BIO101: Intro to Salt

1. BIO101: INTRO TO SALT
Pool & Spa University

2. SALT IN A POOL?
➤ Salt pools and salt chlorination have been around since the 1980s
as an alternative to “traditional” methods of sanitation with tabs,
granular, or liquid chlorine.
➤ A salt pool is a chlorine pool. The only difference is how the pool
is sanitized, i.e. what is being applied to the pool to kill bacteria. In
this case, the pool produces its own chlorine to kill bacteria.
➤ Salt pools don’t normally “taste” salty; the amount of salt needed is
generally below levels at which humans can taste it. The ocean, by
contrast, is approximately 10x saltier than a salt pool.
➤ In addition to salt, an additional piece of equipment is required: the
chlorine generator, or salt cell, which converts salt into chlorine.

3. SALT TRUTHS
➤ 1. The chlorine produced in a salt pool is unstabilized, meaning the sun burns it off faster
than the stabilized chlorine introduced by tabs and sticks.
➤ 2. When the cell converts salt into chlorine, it produces additional by-products that cause
the pH of the water to rise.
➤ 3. Chalky white calcium deposits commonly form inside the salt cell due to the high pH
environment inside the cell.
➤ 4. Salt pools still need to be shocked. The chlorine produced by the cell is good at
killing bacteria and algae, but it struggles to remove contaminants like lotions, fertilizer,
and sweat.
➤ 5. Salt pools still need to be balanced. Weekly testing of the water is still necessary to
maintain the pool.
➤ 6. More salt does not equal more chlorine; in fact, the salt cell may not produce any
chlorine at all if the salt level is too high. The goal is to aim for the cell manufacturer’s
recommended salt level (usually 2,700-3,400ppm salt) for best results.
➤ 7. Salt pools can still get algae. Pools that have heavy use should add a weekly
preventative algaecide and/or use Optimizer® Plus to prevent algae growth.

4. WHY SALT?
➤ Salt pools decrease weekly maintenance; because the pool
produces its own sanitizer, there is no need to add tablets or
sticks on a regular basis.
➤ Salt pools tend to be gentler on eyes and skin than traditional
chlorine.
➤ Salt pools tend to keep slightly lower, but more consistent,
levels of chlorine, reducing the “bounce” between low and
high chlorine levels.

5. SALT CARE SYSTEMS
➤ Mineral Springs
➤ Use Mineral Springs® Beginnings® to establish mineral level
➤ Step1: Mineral Springs® Renewal®
➤ SaltScapes
➤ Step 1: Maintain sanitizer with proper salt level
➤ Step 2: Shock weekly with SaltScapes™ Chlorine-Free Shock
Oxidizer
➤ Step 3: Prevent algae with Back Up® 2
➤ Additional options for care: Mineral Springs® Stain & Scale,
Smart Shock®, Algae All 60®

6. CONGRATULATIONS!
You have completed the activity!