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Chlorinators That are Worth Their Salt

Salt chlorinators for swimming pools are becoming more and more popular worldwide. Virtually all new in-ground pools in Australia have them, and the trend is catching on in South Africa too. Salt chlorinators can also be retro-fitted, so they can easily replace the traditional chemical chlorine system in your existing pool.

If you’re thinking about salt chlorination for a new or existing pool, here are a few important facts to help you understand exactly how this method works, so you can decide if it’s what you’re looking for.

The most common misconception about salt chlorinated pools is that they don’t actually use chlorine. They do – salt alone will not eliminate bacteria, algae and viruses. The difference with a salt water system is you don’t add chemical chlorine to the water. Instead, it’s made within the system itself, using a chlorine generator. This generator uses electrolysis to break down the salt (scientifically known as sodium chloride), and convert the chloride part into chlorine gas which, when dissolved in water, becomes sodium hypochlorite (liquid chlorine).

This generated chlorine is almost identical in chemical structure and function to the products you’d normally buy from your local pool shop or supermarket. Unlike traditional chlorine however, the chlorine produced by salt chlorinator systems doesn’t contain chloramines, which are the nasties responsible for the red eyes, strong smell and bleached or green hair that we often associate with regular pool chlorine.

Another big advantage of salt chlorinated pools is that they need minimal maintenance. Once you’ve added the initial dose of salt, you will probably only need to top up once or twice a year, depending on how much the pool is used, and the weather conditions. Salt is most commonly lost through rainwater overflows, backwashing the filter and general “splash out” from happy swimmers! It’s also a good idea to remove and clean the generator cell once a year.

The friendly and knowledgeable staff at Pool Spa and Filtration Supplies will happily answer any questions you might about salt chlorinators, so please phone themch for a chat, or read more at Salt Chlorinators info