# Swimming pool salt systems? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 8, 2006, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swimming-pool-salt-systems/367907 "2006-08-08T20:01:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swimming-pool-salt-systems/367907/1 "2006-08-08T20:01:24Z")
Does anyone use a salt system for their swimming pool? If so, can you compare it to a chlorine method? How is maintenance? Most importantly, is it more or less accomodating to someone who is less than perfect at maintenance? ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swimming-pool-salt-systems/367907/2 "2006-08-08T20:49:29Z")
My brother has such a system in his pool. It’s MUCH less maintenance-intensive once the system gets going. There’s very little active maintenance involved other than sweeping out leaves and debris - you only have to think about replenishing the system… I think it’s less than once a year. And no harsh chlorine to go up your nose and make you sneeze - although the water does taste salty. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swimming-pool-salt-systems/367907/3 "2006-08-11T14:46:08Z")
One last call for input? ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swimming-pool-salt-systems/367907/4 "2006-08-11T17:45:40Z")
I have one. This is the first year we’ve used it and overall we’ve been very pleased. It keeps the pool sparkling clean with very little effort. A couple of criticisms: It took a while to get started and I ended up having to shock the hell out of the pool when I was opening it. Once I got a chemical balance started, the system seems to maintain it very well. Second, the manual says that you will not have to replenish the salt. This has not been our experience. I started up with about 15 bags of salt and have put in about 6 or 7 more over the course of the summer. Which is fine. Even if the salt system weren’t cheaper than regular chlorine (it is), it’s much easier and far more effective. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swimming-pool-salt-systems/367907/5 "2006-08-11T17:48:16Z")
Oh, one more criticism. My system does seem to restrict my pump flow somewhat. This makes the skimmer a little less effective. Also, if I want to vacuum I sometime reconnect the hoses so the pump return goes directly to the pool instead of through the chlorinator. However, I don’t need to vacuum nearly as often. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swimming-pool-salt-systems/367907/6 "2006-08-11T18:45:47Z")
A question; years ago, i heard about a pool system that used copper sulphate instead of chlorine. It was supposed to work great-but I’ve never heard anymore about this. anybody know more?