Bleach adds salt?

[Queequeg]

I've been using the pool calculator to estimate my pool needs since it was built a couple months ago, and the results are spectacular so far. I have a non-swg pool (bbb method), and have no added salt.

My question is this: I just realized via the pool calculator that bleach and/or liquid chlorine add salt when you use it. I would rather avoid salt in my pool for various reasons, but according to the calculator, I'll have accumulated 1000ppm salt in 9 months at the current rate I'm adding bleach. I don't backwash because I have a cartridge filter, so it would seem the only way to keep my salt level down would be to drain water.

Am I missing something?

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

No you are not missing anything, but I am uncertain why this small amount of salt would cause you concern. Compared to additives in other forms of chlorine (the CYA in di-or trichlor, or the Calcium in CalHypo), salt is the most benign.

 

[JasonLion]

All forms of chlorine add salt, though my Pool Calculator only lists the salt added for bleach. Bleach does add about twice as much salt as the other forms of chlorine. Several other chemicals you use with a pool also add salt. There isn't any way to have a swimming pool without some salt. Salt levels up to about 1000 are counted as not having salt.

 

[Queequeg]

In a recent hotly-debated thread it was pretty much decided that in my area (southern AZ) where we never get rain, have no humidity, and very hot days, salt can have a detrimental effect on stone/decking. I have kool-deck (which is porous) and a rock-waterfall that I believe would succumb to these effects. I am aware of the cumulative effects of CYA that Trichlor introduces to the pool.

I find using bleach extremely inconvenient because of the massive amounts of chlorine that needs to be transported/stored/used with the amount of sun I get, but was putting up with it to avoid having to drain my pool to keep the CYA down. (Conserving water is also important in my area.) If I'm having to drain my pool anyway in order to keep the salt level down, I don't see why I can't just use trichlor pucks and avoid having to buy/transport 4-5 gallons of bleach every week.

 

[Queequeg]

Sorry Jason, I started my last response before yours popped in. Very good information.

Thank you.

 

[Guest]

(Conserving water is also important in my area.) If I'm having to drain my pool anyway in order to keep the salt level down, I don't see why I can't just use trichlor pucks and avoid having to buy/transport 4-5 gallons of bleach every week.

You can but you will be draining and refilling much sooner because the CYA will build up to unmanageable levels way before the salt gets to levels that are considered too high. All forms of chloirne add salt, muriatic acid will increase salt, baking soda will increase salt, ph increaer will increase salt. You cannot avoid salt in your water if you sanitize with chlorine! The 'debate' on the damage that salt causes is still open to interpretation and, IMHO, much of the blame rests with builders who use materials that are not suitable simply for aesthetic reasons.

 

[Queequeg]

Thanks Waterbear. What are your thoughts on Kool Deck? It's been the standard decking for many many years, but now I hear that salt pools can eat it.

 

[JasonLion]

I have never heard of problems with Kool Deck. The great majority of the problems, keeping in mind that having any problem is rare, are with soft natural stone used in waterfalls, coping, and at the waterline. Issues with screws that are made of inferior materials also show up more quickly with salt.

But all of that is with salt around 3,000 to 4,000. With salt under 1,000 no one attributes any problems to salt.

 

[Queequeg]

That certainly sets my mind at ease a bit. We ended up building our pool ourselves, but when we were getting quotes from pool builders, 3 of them said they wouldn't do Kool deck with a SWG because the salt was bad for it. (You had to do acrylic instead.)

Thanks again for the information!

 

[waste]

Evan and Jason, excellent answers to this question :!: