Chlorine vs. Salt Pools: What’s the Difference?

Understanding How Each Pool System Produces Chlorine

One of the most common questions we hear is, “Is a salt pool chlorine-free?” The answer is no.

A traditional chlorine pool requires you to add chlorine products, such as liquid chlorine, tablets, or granules, to sanitize the water.

A salt pool uses a salt chlorine generator to produce chlorine from the salt that is already dissolved in the water. Instead of adding chlorine regularly, the generator creates it automatically as the water passes through the salt cell.

Both systems sanitize your pool with chlorine. The difference is how the chlorine gets there.

Benefits of a Salt Pool

A properly maintained salt pool can offer several benefits:

• Softer, silkier-feeling water
• Less handling and storage of chlorine products
• More consistent chlorine levels
• Less odor and irritation when properly balanced
• Lower day-to-day maintenance

How to Use Your Salt Generator

Your salt generator is designed to maintain your pool, not to quickly raise chlorine after heavy use.

Here are a few simple tips:

• Keep your salt level within the manufacturer’s recommended range.
• Run your pump long enough each day for the generator to produce the chlorine your pool needs.
• Adjust the output percentage up or down depending on the season, water temperature, and how much the pool is being used.
• Maintain the proper stabilizer (cyanuric acid) level. Stabilizer protects the chlorine your salt generator creates from being destroyed by the sun. If the stabilizer level is too low, your pool can lose chlorine faster than the generator can produce it.
• After heavy rain, lots of swimmers, or an algae treatment, add liquid chlorine if needed to quickly restore chlorine levels.
• Add muriatic acid as needed to maintain the proper pH. Salt pools naturally tend to have a rising pH, so checking and adjusting it regularly will help keep your water balanced.
• Clean and inspect the salt cell as recommended by the manufacturer to keep it working efficiently.