Salt Water Generator

by Amy
(Beloit, WI)

My husband and I are trying to decide what type of chemicals we want to use in our pool once we set it up. We have had Intex pools in the past and always used Chlorine and vinyl shock.

However, now my husband thinks we should switch to a salt water system. He feels it might be safer for us and our children. What are your views on this? I read thru your pages and didn't find much on this topic.

We will be installing an 18' AG metal wall pool within the next two weeks. Also, if we did decide to switch to salt water, do we have to change to a certain filter? I know when things get out of control with a chlorine pool, you just shock it, but what do you do with a salt water pool if it gets out of control?

Thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated!!

Hi Amy.

There is a comments button on this page and I would love to hear from someone who is using a chlorine generator. Any pros and cons would be great.

I have not written much about chlorine generators because I have never used one. Chlorine tablets and vinyl shock have always worked for me.

Chlorine generators have never been promoted by the pool stores I have worked for. In nearly 40 years I have installed just a few.

The reading I have done in the pool forums has brought very mixed opinions. It seems that the cheap ones are not worth having and the expensive ones work great but replacement parts are expensive when they break down.

I would read every thing you can find about them and talk to every one who might have an opinion one way or the other. Talk to your neighbors and the people at the pool stores near you. Try to find some one using a chlorine generator and see how well they like it.

Hopefully some of my site visitors can help us out with this question.

Salt for a Salt Water System

by Theressa
(Huntsville, AL)

We recently purchased a 16X48 foot pool with the saltwater filter system. I am trying to find out how much pool salt we need to start with (the manufacturer says 100 lbs but that does not seem like it would be enough). What do you think?

Thank you, Theressa

Hi Theressa.

100 pounds of salt for a salt water system sounds right to me. Start with that and then check your readings, you can always add a little more.