learned here on these forums, using bleach rather than the pucks, removing my Nature2 mineral system, using my Taylor test kit along with poolcalculator.com on how/what to fix, it has been looking picture perfect and I don't mind going around the block to home depot to pick up more liquid chlorine for less than $3 a gallon.

I'm very nervous I'm going to have to completely start fresh with what I need to learn in how to manage a salt pool. Add in the fact that ill now have to replace my diving board, which apparently will rust and crack because of the salt, with a very expensive salt resistant board, the ladder that I'll eventually have to replace (rust), the cement surrounding the pool (will that be negatively affected?), the gas heater that we will be installing in the next month, etc. (Maybe I read too many anti-SWG forums)

So, is it REALLY worth it?? Not looking for anybody to make my decision for me, if it's worth all that than I will convert the pool, just wanted to hear everyone's thoughts if they've gone through the same situation.

Rich

 

[mknauss]

I am curious, where did you find the data for all the things you listed in your 2nd paragraph? None of them here on TFP.

A SWCG replaces having to add chlorine every day. You may have to add some acid every once in a while, but you had to do that before if using liquid chlorine exclusively.

Many also find the water to be much more refreshing. But that is up to each individual person.

 

[PoolGate]

I'm very nervous I'm going to have to completely start fresh with what I need to learn in how to manage a salt pool. Add in the fact that ill now have to replace my diving board, which apparently will rust and crack because of the salt, with a very expensive salt resistant board, the ladder that I'll eventually have to replace (rust), the cement surrounding the pool (will that be negatively affected?), the gas heater that we will be installing in the next month, etc. (Maybe I read too many anti-SWG forums)

ROFL! Who told you this? None of this is even remotely true.

You chemical levels are almost identical with a SWG the only difference being you no longer need to add any chlorine since it is created for you.

 

[djdonte]

The salt levels in your pool will be a small fraction of the salt in seawater... you really wont have much corrosion any worse than chlorinated water.

 

[bballa21]

ROFL! Who told you this? None of this is even remotely true.

You chemical levels are almost identical with a SWG the only difference being you no longer need to add any chlorine since it is created for you.

I think I somehow I came across some hippie website that was saying it was bad for the earth, I dunno, haha.
So you're saying my diving board and ladder won't be affected by the salt? I thought at least that was common knowledge.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

You only need to put in about 3200-3500 PPM of Salt which is less than a tenth of the salinity of the sea. No one here believes that if the rest of the water is properly taken care of that there is much, if any, additional corrosiveness to the water at all. What it will do for you once properly set is automate a consistent level of chloride ions in the water.

I personally think the salt might be slightly more corrosive.... but not as much as having to swing the chlorine level up to a max limit and have it burn off to a minimum as we do with bleach. I actually plan on running the pool on the lower end of Cl on the chart rather than the higher end I do now with bleach. I think that is where there is a wash.

You will have to manage pH manually but if you do this correctly, that is all you have to do which in my books is less than half the work. I'm doing this so I only have to manage it on weekends and probably even be okay if I have to miss one occasionally....

As for cost, over the life of the system it is about the same. If you can only replace the cell, then the second round is more cost effective than bleach.

I don't get why there are some people out there dead set against SWCG's-- the science isn't there to back it up.

 

[Jimrahbe]

21,

I have three saltwater pools and have seen zero rust or degradation of anything.. One of them has been saltwater for 10 years, one for 7 years and one for about 6 years. Zero saltwater related issues. Granted I do not have a diving board or metal ladders that extend into the pool..

I suggest that you test your current pool water and see what the salt level already is... I would bet your already halfway to being a saltwater pool,,, Saltwater pools only have about 3,500 ppm of salt.. About the same as your tears, not 35,000 ppm like the ocean.

If you don't want saltwater, then don't do it... but I would not put it off just because of uneducated people that keep repeating myths..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

I think I somehow I came across some hippie website that was saying it was bad for the earth, I dunno, haha.
So you're saying my diving board and ladder won't be affected by the salt? I thought at least that was common knowledge.

I would say that the difference in life span will be small enough that it's still going to be worth it for every other reason. I've read that stuff as well, and there is never anything to back it up...

 

[PoolGate]

I think I somehow I came across some hippie website that was saying it was bad for the earth, I dunno, haha.
So you're saying my diving board and ladder won't be affected by the salt? I thought at least that was common knowledge.

Most of these claims are made by people that have no knowledge at all of how a "saltwater" pool works. As stated in the previous post, the salt level of a saltwater pool is very low. Usually around 3ppt (the ocean is 35ppt). Most pools after a couple years running are somewhere between 1ppt and 3ppt anyway since most of what you add to a pool contains salt, which builds up. Nothing has ever been show to degrade any more with the water from a saltwater pool than it would with a non-saltwater pool.

Yes, saltwater pool still use chlorine. The same amount as a non-saltwater pools. The big difference is instead of adding chlorine manually, the saltwater chlorine generator creates chlorine automatically.

Smart pool owners go with saltwater!

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

I suggest that you test your current pool water and see what the salt level already is... I would bet your already halfway to being a saltwater pool,,, Saltwater pools only have about 3,500 ppm of salt.. About the same as your tears, not 35,000 ppm like the ocean.

That is another great point. I have only had my pool for 8 months and my salt level was already at 800 PPM..... so DEFINITELY test first and as you are adding salt! You might find that you already have a salt pool...

 

[mguzzy]

I think I somehow I came across some hippie website that was saying it was bad for the earth, I dunno, haha.
So you're saying my diving board and ladder won't be affected by the salt? I thought at least that was common knowledge.

If your diving board and ladder haven't rusted by now it wont with a SWG either. There are the facts:
Your salt pool's salinity around 3400 ppm
Your tears/sweat Salinity around 7000ppm
Your ocean Salinity around 34,000 ppm

So you see you would have a better chance corroding your ladder with salt if you cried on it.
I retrofitted my pool with an SWG 15 years ago and I have not seen ANY corrosion due to salinity let alone any salt deposits. The biggest thing that surprised me was how much time I saved managing my pool. I think you will discover that as well. Honestly if you figure a 5 year lifespan on the cell.. the cost is a wash. but most people get more than that our of thier cells.

BTW.. what hippie website was that?! I need a new source for restocking my patchouli oil

 

[markayash]

A big push for me was opening the pucks and getting hit with fumes..I stood back and untwisted the lid and ran most of the time..Still burned my eyes a lot
As far as corrosion pour liquid on your jeans and see what happens

 

[pjt]

You'd be surprised how much salt can accumulate over time. I measured 4,000 ppm salt in my non-SWG pool before doing a partial drain and refill.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

You'd be surprised how much salt can accumulate over time. I measured 4,000 ppm salt in my non-SWG pool before doing a partial drain and refill.

That level would have been okay for most cells.. at the high end but okay.

 

[pjt]

That level would have been okay for most cells.. at the high end but okay.

Yep, I had enough salt to run a SWG if I installed one. I was very surprised that much salt could accumulate using only liquid chlorine and a little salt in my fill water.

 

[Newdude]

I started with salt and when my SWG reached its end of life last spring, I didn’t even blink at replacing it. My only pause was to decide if it was even BETTER to change systems, which it arguably was, but I spent a little more for the ease of swapping out my old cell with a drop in model that took 5 minutes including unboxing. As expected there wasn’t only blip of an issue last year either. My ladder, diving board supports, light niche and skimmer screws are as shiny as the day they were installed.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

....for the record.... 10% Bleach like is sold at Walmart raises SALT by 16 PPM per 10K gallons and FC by 10 according to Pool Math... 13% HASA, SALT 21 FC 12, 6% laundry SALT 10 PPM, FC 6.2 per 10K... So assuming you used 10% in your 7K Gallon pool, that was about 175 Gallons of 10 % bleach over the life of the pool for 4000 PPM....

(I typoed before)... FC would have been raised 2500.... so lets assume a burn of 5 a day.... that's 500 additions which it probably quite doable over three years or so......

It's actually a bit surprising that there is that much salt in bleach, but there is...

In my case I don't think I got near 50 gallons of Hasa 13% in the pool in 8 months so there has to be some in the fill water (though 25 is possible, I was burning through it pretty fast for the first two months when we were still in season). I suppose at some point I should check it, eh?

 

[gary300]

My salt level, without ever adding any salt was 3200 before installing my SWG. Had I foolishly assumed my salt was zero, then added the 900 or so pounds dictated by pool math I would have ended up at 6500! Good thing I was told on this forum not to add any salt without first getting a good salt reading (aka Taylor salt test kit).

Gary

 

[carnivalday]

My incentive for installing a SWG pool was that I didnt want to be lugging jugs and jugs of chlorine. I dont love shopping that much, and Im a good 10 miles to town. Adding liquid chlorine isnt a one-and-done deal. Just seemed like way too much like work to me.

 

[wireform]

It's basically a wash with chlorine over the life of the cell with one difference that for the same $$ you won't be lugging chlorine but rather enjoying the pool. Set the chemicals up from the get go and it's smooth sailing going forward. Poolmath app is key here getting your CSI in line. Most everyone that converts wonders why they haven't done so earlier.