Switching from Chlorine to Mineral Springs or Salt

[hokiejaws07]

I am thinking of switching from a chlorine pool and getting a mineral springs pool or salt.

My local pool store, and some very early Googling, has sold me on the Mineral Springs.

I wasn’t able to find as much information on mineral springs on TFP, and am curious the general consensus of it versus just a salt water pool.

 

[Bperry]

I am thinking of switching from a chlorine pool and getting a mineral springs pool or salt.

My local pool store, and some very early Googling, has sold me on the Mineral Springs.

I wasn’t able to find as much information on mineral springs on TFP, and am curious the general consensus of it versus just a salt water pool.

Quick bit of clarification: a salt pool is also a chlorine pool. The machine just converts the salt to chlorine for you automatically and that would be the most recommended option for TFP.

The mineral systems would be the most not-recommended by TFP. Take a look through the articles for why that is.

 

[Flying Tivo]

Mineral springs Beginnings contains Boric acid and Sulphates
SDS sheet
Mineral springs Renewal contains Boric acid, sulphates and aluminum sulphate
SDS Sheet
All this products can be purchased for much cheap than Trade mark names. The main question is why?
If you read up on Pool Care Basics we only recommend liquid Chlorine, muriatic acid and CYA.
On the other hand a Salt pool is a chlorine pool so no difference there.

 

[ajw22]

Mineral Springs is just over priced basic chemicals prepackaged that Pool Stores make a killing on. There is no secret sauce in it.

Learn to use the individual chemicals and your pool and your wallet will be better off.

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

Non-Recommended Pool Chemicals

These pool chemicals should not be added to your pool. Save your money and frustration and avoid these chemicals!

www.troublefreepool.com

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[hokiejaws07]

Dumb question, but Mineral Springs is a Salt Water Pool, correct?

 

[Flying Tivo]

Yes they have a SWG and they market this chemicals to be used with their Salt cell.

 

[ajw22]

Yes they have a SWG and they market this chemicals to be used with their Salt cell.

The Mineral Springs SWG is a relabeled Hayward Aquarite system.

Nothing from Bioguard is unique other then their marketing and prices.

 

[hokiejaws07]

Yes they have a SWG and they market this chemicals to be used with their Salt cell.

My store showed me the Pentair Intellichlor.

 

[hokiejaws07]

The Mineral Springs SWG is a relabeled Hayward Aquarite system.

Nothing from Bioguard is unique other then their marketing and prices.

The store showed me the Pentair Intellichlor.

I guess I’m confused on salt water pool and Mineral Springs. Is salt still poured into the salt water chlorine generator (not sure the exact term) and with their product, it’s just the renew product each week dumped into the pool?

 

[ajw22]

SWG How It Works - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Salt is put in the pool water. You can buy 40 lb bags of salt to add or you can buy Bioguards Beginnings which is salt with some borates added.

Bioguard wants to hook you on spending money on Renewal adding it every week to make your pool sparkle. First of all it is not necessary. Secondly you can add the borates once a season to get the same effect. But then you don’t spend so much money at your Pool Store.

Borates in pool - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Salt Water Chlorine Generators

Salt Water Generators are designed to produce small amounts of chlorine continuously. This is perfect for day to day use and reduces work for the homeowner.

www.troublefreepool.com

Water Balance for SWGs

Saltwater pools are becoming more and more popular. We discuss How salt generators work and water balance tips for SWGs to run them.

www.troublefreepool.com

Salt - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[hexabc]

The store showed me the Pentair Intellichlor.

I guess I’m confused on salt water pool and Mineral Springs. Is salt still poured into the salt water chlorine generator (not sure the exact term) and with their product, it’s just the renew product each week dumped into the pool?

Pentair Intellichlor, as any other SWG, needs pure sodium chloride (NaCl) in the pool water to work. You dump it into the pool to reach the vendor reccomended concentration and it stays there, it will not be “used up” by the SWG. It’s only because of splashing, backwashing, lowering water level, etc, that at some point you will need to add a bag or two.

 

[hokiejaws07]

SWG How It Works - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Salt is put in the pool water. You can buy 40 lb bags of salt to add or you can buy Bioguards Beginnings which is salt with some borates added.

Bioguard wants to hook you on spending money on Renewal adding it every week to make your pool sparkle. First of all it is not necessary. Secondly you can add the borates once a season to get the same effect. But then you don’t spend so much money at your Pool Store.

Borates in pool - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Salt Water Chlorine Generators

Salt Water Generators are designed to produce small amounts of chlorine continuously. This is perfect for day to day use and reduces work for the homeowner.

www.troublefreepool.com

Water Balance for SWGs

Saltwater pools are becoming more and more popular. We discuss How salt generators work and water balance tips for SWGs to run them.

www.troublefreepool.com

Salt - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

So either way, it’s not poured directly into my pool but the SWG?

 

[ajw22]

So either way, it’s not poured directly into my pool but the SWG?

Salt is poured directly into the pool.

 

[jark87]

So either way, it’s not poured directly into my pool but the SWG?

To further clarify, salt is added to the pool to get the salt level needed for the SWCG to generate chlorine. Your pool water then runs through the SWCG and comes out with chlorine added.

 

[hokiejaws07]

To further clarify, salt is added to the pool to get the salt level needed for the SWCG to generate chlorine. Your pool water then runs through the SWCG and comes out with chlorine added.

Gotcha, that makes sense.

So salt is poured into the pool directly, then via the drain/skimmer, it’s directed to the SWCG that then converts it to chlorine and is put back into the pool via the return jets?

 

[mknauss]

SWG How It Works - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[hokiejaws07]

SWG How It Works - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

So basically, the Mineral Springs is the salt I would pour that could be substituted for whatever salt I wanted?

It seems that the weekly pour of Mineral Springs helps with the pH levels too.

 

[hokiejaws07]

Another question— I currently own the Tf-Pro test kit, do I need to purchase a salt exclusive test kit?

 

[wireform]

You need a stand alone SWCG (salt water cell generator) unit that'll convert the salinity in the water to produce chlorine. All the extra junk is sales pitch because why then all here on the forum using SWCG's without the hype have crystal clear water. If they're telling you it's a turn key solution then know they are not honest because no such animal regardless what you spend.

 

[hokiejaws07]

You need a stand alone SWCG (salt water cell generator) unit that'll convert the salinity in the water to produce chlorine. All the extra junk is sales pitch because why then all here on the forum using SWCG's without the hype have crystal clear water. If they're telling you it's a turn key solution then know they are not honest because no such animal regardless what you spend.

That’s the Pentair Intellichlor, right — the SWCG?