I have considered a SWG for years. Local pool store talked me out of it many times. This year I drained and converted to the TFPC method, found a good source for liquid bleach and bought all the borax at Wal-Mart and Target. Then bought a good test kit. I am very happy with that choice which has me questioning salt again?
i get that the #1 reason is convenience. I don't travel much and could hire a service if I do take a trip, or super chlorinate if I am gone for a weekend, etc. I was reading about chlorine pumps and well ... Here I am.
My filter is DE but the tank is stainless. It has provided 20 years service and I think for some reason it will not survive a salt system. Since the local pool store has provided so much bad advice ( read - self-serving Baloney Sandwich ) over the 12 years I have owned this pool: can anyone who has converted tell me if you had to replace some or all equipment? How long can I expect a stainless tank to work with salt? What about pumps.. Replaced my old Pentair pump with a Hayward hi-flo several years ago. At the same time I changed all the Jandy valves, new timers and freeze switches, and installed a new high efficiency heater. Basically all the equipment except the filter was replaced. So, on one hand it has provided good service, but on the other it must be a decent unit to still be working. I also put new grids in it this year, but that is not really a factor.
My real concern is timing. Do I wait for the filter to fail and add a SWG at that time, or add a SWG now and prepare for it to eat up the stainless tank? When a DE filter tank fails, will it be gradual or sudden? Will it be catostrauphic or will I see a leak and hear the gurgling when the pump kicks on and still have a week or two to find a good deal on a new unit?
I also expect to need new plaster within a couple years. We just had the tiles replaced two seasons ago and reset all the coping stone. Speaking of coping stone - it is Oklahoma Flagstone which I think is a porous. Do I have to have it pulled out to use salt? Will salt destroy soft coping stone? Can I use any plaster with salt? Is Pebbletek okay? I have diamond bright now and it has made 12 years with my ham-fisted pool maintenance (I.e. 12 years of constant too much or too little chemical, bouncing PH, etc) but the wife wants blue PebbleTek which is pretty but I have heard stories about medium to dark colored plaster in the Texas sun. I am willing to heat a couple times a year to extend the season but not too keen on having to procure ice to use my pool. So I will probably stick with the Diamond Bright plaster, unless a SWG affects the choice.
so.... Salt or no salt? Should I wait? What equipment and surface issues should be considered?
.
i get that the #1 reason is convenience. I don't travel much and could hire a service if I do take a trip, or super chlorinate if I am gone for a weekend, etc. I was reading about chlorine pumps and well ... Here I am.
My filter is DE but the tank is stainless. It has provided 20 years service and I think for some reason it will not survive a salt system. Since the local pool store has provided so much bad advice ( read - self-serving Baloney Sandwich ) over the 12 years I have owned this pool: can anyone who has converted tell me if you had to replace some or all equipment? How long can I expect a stainless tank to work with salt? What about pumps.. Replaced my old Pentair pump with a Hayward hi-flo several years ago. At the same time I changed all the Jandy valves, new timers and freeze switches, and installed a new high efficiency heater. Basically all the equipment except the filter was replaced. So, on one hand it has provided good service, but on the other it must be a decent unit to still be working. I also put new grids in it this year, but that is not really a factor.
My real concern is timing. Do I wait for the filter to fail and add a SWG at that time, or add a SWG now and prepare for it to eat up the stainless tank? When a DE filter tank fails, will it be gradual or sudden? Will it be catostrauphic or will I see a leak and hear the gurgling when the pump kicks on and still have a week or two to find a good deal on a new unit?
I also expect to need new plaster within a couple years. We just had the tiles replaced two seasons ago and reset all the coping stone. Speaking of coping stone - it is Oklahoma Flagstone which I think is a porous. Do I have to have it pulled out to use salt? Will salt destroy soft coping stone? Can I use any plaster with salt? Is Pebbletek okay? I have diamond bright now and it has made 12 years with my ham-fisted pool maintenance (I.e. 12 years of constant too much or too little chemical, bouncing PH, etc) but the wife wants blue PebbleTek which is pretty but I have heard stories about medium to dark colored plaster in the Texas sun. I am willing to heat a couple times a year to extend the season but not too keen on having to procure ice to use my pool. So I will probably stick with the Diamond Bright plaster, unless a SWG affects the choice.
so.... Salt or no salt? Should I wait? What equipment and surface issues should be considered?
.