Covert Your Pool Into A Salt Water System in 5 Steps
Are you thinking of converting your chlorine pool into a salt water pool? What is a salt water pool? What’s a salt chlorine generator? Where do you even start? What items do I need to buy? How do you even take care of a salt water pool? No need to worry, we have all the answers and more in our all inclusive guide.
Let’s dive into the steps that you need to do to turn your chlorine pool in a salt water pool!
Step 1: Picking Out The Right Salt Chlorinator
This is a vital step in the process. You need to make sure that the salt system you choose to go with is rated for a pool that is larger than the pool you have. This is vital due to the fact that it will not only be able to effectively work with your pool but it will also not be straining to keep up with the demand. If you have a 15,000 gallon pool you wouldn’t want to get a chlorinator that is rated at 15,000 gallons, that would only meet the rate at which you need which puts stress on the on the salt sell and consumes greater amounts of energy while working so hard, you’re looking for something to outperform your 15,000 gallon needs.
Generally we recommend getting a salt chlorinator that is rated at 1/3 larger than your pool, but for sake of saving time (and doing math) just make sure you get something just over your needs. For our 15,000 gallon pool, a 20,000 gallon chlorinator would be ideal!
Step 2: What Kind Of Salt Should You Use & In What Quantity?
This is something that shocks most people the first time they hear it, you use plain ol’ table salt! That’s right, the same stuff you put on your french fries. Non-iodized salt can be purchased in bulk amounts at your local home goods store, hardware store or online. You can also find it in large bags that are labeled ‘pool salt’. The actually amount/quantity you’ll need for your pool will vary so it is vital that you follow the salt chlorine generator user/manufacture specifications.
Step 3: Eliminate Phosphates
In order to keep your salt cell clean you need to make sure you eliminate phosphates. These phosphates are the primary food for algae and also act like a kind of glue for contaminates and can easily cause a buildup with the salt cell. There are many ways these phosphates can get into the water, some of them include:
- Chemicals
- Cleaners
- Rainwater
- Plant Matter
- Fertilizers
- Sunscreen & Oils
In order to combat these phosphates you can purchase an inexpensive phosphate testing kit. You want to aim for a phosphate level below 200 PPB. But, keep in mind that is it recommend that you keep it between 100 PPB – 125 PPB. You can never truly remove 100% of the phosphates in your pool but the closer you can get them to 0, the better. There are products out there that will keep your salt water ‘near zero’ when it comes to phosphates, the can be added to your skimmer and they start working as soon as they hit the water.
Step 4: Pool Maintenance
Generally speaking, salt cells will last anywhere between 3 and 5 years if the are properly maintained. There are several products that can be added into the pool that can dramatically increase the lifespan of your salt cell including monthly maintenance kits designed to keep your water quality high while simultaneously keeping your phosphates low. These products are a ‘cure all’ oftentimes taking care of everything all at once.
Things they do include reduce phosphates, stabilize chlorine, deactivate metals in the water and much more. Making sure you take care of your salt cell as well as monitoring your water chemical levels can greatly increase your pools longevity and overall enjoyment.
Step 5: Have Fun In Your Salt Water Pool!
Now that you have your pool set up and running the only thing to do is sit back and relax! Your chlorine generator and salt cell will be doing all the heavy lifting from here on out! You’ll want to make sure that you add salt occasionally when your chlorinator gets low as well as occasionally clean out the salt cell.
You’ll also want to check the water chemistry from time to time just to ensure everything is running smoothly, as it should be. Other than these few occasional check up, you’re good to go! Have fun with your new pool and enjoy!
