Experiences with saltwater pools

Hello,

who has a saltwater pool and feels like sharing a bit?
- Advantages / disadvantages?
- (Conversion) costs?
- running costs?
- Perceptions when swimming / diving (smell / burning / ...?) --> children?
- Cleanliness and manual regulation options

Our pool is made of concrete, lined with foil. The ladder / outlets for the circulation system and countercurrent might possibly be made of aluminum, I need to take a closer look when we "unpack" it soon. They would probably need to be replaced?

I look forward to recommendations / concerns and wish you a happy Easter weekend!

I have no idea about the technical or financial implications. But when I spent a few months in Australia, we had a saltwater pool and I thought it was great. You don't smell like chlorine, if you are blonde your hair doesn’t turn green (not my problem, but my sister's) and it's also better for the skin. If I had enough space for a pool, I would only get one with saltwater.

Why do you want to switch? A chlorine pool doesn’t smell. If it does, the water is not right. It also doesn’t bleach the hair. Concentration is too low. In a saltwater pool, the chlorine concentration is the same. The difference is that the chlorine is obtained from the saltwater. In a chlorine pool it comes from the canister. Only chlorine tablets are bad because the breakdown products accumulate in the water and can only be controlled by water changes. Power consumption is significantly higher with saltwater. Cells also do not last forever. You only need salt. The salt content in the water is significantly lower than in the sea. If you want to switch, you have to check all parts for durability (pump, nozzles, ladder, etc.) I wouldn’t do it. Better a proper pH and redox monitoring with automatic dosing.

Hello, thanks for the answers!! :-)

The consideration so far has only arisen from online research, because I don’t know anyone who has a saltwater pool. The incentive was more skin and environmental compatibility. Especially if diving with open eyes becomes more comfortable, I would find that great, since I have two little water rats.

On various sites I read that the swimming experience is significantly more pleasant. A friend also enthusiastically reported this from a hotel pool. Therefore, I wanted to ask about practical experiences, especially long-term experiences. (And I would also like to understand the theory behind it.)

That chlorine is also produced during electrolysis was clear to me. But I don’t understand why it feels different.

Regarding the costs: as a pro argument for saltwater, a reduced filter runtime is often cited, through which you can save electricity again. Also, the lower cost of salt compared to the otherwise necessary pool chemicals; besides chlorine we also used a pH regulator and occasionally a flocculant before vacuuming. Against that stand one-time higher acquisition costs as well as the operation of a salt system with electricity. What now balances out what I would also have been interested in from practical experience.

But the main concern is actually the red eyes. If the costs are similar or not too much higher, it would probably be worth it to me.

So these are my current ??. ;-)

PH and occasionally flocculants are also needed. You also save the liquid chlorine. On the other hand, you need salt, the electrolysis cell, and electricity. The filtration time also does not change. Water should and must be circulated. Some people imagine that the feeling on the skin is more pleasant. An automatic control is important so that sufficient disinfection is achieved with low concentrations. Then there are no problems regardless of the system.

For a salt electrolysis system, you should expect initial costs between 1,000 - 3,500 EUR, depending on the size of the pool and the equipment (additional modules) of the system. In addition, there are ongoing costs for salt (25 kg approx. EUR 10). It becomes expensive when the electrolysis cell is worn out. Manufacturer information depending on the model states 5,000 - 7,500 operating hours. That then costs between 400 and 1,000 EUR. If you also have additional controls such as PH and redox, you can expect the probes to be replaced every 2 years (approx. 150-200 EUR per probe, provided they are original from the manufacturer). Additionally, you also have the electricity costs. For a pool with 45m3, the system requires about 150 watts. With 8 hours of filter operation, that amounts to 1.2 kWh. That makes 180 kWh or 61 EUR in 5 months (assuming 34 cents per kWh). Run times of the pump remain the same, with normal chlorine treatment or with salt electrolysis. With other pool chemicals such as [Ph-Minus], savings are also not possible.

10kg chlorine tablets cost cheaply on the Internet EUR 55 (50 pieces of 200 gram tablets). With that, you get through about 3 months with a pool of 45m3. Let’s assume you use about EUR 80 per season on chlorine tablets. For a pool of this size (45m3), you already have initial costs for a properly dimensioned salt system of at least EUR 1,400. Therefore, for the purchase costs of the system alone, you can disinfect for 17.5 years with tablets. The ongoing costs of the salt system (see above) are not included yet. Thus, a saltwater system is definitely significantly more expensive than conventional chlorine tablets. If websites on the Internet indicate a saltwater system as a cheap alternative, this is an indicator of how seriously that site should be taken.

It is also important to mention that the capacity specifications given by manufacturers are set too low. The chlorine content decreases significantly in warm water (30 degrees) and sunlight. If the manufacturer states, for example, up to 60m3, you should choose a system for up to 120m3 or better up to 200m3. This way, you avoid a green pool in midsummer - as happened to me. Also, the cell is not maintenance-free - even if it is considered "self-cleaning." You must regularly check for limescale and, if necessary, clean with diluted hydrochloric acid.