draining keeps me from going salt - any solutions?

[styopr]

So I converted my hot tub to salt last year, thinking I'd start with that, and move to the pool this year. I love my salt water spa! I still have to add liquid chlorine during heavy use but the salt generator keeps a base line going when not being used. So nice, so natural.

But, then... we are surrounded by a lot of nature. Lots of trees, ponds, wetlands... I noticed my favorite little fir tree --my Christmas tree -- was dying. Oh no! --I remembered I had drained the hot tub a couple times near there and the tree was browning on the side I was draining toward. And this was just a hot tub - 500 or so gallons. Ever since, learned my lesson, and I am now draining the tub to the wastewater in the basement.

But that solution is just not practical with the pool and the 2.5 inch waste line and the 22 thousand gallons. I'm worried about what happens when I do a partial drain of those 22k gallons. When I need to now, I'm draining the pool down near the meadow/pond after the FC drops under 2. Municipal water is allowed to be at FC of 4-5ppm and still be safe, so no different really than running a hose there to water stuff. But salt water seems to be another animal, especially as it accumulates. We deal with a lot of salt in MN from the roads and it wreaks havoc on the environment. I'm not a jerk so even if it were allowed I wouldn't want to run into the storm drains which basically goes to someone else's wetlands or pond. Love my pool, and love nature.

Any solutions out there? Trade offs worth it?

EDIT: Draining is required in Minnesota even if pool is impeccably maintained, first to close the pool (at least to below the jets as the whole thing freezes during the winter) and due to rain storms.

 

[wireform]

Pools are not spas and spas are not pools. Spas need to be drained and purged due to the small body of water relative to the large number of people some even call spas people soup. On the other hand a pool would need 50 people in it to have the same effect but on the flip side being that a pool is a larger body of water it's not effected and can be remedied. If a pool is properly balanced to the T there's no reason to ever have to drain but the same can't be said for spas.

 

[styopr]

If a pool is properly balanced to the T there's no reason to ever have to drain but the same can't be said for spas.

Well that's just not true! You apparently have never lived a wet climate (or a cold one!!). We have to drain it below the jets every year to close it (it freezes solid) AND there have been at least 5 rain storms over the last couple years I have owned the pool that deposit 4-8 inches of water that need to see the pool drained. In one historic storm, Minnesota got 15 inches of rain over 24 hours! Sure, if everything is perfect otherwise, wouldn't need any *other* draining. But the previous owner let the CYA get to 150 so I had to do 3 partial drain/refills last year... I guess you cross fingers nothing else goes wrong...

 

[aussieta]

wireform was referring to a full drain
not adjusting water level

 

[Newdude]

With my small sample size of exactly *1*, I have found that PH in the 7s pool water is GREAT for grass / plants.

Most liquid chlorine pools approach SWG levels over time and even with all your rain overflow, you'll hit 2k ppm of salt. Going to 3.5k ppm is 10% of seawater salinity so the entire 'salt is bad for greenery or metals' hinges on the difference between 6% seawater salinity and 10% seawater salinity.

I cannot see how 4% at that low level could possible matter. Is there a threshold where it does matter ? Sure. But not at 6%

To appease your feelings you could always just soak the draining area with a hose on the infrequent times you need to drain for further dilution.

 

[1poolman1]

Sea water salinity is, on average, 35,000 ppm.
The amount of salt required for an SWG to work is about 3,000 ppm, about half the salinity of tears.