Saltwater chlorinators sanitize the water automatically; simply add the recommended amount of salt several times a year, and the system produces its own chlorine whenever the pump is running. Some pools use multiple systems. Mineral purifiers, UV systems, and ozonators are often combined with saltwater chlorinators to meet the need for a primary sanitizer. Hot tubs are often sold with both an ozonator and mineral system built in, but chlorine or bromine (if compatible with the mineral system) should also be added to remain effective.
Testing
Automatic systems will typically display your sanitizer levels, but you should learn the recommended ranges and how often to check the parameters affecting your water balance. (See Level Testing Chart.) Sanitizer and pH levels should be checked daily, and alkalinity and calcium hardness should be measured once a week. To keep water balanced, test it regularly, and take a sample to your pool supply store about once a month.
Test strips, digital test strip readers, and wet chemistry kits are among your options for DIY testing. To determine the water balance using a test strip, simply dip it into the water for the specified number of seconds and compare the colors on the strip to those on the bottle. You may purchase a digital test strip reader, which will display the level of sanitizer, pH, and total alkalinity on an LCD screen. For more specific testing, you can use a wet chemistry kit, in which you’ll take a sample of water and add liquid chemical reagents. The reagents change the color of the water so you can compare it to the comparator block and determine the levels.
Filtration Systems
Your water balance may be perfect, but don’t forget that your pool or spa filter keeps water circulating and prevents the growth of algae. To run smoothly, your filtration system requires some maintenance, depending on the type of filter you have.
Pool filters come in three types, named for the type of media that catches the debris: sand, D.E. (diatomaceous earth), and cartridge. Sand and D.E. filters require periodic backwashing to dispose of the built-up debris. This process means you must run the water in reverse so it passes over the filter and out of the pool. Backwashing must be done whenever the pressure gauge reads 10 psi higher than the starting pressure.
Some pools—and most hot tubs—use cartridge filtration systems. These systems don’t need to be backwashed; the only maintenance required is to periodically spray the cartridge with a hose. It’s a good idea to rotate between two cartridges, inserting a clean one while the other is being rinsed and left to dry completely.
How’s the Service?
Whether it’s a restaurant, a retail store, or a mechanic, we all know how valuable great service is. The same holds true in the pool industry, and luckily, good service isn’t hard to find. In fact, there is even a national competition that recognizes the men and women of the trade who have proven their dedication to quality customer service. Over 300 pool service professionals entered the second annual Perfect Pool Guy and Gal competition, sponsored by Pleatco, manufacturer of pool filter cartridges. After 17,000 votes, Gene Catrini of Lasting Impressions Pool and Spa, Royal Palm Beach, Fla., and Pamela Del Secco of Diamond Pool Service, San Carlos, Calif., have been named the Perfect Pool Guy and Gal. Catrini and Del Secco take great pride in their work and make customer satisfaction their number one priority.
The Lowdown on Saltwater
Think swimming in a saltwater pool will feel like swimming in the ocean? Think again! The ocean contains about 35,000 ppm of salt (3.5 percent), while a saltwater pool is kept at 3,000 ppm. Your eyes, skin, and tongue shouldn’t be able to detect the salt at all. Since salt is a natural conditioner, your skin will actually feel smoother, and your eyes won’t be irritated.
Though they are commonly called saltwater pools, “salt chlorine pools” might be a clearer name because they still use chlorine as their sanitizer—you just won’t have to add the chlorine yourself; instead you’ll add several 50-pound bags of salt a few times a year. Saltwater pools use a chlorine generator with an electrolytic cell, which produces chlorine as the salt passes over the cell.
How much do chlorine generators cost? Prices vary from $600 for a chlorinator suited for smaller pools to about $1,600 for larger pools. High-end systems with a great deal of automation can retail as high as $2,000.