Salt Water, everybody’s talking about it but should I get it? Salt water chlorination has been around for over 50 years but in the last few years it has become very popular.

A pool that has Salt Water Chlorination can be a great pool but there are some myths that need to be clarified first before you think about going that direction for your maintenance system. First off, it is still chlorine! A lot of people are under the impression that it’s salt that keeps the pool clean and clear. Well, what’s going on is that the salt and water go through an electric cell that is attached to the pool system and that is where the chlorine is created. One benefit of this is that you shouldn’t have to handle chlorine pucks or sticks anymore. But that is all that this system does… it only replaces your daily sanitizer!

That brings me to the second big myth… ‘I don’t have to do anything anymore.’ As I mentioned Salt Water Chlorination only replaces your sanitizer in the pool. You still need to shock your pool on a weekly basis to get rid of swimmer wastes. We recommend using BioGuard Smart Shock to do this as it is very simple to use. You use it during the day and you can swim in 15 minutes. Also, you should use a weekly algaecide to prevent algae growth.

For that we recommend BioGuard Banish, which is a very concentrated preventative algaecide that keeps all types of algae at bay. A 3-step approach to pool care is the best way to get best looking water and avoid problems.

Balancing is also a huge factor when taking care of a pool and even more so with salt water pools. Balancing a pool helps the clarity and feel of the water as it helps your chemicals work more efficiently. And lastly, protects your investment from premature aging and replacement. Due to the high Total Dissolved Solids and its tendency to increase the pH it is very important to balance and use products to protect your salt water pool. One big issue with salt water pools is excessive scaling. One of the ways to prevent and maintain this is to use Mineral Springs Stain & Scale on a regular basis. It is a scale inhibitor specially designed for salt water pools. Please see R&R Pools, your authorized BioGuard dealer, to get your water tested and balanced.

At the end of the day, a salt water pool can be very enjoyable. If you do decide to use salt water chlorination or already have a system on your pool you might want to look at our Mineral Springs System to get more out of your salt chlorine system. Mineral Springs Beginnings provides the needed salt, stabilizer and pH balancers to get you started. And Mineral Springs Renewal is a weekly application that replenishes some of the minerals lost through splash out and backwashing as well as helping keep the pH down and preventing scale.

Contact the R&R Pools team at 902 876 2773 or email for more details

Make sure to clean your Salt Chlorinator Cell at least once a season

  • Removes hard water scale
  • Prolongs life of generator cell
  • Special scale inhibitor ingredient
  • Clean generator cell a minimum once a year
  • Protects equipment from scale
  • Protects chlorine generator cell and pool equipment from scale
  • Keeps chlorine generator working at optimal performance