Salt buildup when using chlorine

[Andrew Montreal]

Hi all,

I have been using the dichlor/liquid chlorine method since the beginning of the year and it has been a success. Thank you.

But one thing has been concerning me… I have often read that for spas, going the saltwater route is not advised as salt is corrosive for various components in the spa.

Here’s where the issue comes in… I use about 60ml of 6% liquid chlorine every day which results in 2.2ppm of chlorine and 3.7ppm of salt for my spa size, 1666L. After six week, we’re at 166ppm of salt. After two months we’re at 222ppm. That seems like a good dose of salt.

The other day I happened to get a little in my mouth and was surprised by how salty the water was. That can’t be good. Am I not in fact slowly corroding the spa? Is there a way around this issue?

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[Bperry]

Hi all,

I have been using the dichlor/liquid chlorine method since the beginning of the year and it has been a success. Thank you.

But one thing has been concerning me… I have often read that for spas, going the saltwater route is a not advised as salt is corrosive for various components in the spa.

Here’s where the issue comes in… I use about 60ml of 6% liquid chlorine every day which results in 2.2ppm of chlorine and 3.7ppm of salt for my spa size, 1666L. After six week, we’re at 166ppm of salt. After two months we’re at 222ppm. That seems like a good dose of salt.

The other day I happened to get a little in my mouth and was surprised by how salty the water was. That can’t be good. Am I not in fact slowly corroding the spa? Is there a way around this issue?

Thanks,

Andrew

You’re not corroding the spa unless the salt gets to ocean seawater levels. Many people use saltwater spa’s. Who advised you it was bad? Sweat, acid, and nearly everything else will also add salt to the water.

You can get a Taylor salt test kit if you’re curious. Anything below 4000ppm is normal for salt water chlorination.

 

[Mdragger88]

That is very low levels of salt, some folks have that much in their tap water.
You must have very sensitive taste buds- most people can’t taste salt in the water until it’s in the 2-3,000 ppm range. Or it was simply mixed with your own salty sweat

 

[Andrew Montreal]

That is very low levels of salt, some folks have that much in their tap water.
You must have very sensitive taste buds- most people can’t taste salt in the water until it’s in the 2-3,000 ppm range. Or it was simply mixed with your own salty sweat

Though it is true that I am a highly sensitive person when it comes to the senses in general, something else must be going on then because I’m not THAT sensitive. My salt levels must be MUCH higher than what I calculated because the water is clearly salty. I actually just went to check again. So if it’s not the chlorine, what on earth could cause levels of salt that can be tasted.

 

[Bperry]

Though it is true that I am a highly sensitive person when it comes to the senses in general, something else must be going on then because I’m not THAT sensitive. My salt levels must be MUCH higher than what I calculated because the water is clearly salty. I actually just went to check again. So if it’s not the chlorine, what on earth could cause levels of salt that can be tasted.

Chlorine, body sweat, acid all add salt. Water out of the tap can have some salt as well.

 

[Andrew Montreal]

EDIT: just went to research. From the National Library Of Science:

“High concentrations of chloride give a salty taste to water and beverages. Taste thresholds for the chloride anion depend on the associated cation and are in the range of 200–300 mg/l for sodium, potassium and calcium chloride.”

“The taste threshold concentration of sodium in water depends on the associated anion and the temperature of the solution. At room temperature, the average taste threshold for sodium is about 200 mg/l.”

So my finding are not that far off in terms of being able to taste it. Realistically there are days that I put a little more so maybe we are at 300ppm. I did do a SLAM at one point so maybe even more.

But if under the 1000ppm range is fine for salt levels in terms of corrosion, then I guess I have no issue and all is good. Indeed… salt systems are in the 2500-4000 range. That’s a whole other ball game. Thanks for the input.

 

[Newdude]

salt systems are in the 2500-4000 range. That’s a whole other ball game

And again, the ocean is in the mid 30k range........ a whole different sport to your 'whole different ballgame'.

Now that it's a question, it would bug me more than the price of the K1766 salt test kit.

 

[Andrew Montreal]

One more item taken off my list of small worries at the back of my mind. Now can someone help me calibrate my newly acquired 1974 Ampex AG440C 1/4” 2-track?