Salt Water Pool question (Yuma, Kingman: buy, softener, cost)

[JetSet]

Hi All,

I have a salt water pool with DE filter. When the pool is running 8-10 hours/day during the summer I get a bunch of white stuff in the bottom of the pool. At first I thought it was DE powder but I replaced all of the elements, the manifold, and my push-pull valve but the problem persists. Unfortunately, our municipal supply (Yuma) is fairly hard water so I cannot seem to keep the calcium hardness down. Has anyone out there experienced the same problem with the white stuff in the pool using a salt water chlorinator? Any suggestions on what to check for would be greatly appreciated.

[Master Shake]

Unfortunately, there is nothing that you can really check. As you said, the water in most of Arizona is very hard (20+ grains), and you will notice calcium build-up "the white stuff" all over your plumbing fixtures.

For your house, you should consider a water softener -- but I don't know if it would work well with a pool, due to the amount of water a pool uses.

[danieleric2]

Actually, the salt used in a salt water pool is the same salt used in a water softener. Take a sample of your pool water to a local pool store for testing. Tell them about the stuff on the bottom. It could be the salt itself.

How it works: you poor special salt in your pool. there should be a "charger" that runs to the plumbing that charges the salt and turns the granules into the "chlorine" that eventually turns back into salt granules. That charger should have a dial on it that allows you to turn it up or down.

You might be better off asking a pool cleaning company to take a look at your pool and show you how to manage your pool?

I had a salt water pool and will never go back to chlorine!!!

Good luck!!!

[kdog]

We have a salt water pool, and the water here in Kingman is extremely hard. The pool has only been running for a year, but we've never seen any white stuff in the bottom of the pool. In fact, the pool stays incredibly clean. We have a cartridge filter, not DE.

I doubt the white stuff you're getting is salt, as the concentration of salt in a salt water pool is extremely low, as in 1/10th that of sea water. It should not precipitate out, unless you've grossly oversalted your pool.

Does this white stuff clean right up? Or is it adhering to the plaster? You sure it's not just sand blowing in?

[altus2006]

Does a salt water pool keep the "bathtub ring" from forming`?

altus2006

[mdtoaz]

How hard is it to convert a chlorine pool to a salt system. We have a new pool that's just chlorine right now, but we'd like to make the switch at some point.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by altus2006

Does a salt water pool keep the "bathtub ring" from forming`?

altus2006

I think you're referring to calcium deposits, and unfortunately, no. Salt doesn't help that.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by mdtoaz

How hard is it to convert a chlorine pool to a salt system. We have a new pool that's just chlorine right now, but we'd like to make the switch at some point.

Should be really easy I think. The chlorine generator is just a small module that get plumbed inline with your main pump, filter and heater. It also requires an electrical hookup, but that's no big deal. You're probably looking at around $1,000 to $1500 for the generator. Then you just add a few bags of salt to your pool, and you're good to go.

[LBTRS]

Originally Posted by mdtoaz

How hard is it to convert a chlorine pool to a salt system. We have a new pool that's just chlorine right now, but we'd like to make the switch at some point.

We were told by all the pool builders that it's easy to do and will only cost $1500 for the conversion.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by mdtoaz

How hard is it to convert a chlorine pool to a salt system. We have a new pool that's just chlorine right now, but we'd like to make the switch at some point.

This is a real easy DIY. You can buy a unit on the internet for about 700 dollars. You need a hacksaw and PVC glue and about 20 minutes to put it in providing your pool return line has at least a foot that you can cut out. If not, then it takes an hour or so of adding some pipe.