Difference in salt pellets

[oletrout]

I have been reading lots the last couple of days and have a question about salt pellets. Several have posted that salt pellets for water softening are ok to use.The price here is certainly better than POOL SALT at the pool shop. I took note that the treated salt is not good to use. Went to TSC and they have big bags of pellets. One type are hard oval shaped System Saver Pellets "formulated to guarantee 99.7% pure". They are really compressed pellets, pure white with a glaze and are about an inch long and 1/2 in wide. The other are small crystal like bits and are Select Plus Rock Salt-99.4% pure salt .

I immersed a few of each in water to see how they dissolve. The small bits dissolved quickly but the bigger pellets took a bit longer.There was no residue after dissolving from either product. Anyone else use pellets this size? Seems to me they would take forever to dissolve if dumped into the pool in bulk. Anyone got any thoughts or experience with this type of salt pellets.
Here's what they look like:

 

[Guest]

Rock salt is not recommended for use with SWGs. You want either the pellets or solar salt.

 

[oletrout]

Thank you waterbear. :-D Yes I read that about the rock salt. I am more concerned about the pellets I mentioned regarding dissolving.

 

[Guest]

pellets are the slowest dissolving but generally the purest salt. It's really a moot point. Just dump it in and run the pump. Brush it or move it around with your feet if you are in the pool and it will dissolve in about an hour or so for the pellets.

 

[oletrout]

Good stuff. Thanks again waterbear.

Cheers

 

[No P in my ool]

A bag of pellets took 15 minutes longer to dissolve than a bag of solar salt the other day. I didn't think that was too much of an inconvenience. :lol:

 

[Guest]

A bag of pellets took 15 minutes longer to dissolve than a bag of solar salt the other day. I didn't think that was too much of an inconvenience. :lol:

Gee, 15 whole minutes? I just don't know if I can give it that much extra time on my busy schedule!

 

[oletrout]

Thanks No P in my ool

Were they the big ones like in the pic I posted. Sorry for the trivial questions but this is all new to me :-D

Cheers

 

[Guest]

Thanks No P in my ool

Were they the big ones like in the pic I posted. Sorry for the trivial questions but this is all new to me :-D

Cheers

Those are the standard pellet form of salt, be it morton or diamond crystal. Also, no question is trivial. That is how we all learn. Also, you will soon find out that I am a wise guy of few word but harmless! (mostly harmless?)

 

[oletrout]

Thanks waterbear

Also, no question is trivial.

I used to think like that --until I had a contractor put in a pool. LOL

 

[andrewg]

I've been wondering how long the pellets take to dissolve....now I know. Much faster than I expected. Not a useless question at all.

 

[fofa]

This year I did an unscientific comparison of available salt.
All 40 pound bags.
All done 3 bags dumped into the shallow end, mixed around with a regular pool brush.
Pool Store had food grade salt, looks like the stuff in salt shakers, $11.65 a bag.
Takes no time of pushing around to dissolve. say 5 minutes.

DIY store had pool salt, about 1/8 inch granules give or take.
Took about 8 minutes to dissolve.
$7.30 a bag.

DIY store had watersoftner salt, 99.6% pure. Granules varying in size from table salt size to dime size.
$4.17 a bag, no additives, but was not food grade.
Took about 12 minutes to dissolve.

 

[oletrout]

Hi andrewg/fofa

Thanks for that. I priced them yesterday at 5.49 a bag-40 lb Pool shop was charging 9.95 for a bag of pool salt-99.7 pure.
You have helped me make up my mind. pellets it is.

Cheers

 

[JasonLion]

Food grade salt usually includes an additive, intended to prevent clumping in the salt shaker, that can cause problems for swimming pools. I would avoid food grade salt for that reason.

 

[oletrout]

This salt I'm looking at is for water softeners?

 

[JasonLion]

The best thing to use to raise the salt level is water softener salt. 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 pellets will also work, even though they dissolve more slowly they are still fine. Pool salt is also fine to use, but tends to be much more expensive. Potassium chloride will also work, but you need 17% more of it and it is more expensive. Avoid table salt, rock salt, and deicing salt.

 

[Guest]

Yep, the solar salt is faster dissolvling than the pellets. Do NOT use rock salt, only solar or pellets with no additives for removing rust or cleaning the softener. The standard yellow bags of pellets and blue (or yellow for Sun Gems) bags of solar salt are fine. Stay away from the red and green bags.

 

[No P in my ool]

Thanks No P in my ool

Were they the big ones like in the pic I posted. Sorry for the trivial questions but this is all new to me :-D

Cheers

The big ones.