-
Bromine sanitized pools will need to be drained beforehand, whereas chlorine pools will not. Install a chlorine generator, which works with added salt to the active chlorine required to keep your pool clean. Cut into the return lines and install PVC piping to run water through the chlorine generator. This ensures that the chlorine generator turns on and off at the same time as the pool pump. Add this to the plumbing system of your pool and wire an electrical supply to the generator.
The conversion requires that you calculate exactly how much salt your pool will need. The size of the pool dictates the amount of salt required. A good general estimate is 50 pounds of salt per 1,200 gallons of capacity. The ratio of salt to pool water is small, so damage should not occur to any pool equipment. The only time damage may occur is if the unit isn't operating properly or if the water isn't tested and balanced regularly. In these situations the chlorine may dissolve the heat exchanger in the heater in a matter of days. Use a high-quality salt with no added minerals or iodine and make sure the cell is off for 8 hours when the salt is added. The cell is the component responsible for disinfecting by means of chlorine.
Turn on the pump, thus circulating the salt water through the entire system. This initiates an electrolysis process in which the sodium chloride is separated into sodium and chlorine. Hydrogen and chloride atoms form sodium hydrochloride, which purifies the water. This results in the freeing of hydrogen atoms from the water molecules. The chlorine recombines with the sodium after sanitizing the water and turns back into salt. You don't need to constantly buy chlorine and other chemicals, because the salt cycles over and over again.
Maintenance of your salt water pool is very simple. Monitor your salt levels closely and adjust them as necessary. Salt test strips are available at pool supply stores or consider indicator lights as well. You will not have to buy and handle toxic chemicals anymore. Be conscious of your pool and you will enjoy the full benefits of salt water.
