Salt water pool - sealing requirements

[Stevereno]

Currently in the bidding phase of a new pool project. We are going for a salt water pool with flagstone coping and moss rock waterfall. Have been given conflicting info from the two PBs we have met with so far. First PB says sealing of the flagstone and moss rock is required initially and every 3-5 years. This is consistent with everything I have read on the subject. The 2nd PB states that sealing is only required if you don't maintain your pool chemistry properly. He says if you stay on top of it and hold PH at 7.4 there will be no scaling or pitting of the flagstone. My tendency is to take the cautious approach and seal whether it is actually required or not, "just in case".

What's the real story here from those that have had good and bad experiences in this area?

 

[Pisces]

We sealed all our natural stone (travertine coping and trim, quarry tile) with Dry Treat. Got it through our PB and did it ourselves. Easy as pie and gave me peace of mind. We have a SWG, but it also protects against acidic food, drinks, bird droppings, tree sap, etc. Well worth the price of the product as far as I'm concerned...a year and a half later looks like new. I'll reseal again maybe next spring, but could probably wait to the 3 year mark also.

 

[anonapersona]

I'd take a look at the TA of your fill water. If TA is high, mine is 340 in The Woodlands, then you will be adding muriatic acid frequently to control pH. It is dang near impossible to keep pH at 7.4 with high TA in my pool. It will hover at 7.8 even though I force it to 7.5 every other day. Unless I am using trichlor pucks when it will stay at 7.5 easily, but that only happens for a few weeks in the spring. And TA was at 60 at that point so I was wary of pH being unstable. I don't know if my pH would ever drop wildly, that'd be a question for chem geek or someone.

Given our water and the natural upward drift of pH, keeping pH at 7.4 might be a real trick.

 

[Stevereno]

I'll check the TA (if I still have the water report on file) out of curiosity. We have decided we're sealing regardless of the previously mentioned PB statements.