Salt from Lowes?

[dmj4]

Someone told us NOT to use the pool/food quality salt from Lowes. Does anybody know if there is a problem with it?
Thanks!
Donna

[JasonLion]

Never use food salt in a pool, it contains additives that can cause stains. But you can use water softener salt from Lowes/Home Depot/similar places. Look for salt that is 99.4% pure or better and doesn't have any rust inhibitor or other additives. The best choices include Diamond Crystal® Solar Salt Extra Coarse Crystals in blue bags, Morton® White Crystal® Water Softener Salt in blue bags, or Diamond Crystal® Sun Gems® Crystals Water Softener Salt in yellow bags.

Water softener salt is ideal for pools. It is actually the exact same salt that is used for pool salt, the only difference being that pool salt is ground more finely. Even the large crystals dissolve very quickly so the grind doesn't matter. Every once in a very long while there is a small pebble in one of the bags, but those are easy enough to pick up afterwards.

[splash]

I can say which salt not to use. Don't use Winn Dixie Solar Salt. I tried because it's "pure solar salt." I dumped a 40lb bag into the deep end of my pool. I checked the pool about 15 minutes later and there was a 3 foot pool of brown liquid at the bottom where I dumped the salt! When I turned on the main drain the brown liquid went away but left a light orange stain. I had to use vitamin C tablets to get rid of that stain.