Salt erodes everything?!

Jump to latest Follow Reply
bownut

bownut

0
Gold Supporter
May 7, 2016
67
Fayetteville
I bought my house as a foreclosure with a really neglected vinyl pool. I found the guy who originally built the pool eight years ago because he is the only person in the area with a LeakTrac. He built the pool with 1 1/2" plumbing, 2 skimmers and 2 drains that return to the pump. I've was told that 2" is the standard by the pool guy who was recommended by a neighbor--the neighbor later revealed he had never used him to build a pool and had a dispute with him some years ago over sod or irrigation or something--that I used to buy and install the equipment that was sold, stolen or taken from the pool. I was just told that the variable speed pump that I was told would work with my Hayward PL-P-4 actually won't work with that controller. The reason I give the information about the 1 1/2" pipe is only as an example. This guy keeps telling me that salt ruins everything. It will ruin the lights we install, it is going to ruin the pump, it is going to erode away the things that hold the ladder and stair rail into the concrete, it will probably erode a nearby grill and anything that is metal. I know salt cannot evaporate, but is this guy smoking something? Can I really expect the pool lights and pump to fail within a few years because they are being used in a salt water pool?
 
No, that is not true. My variable speed pump and light have been in use in a saltwater pool for 5 years and they are completely fine. No rust, no corrosion, nothing. 1-1/2" pipe is fine in many cases.
 
The simple answer is, no. Almost everything he said is false. The only things that salt water might effect is any cheap metal things and all you have to do is make sure you rinse them off if they get splashed from the pool. Think about it this way, the ocean is 10x saltier then a pool.
 
pooldv said:
No, that is not true. My variable speed pump and light have been in use in a saltwater pool for 5 years and they are completely fine. No rust, no corrosion, nothing. 1-1/2" pipe is fine in many cases.
Click to expand...

According to this guy, five years is about when the pump gives out. But glad to you know yours is still running strong.

So, to clarify it won't erode the base that the ladder is mounted to in the concrete? Does that make sense what I am saying?
 
A good quality stainless steel ladder will be fine. A cheap ladder made of lower quality metal will rust whether the pool is salt or not. There are lots and lots of high quality stainless steel fittings, ladders and other things on boats and docks in the ocean that last for many, many years. Ocean water is 35,000 ppm salt. Pool water is typically 3200-4000 ppm salt. For some reason some people have an irrational fear of salt in pools and the need to blame everything that happens around a pool on salt. And, by the way, every pool has salt in it, most have at least 1000 ppm of salt after a few years. All chlorine products add salt to the pool, so does muriatic acid, tap water, people.
 
Those things in the concrete that hold the ladder are called Anchor Sockets. You can google that to learn more about them.

The manufacturers of those things use primarily PVC and Bronze alloy materials to make them. PVC is completely impervious to corrosion and the Bronze alloy does not actually rust producing the red oxide corrosion we are all familiar with. Neither of these types of anchors are going to be a real problem because you have a salt pool.

Reddish brown rust is caused from Steel and Iron oxidizing. Not bronze or Stainless Steel.

If you have a inexpensive metal ladder, they are made of steel tubing and the ends of the tubing which go into the Anchor Sockets are not capped. Likely, any corrosion in the anchor socket is caused by the ladder itself rusting from the inside out through those open rail tubes.

This is exactly why I used a non metallic ladder when I built my pool.

I also have a salt pool now for 4 years and I have zero signs of corrosion on any of my pool equipment either. As well, I have some iron patio furniture and a grill and nope. No corrosion.

I will say though, that if there is a lot of water splashing onto the patio furniture, grill and other such things, that could possibly cause a problem. If that happens, not a bad idea to hose down the furniture.
 
Thanks for the excellent and detailed responses. It seems he does have an irrational fear of salt. Based on our conversations he is set in his ways (I think he's just in his early 40s). He doesn't like variable speed pumps, either, or cartridge filters. He said salt came out in the 80s and then disappeared from the market because it ruined everyone's pool. But then it was quietly reintroduced "when everyone had forgotten about how much trouble it caused."
 
Salt is sodium chloride. The chloride is used to generate the chlorine, which re-combines into salt. Yes, chlorine is corrosive, whether from a jug, puck or salt. Pool materials are designed to accommodate the chlorine regardless of the source. On the other hand, don't put your grill or other furniture in the pool. It will rust it and make it hard to light.
 
vickery said:
salt is sodium chloride. The chloride is used to generate the chlorine, which re-combines into salt. Yes, chlorine is corrosive, whether from a jug, puck or salt. Pool materials are designed to accommodate the chlorine regardless of the source. On the other hand, don't put your grill or other furniture in the pool. It will rust it and make it hard to light.
Click to expand...

hahahahaha!
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply