Salt/soft water ok?

[Brian VT]

My spa's manual says to bypass my home's water softener when filling the tub, so I do.
I use bromine for sanitation per the Sticky here.
My wife doesn't use our spa because she says it dries out her skin.
I've been reading that salty pool/spa water feels better on the skin. My shower's water does feel better when softened. So I'm considering adding pool salt, or at least not bypassing my water softener, the next time if fill my tub.
I'd still use bromine for sanitation.
What are the risks of putting soft/salt water in my tub and would the benefits of having 2000ppm(?) salt, and my wife , in my water outweigh the risks to the equipment?

 

[JVTrain]

Adding salt to your water is certainly an option to help the water feel softer on the skin. Using a water softener can help keep the water better for the skin as well but water softeners are not designed to provide that much softened water in one session. Perhaps it would all be fully softened if you added about 100 gallons at a time over the course of a week, once daily. If you just fill in one go with "softened" water the first portion of water will be softened, while the rest will not. Most residential softeners simply don't have high enough capacity to provide that much softened water at one time. It would simply be easier to try to improve the feel of the water on the skin by adding around 2000 ppm salt after a fill. Adding borates to a spa can also improve the feel as well as provide some mild sanitation benefits.

 

[pooldv]

We also add epsom salts.

 

[Brian VT]

Thanks. Now I'm anxious to try it.
So there's no risk to the equipment? Why would Hot Springs say to bypass the softener when filling my tub?

 

[JVTrain]

Most likely they recommend that because some home owners use various formulations of softener salt. Some are just salt, but some have rust inhibitors or other compounds that may or may not cause problems with spa equipment. It's their way of covering their products in case an exotic softener salt is introduced to the equipment. If you're using basic, unadulterated softener salt, there should not be an issue. I would test the softened water for pH, TA and CH with your Taylor reagents to see if it would be a good source too.

Salt will not harm your equipment at the levels we're talking about. If it were saline or seawater levels (30,000 ppm) that might be a different story.

 

[Brian VT]

Thanks again!

 

[Pilotwerx]

Have you thought about just converting the tub to a saltwater system? I converted mine this fall and it has been great. The only thing I do to it is add a little muriatic acid every couple weeks. It is also the first time I have been able to leave it for two weeks without returning to a frog pond.

 

[JVTrain]

Have you thought about just converting the tub to a saltwater system? I converted mine this fall and it has been great. The only thing I do to it is add a little muriatic acid every couple weeks. It is also the first time I have been able to leave it for two weeks without returning to a frog pond.

I've been strongly considering getting a SWG for my spa. How's the ControlOMatic running?

 

[Pilotwerx]

I love it. I was ready to give the tub away when I drained it last spring. I removed the access panel this weekend for the first time to check the cell and that is it. If you give one try and have the capacity, wire it directly to the power terminal block inside the tub. It is already GFI protected and you can buy a cord end at any hardware store for less than $10. The controlomatic takes 110 to 220v so there is no issue there...

 

[Brian VT]

Have you thought about just converting the tub to a saltwater system?

Maybe some day.