# Salt Water Pool?



## StarSong (May 26, 2021)

I'm hoping for some voices of experience. Our standard (chlorinated) pool was either built along with the house or shortly thereafter, so circa mid 1950s. We've lived here 35 years and had it redone a couple of time, most recently just 2-3 years ago. 

Salt water pools have become quite popular. Much of the attraction is that it doesn't tint blonde or white hair green, is a lot easier on the skin and hair (I'd love to not have to take a shower after every pool dip), less irritating on the eyeballs, and eliminates the chlorine juggling act. My understanding is that the conversion runs less than $2000 when all is said and done. 

Please weigh in with pros and cons if you know anything about this or have had experience.

Thanks in advance...


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## Keesha (May 26, 2021)

About 6 years ago I purchased an Intec 24 x  12 foot pool which came with everything including the pump and filter system. It cost about $1000 total with free shipping.

While setting it up I decided to convert it to a salt water pool and spent an extra couple of hundred dollars to do that and had zero regrets.

The water was always crystal clear and very gentle on skin, hair and eyes. Of course I had to add salt at the beginning of each season and once throughout the season I’d have to soak a part within the salt water filter, in vinegar for about 15 minutes to dissolve the minerals on it. That’s it .

I never dyed my hair but I did colour it with henna and the chlorine did wash it out. Years ago a friend of mine and I used to swim at the gym in the winter and I remember one day she went swimming right after colouring her heir blonde and she had tinges of green in it afterwards. It was obvious that these chemicals didn’t mix well.

You’ll love a salt water pool Starsong far more than a chlorinated one. For certain.


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## dobielvr (Jun 1, 2021)

StarSong said:


> I'm hoping for some voices of experience. Our standard (chlorinated) pool was either built along with the house or shortly thereafter, so circa mid 1950s. We've lived here 35 years and had it redone a couple of time, most recently just 2-3 years ago.
> 
> Salt water pools have become quite popular. Much of the attraction is that it doesn't tint blonde or white hair green, is a lot easier on the skin and hair (I'd love to not have to take a shower after every pool dip), less irritating on the eyeballs, and eliminates the chlorine juggling act. My understanding is that the conversion runs less than $2000 when all is said and done.
> 
> ...


Do it!
We had one and I loved it.  The water was so smooth on your skin.


Keesha said:


> About 6 years ago I purchased an Intec 24 x  12 foot pool which came with everything including the pump and filter system. It cost about $1000 total with free shipping.
> 
> While setting it up I decided to convert it to a salt water pool and spent an extra couple of hundred dollars to do that and had zero regrets.
> 
> ...


Keesha, I had one of these pools after my divorce.  It was so hard for me to keep clean!  I was constantly out there scrubbing down the sides of the algae growing.  It was way to hot, and it sat directly in the sun.

Back to the hose...


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## Keesha (Jun 2, 2021)

dobielvr said:


> Do it!
> We had one and I loved it.  The water was so smooth on your skin.
> 
> Keesha, I had one of these pools after my divorce.  It was so hard for me to keep clean!  I was constantly out there scrubbing down the sides of the algae growing.  It was way to hot, and it sat directly in the sun.
> ...


Did you have the salt water filter? That thing worked really well. I never ever had algae grow on mine and it was in full sun. I loved my pool.

Mine was super easy to clean and the water was always crystal clean but I also had a pool vacuum cleaner that I’d use once a week which worked great. I loved my pool but left it with the house.

The main thing I didn’t like about this pool was that Intec made all their measures off just  a slight difference in size to standard so you’d  HAVE to purchase parts from them which I find on the slimey side. It was most annoying especially since their customer service was horrible.

Plus my water never got too hot. I’d start swimming in it when it was in the 60’s and it never got to over 80 but I live in Canada ‘eh. Lol


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## StarSong (Jun 2, 2021)

We have a creepy-crawler device that vacuums the pool every night for 8 hours or so.  A full size cover (think heavy duty bubble wrap) that floats on the surface not only keeps the water warm and clean, most importantly it prevents 99% of the evaporation (water is very precious here).  

Reading @Keesha's comment, I decided to check the water temp... right now it's 84°, so it's ready for swimming. It'll be in the delicious low 90s by July. Last year we had to leave the cover off overnight sometimes to cool the water a few degrees because the water got too warm. 

My daughter and SIL just had their pool converted to salt - waiting to see how they fare over the next couple of weeks because they've got some weird white flakes floating on their pool surface.  They've got a pool service so this should be explained and sorted out soon.  

Given your advice, hopefully a positive experience by DD & SIL, and what I'm reading about SW pools, I do think we're going to (if you pardon the pun) take the plunge soon, too. 

p.s.  My granddaughter is a natural blonde and chlorine tints her hair green, too.  

My father was a chemist who explained the process to one of my blonde GFs way back in the 60s when her hair turned green. He said it's not actually the chlorine that tints it, the actual culprit is the trace amounts of copper in the water (think copper statues that turn green). Chlorine oxidizes the copper and hair absorbs the oxidized copper, turning it green. Everybody's hair picks up the oxidized copper but it's only obvious on those with light hair.

The chlorine and copper are partners in crime when it comes to hair tinted green from chlorinated water.


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## dobielvr (Jun 3, 2021)

Keesha said:


> Did you have the salt water filter? That thing worked really well. I never ever had algae grow on mine and it was in full sun. I loved my pool.
> 
> Mine was super easy to clean and the water was always crystal clean but I also had a pool vacuum cleaner that I’d use once a week which worked great. I loved my pool but left it with the house.
> 
> ...


Not this above ground pool..no salt water filter.  Just our built in one was salt water.
I even had one of those plastic rubber ducks floating around w/chlorine.  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.


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