However, if your water is really hard meaning there is a lot of dissolved solids or sediment, you will need to clean the salt cell more frequently. This means that all of the metallic components like pumps, heaters, ladders and light fixtures are connected together with a wire. You have a budget of $75,000 for the pool portion of the design. Mineral pools also require a low residual of chlorine. Pool Ionizer Pool ionizers add natural minerals to the water which assist in controlling bacteria and algae in pools and spas by augmenting the bactericidal and algicidal activity of primary disinfectants. While a salt system can be an investment upfront, they usually pay for themselves after a few years in both maintenance time and money. You can buy 8-16 weeks or more worth of tablets and granular chlorine in 2 buckets, where those same 2 size buckets hold a week or twos worth of liquid chlorine. They're the easiest to maintain and the gentlest on both our pools as well as our bodies. Please do a LOT more research if you are considering fiberglass vs. concrete pools. "The shortage of products and the decreasing ability for new production caused a quick increase in prices, sometimes up to 60% more costly than pre-pandemic price points. Once your SCG system is installed and your first addition of salt and conditioner/stabilizer/cyanuric acid is made and dissolved, your pool professional will tell you when and at what output level to start your SCG. You go ahead and take this advice for what you will - I am just a random internet stranger that happens to be named "Swimming Pool Steve". Combined chlorine = your total chlorine your free chlorine, or (CC=TC-FC). In short, you are making your own Chlorine versus buying it in a retail store and adding it yourself. While pools traditionally purchased in the Spring or even late Summer can usually have many weeks of use that same year, the entire industry is currently delayed by several weeks and in some cases several months. For example glass tiles are more expensive than other choices. Pool Ionizer Pool ionizer configurations are very similar. are slow to dissolve tablets, providing a more stable chlorine level that doesn't peak and valley so much over time. You still check the chemicals regularly in a salt pool, but you will typically make less frequent adjustments since you'll see fewer peaks and valleys with sanitation levels. But, like most aspects in building a pool, saltwater, chlorine and mineral systems all have their own sets of pros and cons - and which you choose will ultimately be up to what you value as most important. The salt cell is connected to an electrical control box which is mounted near the cell and close to a power outlet. A mineral pool should have no more than .5 PPM. These anodes typically need replacing at the 3 year mark. There are many choices in materials and equipment that will dictate your costs and your local pool professional will be able to explain the differences and what fits your lifestyle and budget best. It is not uncommon for people to say they are using the same amount of chlorine as they did without. On a larger pool (above 25,000 gallons), you will have to replace your mineral cell every season. is so popular because it can be poured directly into the pool, with no mixing. A gas heater will heat your pool in the dead of winter if you feed enough money into it. What does creating chlorine on site, on demand mean for you? A purer chlorine, and the fact that you should not have to purchase expensive chlorine, store it, handle it, administer it, etc. Most importantly however is that a heat pump is NOT the same as a gas heater in terms of performance. Most salt cells will not operate at temperatures below 50 degrees and require packaged Chlorine anyway if your pool is to remain open during the winter. First, let's talk about salt. There are many types of SCGs on the market from various manufacturers and they will each have their own requirements in water balance, rules on operation, specific type of salt that should be used, length of cell life, etc., so be sure to brief yourself with the owner's manual. Most pool builders are booked 6-12 months out presently. The guys who make the pool drop it in a hole you dug with a crane and you get your house plumber to hook up the suction and return lines, and install the pump and filter. When youre finished, have a look at the benefits or see how pool ionizers compare with salt water pools. Technically, you can sanitize a pool with bleach, but that is much more expensive than buying the raw chemicals such as granular, or chlorine tablets. Learn more about AutoPilot SCGs here: http://www.autopilot.com/ Good luck with your research and if you have any other questions, please let me know! Salt levels lower through dilution - rain and topping off the pool with hose water due to water loss from evaporation and swimmers/splash out. Anodes will help to protect metal components of the pool connected and bonded together, but not movable items such as metal patio furniture. mmilos, has made some good points about salt chlorine generators (SCGs)/electrolytic chlorine generators (ECGs), and some need clarification. The mineral packs cost around $100, so if you're using more than $200 a season in chlorine, it could be a cheaper alternative, not to mention, mineral water is much less irritating to eyes, skin, and bathing suits. Pool Ionizer Pool ionizer systems add microscopic mineral ions to the water. Does anyone have any experience/knowledge regarding Copper Swimming Pool Ionization system? If you still have concerns, you may want to consider a sacrificial anode. This includes reduced irritation of eyes and skin and water that is gentler on hair and clothing. If maintained properly, the cell that converts salt to chlorine will last 4 to 5 years. Before the world of COVID-19, a 50lb bucket of chlorine tabs typically cost you between $70-$75. and that's just using the mineral system and reducing the chlorine need by 50%. A Chlorinator is available in two forms: We offer a wide range of chlorinators to help maintain your pool's sparkle! See some of our top sellers below: GranularChlorine is a little harder to use compared to others. We want a salt water pool. Most commonly, granular chlorine is used with tablets, so that smaller amounts of granular is added, and a little less often. Preparing Your Pool for Warm Weather Festivities, The Easiest & Most Effective Pool Maintenance Now Saves Time & Money, Chlorine vs. Saltwater vs. Chlorine tablets do have a lower ph than you keep your pool at, so you do have to adjust it a little more often than just granular chlorine, but not that bad. These minerals work together to keep your pool clean and help battle algae and bacteria, among others. Conditioner/Stabilizer/cyanuric acid basically protects the sun from taking the chlorine out of pool, letting it do its job as a sanitizer longer. It will require a lot of acids to be kept and added regularly. So 25 lbs of powder, compared to 25 gallons of liquid, is a big difference. Now back to choosing the best sanitization system for you. Tablets are often added to the pool through a chlorine dispenser unit referred to as achlorinator. Now, with the recent price increases due to the BioLab fire, the cost of the actual chlorine is fairly expensive however the systems and ease of use are still considered a benefit. All bonding and grounding should be done by a licensed electrician, and all local and NEC codes followed. This causes chlorine levels to spike, be high for a while, drift down, and then you shock it again when it gets low. Salt water can also be corrosive to stonework. The biggest benefit of a traditional chlorine system used to be that not only is the system a low-cost investment but the chlorine itself is relatively inexpensive and very easy to add to a pool. Pool Ionizer The biggest risk with pool ionizers is discoloration of your pool lining from the minerals in the water. The lower pH and alkalinity due high cyanuric acid levels will not react well, or even at all, to pH and alkalinity increasers, as the high cyanuric acid "holds them down". Hayward CL200 Automatic Inline Chlorinator, Pentair Rainbow Model 300 Automatic Off-Line Chlorinator, Hayward CL220 Large Capacity (9lbs) Automatic Chlorinator. When you add tablets, your chlorine level is usually the same as it was when you added tablets last time, not at the bottom of the testing scale. And with most pool owners looking for something that will require less work and irritation, many are considering one of the other options: Salt or Mineral. This is a myth. So typically there is less acid or base required to keep pH in that ideal range with a mineral system. We are going to put one in our pool on a 60 day trial basis. Now back to choosing the best sanitization system for you. As a second generation pool and spa expert familiar with every kind of pool installation there is, please find and speak to people willing to be upfront with you about swimming pool quality, longevity, repair recourses in the event of failure etc. ClearBlue releases microscopic mineral ions into your pool or hot tub which assist in controlling bacteria and algae in pools and spas by augmenting the bactericidal and algicidal activity of primary disinfectants. If you have stone on your pool deck, you may need to apply a special sealant to make sure it doesnt get damaged by the salt water. http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/15050952/thumbs/Swimming-Pool-Tile---Glass-OceanScapes http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/14350337/thumbs/Swimming-Pool-Lighting http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/15052022/thumbs/Swimming-Pool-Ladders---Hand-Rails---Artisan-Series http://www.houzz.com/projects/336458/World-s-Greatest-Pools-2013-Summer-Entries Let me know if you have any other specific questions! The rectangle has gained popularity within the last few years. Only problem is $4k for the unit plus a 60amp electrical service are pretty steep prices for a little auxillary heat. I personally have had an AutoPilot on my pool for 13 years (as long as I've owned my pool). BAM - you just put $55,000 RIGHT IN YOUR POCKET. Liquid Chlorine is so popular because it can be poured directly into the pool, with no mixing. Chlorine in a pool is also measured in ppm. Diluting the cyanuric acid level with the fresh water will lessen its ability to "hold down" the pH and alkalinity, allowing them to rise naturally, eventually rising enough, closer to normal ranges, where the use of increasers will actually work. Salt Chlorinator With salt chlorinators, you dont need to add chlorine to the water. That's on the manufacturers side of the business. Travertine coping will be more than brick. wind broke my umbrella pole at the base IN pool. It is also important to test the pH regularly because when it goes out of the typical range, the minerals collect on surfaces more easily. For this reason, most of the sanitation systems used with pools, use chlorine in some shape or form. Higher summer temperatures and higher bather loads create an increase in chlorine demand for sanitizing, which means more tablets. A chlorine tablet for example is composed of 3 parts - chlorine (used to sanitize), cyanuric acid (protects chlorine from the sun, should be about 25-50 ppm), and inert ingredient (ingredients that hold the tablet together). Part 3, salt chlorine generator basics! The biggest benefit of a traditional chlorine system used to be that not only is the system a low-cost investment but the chlorine itself is relatively inexpensive and very easy to add to a pool. . Pool Ionizer Pool ionizers cost between $300 and $2,000 to set up, depending on the manufacturer. More on purchasing a pool during or even post-pandemic can be foundhere. You get a quote from me for $70,000 for a concrete pool installation that includes everything. Also, if your liner has a leak and your inground pool uses steel panels, like most do, you could get rusting of the panels which is extremely costly to fix. Salt, in and of itself, is not corrosive, Look at the metal top of a salt shaker. Even without adding products like E-Z Pool, since chlorine levels are so low in a mineral system, you'll also avoid issues common in traditional chlorine systems such as dry skin, itchy eyes, and damaged hair. If you are looking to buy a new pool in the next few years you may have a longer wait time than anticipated, especially if you're trying to get on a builders schedule as well. northcamom, this was due to someone that needed to know and wasn't told the cell was going on. We typically recommend adding one 3 tablet every week or two which is less than half of what you would need without an ionizer. And those who wanted to eliminate chlorine altogether paired the Pool Frog Mineral System with EZ Pool sanitizer and said goodbye to chlorine tablets altogether. You'll have the low initial investment of the system itself, then a once-a-season revolving expense of replacing the mineral pack inside the system. What this means is that although a chlorine system pool is generally the least expensive option for a pool sanitation system, it also requires the most amount of maintenance labor. Equipment is another consideration. This also means that, unlike saltwater systems, you won't have to worry about the corrosive nature of salt on your metal, clothing, and concrete. We have to have an auto cover on our pool (neighbor has 5 HUGE messy redwood trees) and want it in an underground vault.