7 Best Above-Ground Saltwater Pools

The classic disinfectant for the pool is known chlorine. But not everyone can tolerate it, as diving can irritate the eyes and dry the skin and hair.

Are there natural alternatives to chlorine? Very popular in this case is a salt water pool. Salt is a natural product and has many advantages. You save your skin and hair, the environment and your wallet.

But how can you convert your currently chlorine disinfected pool to a salt water pool? What components are required to do this? What are the benefits to you of the effort to retrofit? Is your pool suitable as a saltwater pool?

You should know first: In order to use a swimming pool as a saltwater pool, the two important components besides a swimming pool are a filtration system for saltwater pools and a salt system.

In this article, we will introduce you to the best saltwater pools and also give you recommendations for very good sand filtration systems and salt systems. This will save you a lot of time and effort searching for these products individually, and you will find all the necessary components for a salt water pool in this article.

In addition, you will get important information about saltwater pools here, so that you know what is important about this product and what you should consider before making a purchase decision.

• To operate a saltwater pool, you will need a sand filtration system and a salt system in addition to a pool suitable for saltwater. You can find more detailed information in this article.
• Salt water is much better tolerated by most people than chlorinated water. In addition, unlike chlorine, salt water is not only gentle on the skin and hair, but salt water actually has a positive effect on them.
• A salt water pool is easier to operate. After all, the salt system works fully automatically and you rarely need to refill salt. This makes it possible not to worry about the salt system for weeks and still the water remains clear and clean.

The best salt water pools for installation

Guide to saltwater pools

When it comes to a saltwater pool, there are several aspects that you should consider in order to carry out a satisfactory purchase decision. Therefore, in this section, we will inform you in more detail about saltwater pools.

What are saltwater pools?

A saltwater pool is a swimming pool that is not filled with normal drinking water, but contains salt water. However, the salt water content is much lower than at seas or oceans.

Sea water has 3.5 percent salt content. In the saltwater pool, on the other hand, the salt content is only about 0.4 percent. This is about one tenth of the salt content of seawater.

Not only the salt content is different, but also the composition of the dissolved salt. In addition to sodium chloride, seawater contains numerous other compounds:

Magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, iodine and other trace elements.

In the saltwater pool, on the other hand, the salt water is produced artificially. Industrial salt is used for this purpose. In this only common salt (sodium chloride) is contained. The purpose of the salt water pool is simple.

Sodium chloride, which is added to the water, is a chlorine compound. Part of the common salt is converted into sodium hypochlorite in an electrolysis unit. This is a disinfectant that eliminates the need to add chlorine to the water.

How to put a salt water pool into operation?

The salt system is installed in the water circuit of the pool. In this case, the salt system must usually be installed after the sand filter system on the pressure side. It varies from model to model exactly how to proceed with the installation.

It is best to consult the installation instructions. If you can not find assembly instructions, contact the manufacturer or the seller. The instructions are often available for download on the homepage.

Which sand filter systems are suitable for operating a saltwater pool?

To properly operate a saltwater pool so that everything works smoothly and flawlessly, you need a high-quality, powerful and robust sand filter system.

So that you can find the most important components in this article for operating a saltwater pool, below is a recommondation for a sand filtration system for a saltwater pool.

Which salt systems are suitable for operating a saltwater pool?

In addition to a sand filter system, you will also need a good salt system for a saltwater pool that will provide you with satisfactory service. So that you can also equip yourself with such a product right away, we present a particularly recommendable model below.

Buying advice for a salt water pool

When it comes to a saltwater pool, there are a few things you should look for before making a purchase. You can find these buying criteria below.

Salt system required

In order for the salt to work in the pool, a salt system is necessary. This device dissolves the chlorine from the salt. The chlorine, on the other hand, acts as a pool chemical and prevents the water from breaking. The process of dissolving chlorine from the salt is called electrolysis.

For electrolysis, the salt system must be installed and retrofitted. But usually this is not a problem, because the salt system is simply installed to the pool equipment.

Recommended read: How to Measure Pool’s Salt Level in 5 Steps (Guide)

Are all components suitable for salt water?

Above all, this applies to pool ladders and built-in components such as pool lighting, counter-current systems, skimmer covers or nozzles made of metal or steel. With screws, it is also important to make sure that they are suitable for salt water.

What can you use as a substitute to metal or steel for a pool with salt water? Alternatively, ladders and installation parts made of plastic, V4A stainless steel or titanium can be used.

However, rust does not necessarily occur with metals in a saltwater pool. The rust usually occurs due to too high salt concentration. Normally, 40 kilograms of salt in 10,000 liters of pool water is quite sufficient. By the way, rust can also occur in metals if chlorine tablets are overdosed.

Are the pool accessories suitable for salt water?

Around the pool, you should also pay attention to components that could rust. For example, this includes rods or screws on pool covers, rollers or rails of the pool enclosure, or the diving board.

What other pool chemicals are needed for a salt water pool?

First of all, the salt is added to the pool water after the pool is in place. In addition, you also need a pH reducer. You can dose this manually, with a dosing system or you measure with test strips and then dose manually.

Like the salt system, a dosing system is mounted to the pool technology and this can then check the pH value regularly. If the saltwater pool pH is too high, this device automatically adds a pH reducer to the pool water.

Recommended read: How to Measure Saltwater Pool Chlorine & Adjust (Guide)

The advantages and disadvantages of a salt water pool

A saltwater pool has pros and cons, which you can find below.

Advantages

Health

For the skin, salt water is pleasant. For skin diseases such as rashes or neurodermatitis, it acts as a natural remedy. In addition, salt water is also good for the hair. These feel soft and supple. By the way, the salt content is so low that you can hardly feel it.

In addition, salt water has some positive effects on the skin. It has a cleansing, anti-inflammatory and disinfecting effect and can also help with blemishes and acne. Salt water can penetrate deeper into the skin compared to normal water, so the mineral content from the skin is increased.

Compared to chlorinated water, salt water is better tolerated by many and a more pleasant bathing sensation is thus achieved. However, you should not go into a salt water pool with a fresh wound, because it can be painful.

Compared to a classic swimming pool, a salt water pool needs much less chemicals. For this reason, there are fewer problems with red eyes and also the skin does not dry out as much.

Salt water also stimulates blood circulation and strengthens the immune system. Therefore, you are less susceptible to various infections or other diseases.

Since the disinfection of the salt water pool is done automatically with the salt system, it works better. Thus, there is no danger of overdosing the chemicals (can have harmful consequences for health) and also the danger of poor water quality and germ formation due to too low a concentration of chemicals is prevented.

Environment

Compared to a classic swimming pool, you need significantly fewer chemicals for a salt water pool. This has a positive effect on the environment, because sooner or later the pool water returns to the natural water cycle.

For people, the dangers and stresses are also less with a saltwater pool. After all, chlorine is an aggressive chemical. Many of chlorine’s compounds are corrosive, toxic and irritating to the skin. This creates problems during storage and transport. Protective equipment such as gloves and goggles may be necessary when handling.

Chlorine can harm small children or pets. With salt water there are no such problems. When storing it, the only thing you need to do is protect it from moisture.

Purse

You need fewer chemicals for a saltwater pool than for a traditional pool. At the same time, these pool chemicals are not exactly cheap. In contrast, pool or evaporated salt costs only a few euros per bag of 25 kilograms. The cost of other pool water care chemicals is also significantly lower.

Operation

A salt system does its work fully automatically. Only very rarely does new salt need to be added to the pool water. You will find a pool with clear and clean pool water when you return, even on a week-long vacation.

Furthermore, maintenance is limited to measuring the salt content and likewise the pH value from time to time. The pool water also does not tip over in great heat over 30 ° C, because the algae do not multiply explosively.

Easy to maintain

Salt is simply poured into the water when the saltwater pool is put in. 40 kilograms of salt are enough for 10 m³ of water. In the water, the salt dissolves and is enough for electrolysis as a medium. However, the salt is not consumed during electrolysis, so you can also use the salt water again in the next pool season.

Since a salt water system is fully automatic, you can go on vacation without worry.

No chlorine smell

When it comes to salt water, one of the biggest advantages is that there is no longer a chlorine smell in the salt water pool. You no longer have to deal with the unpleasant smell of chlorine around the pool, and your body and hair will not smell of chlorine either.

Natural product

Salt is a natural product and therefore it is more environmentally friendly and also more compatible than the artificially produced pool chemicals. Also, unlike chlorine, you can store salt without regulations.

Cheaper

Salt is cheaper than chlorine. 25 kilograms of boiling or industrial salt costs only about 9 euros. Furthermore, for about 12 euros you can already get 40 kilograms of salt and this amount is enough for 10 m³ of pool water.

Less power consumption

Due to the high sterilizing power of salt, the filter running time is less than with chlorine, for example. This saves electricity.

Retrofitting possible

You can easily retrofit your classic pool to a salt water pool. In doing so, you just need to make sure that you replace components of your pool that are not salt water resistant.

Disadvantages

High price

The advantages of a saltwater pool far outweigh the disadvantages. However, a saltwater pool has some disadvantages as well. Among them, the biggest disadvantage is the significantly higher price of a salt system as opposed to a few chlorine tablets. However, the salt system is worth it in the long run because salt water has lower operating costs.

Corrosion

The second disadvantage is that salt water is more corrosive than fresh water. If materials like iron or steel have contact with the salt water, they can rust over time. Therefore, for a salt water pool to protect against corrosion, you need to take extra measures, which also cost money.

Which pools can be used as a salt water pool?

In principle, almost any type of pool is suitable for salt water. The only exception is steel wall pools. Pure steel wall pools are not suitable as a saltwater pool, because the steel walls are attacked and eroded by the salt water.

However, if the steel wall pool is lined with pool liner, you can also use this pool as a salt water pool.

As a rule, all other types of pools and materials are suitable for salt water. For example, this applies to the following designs:

• Concrete or masonry pools
• Plastic pools
• Inflatable pools
• Frame pools

Conclusion

Especially if you don’t tolerate chlorinated water well or prefer natural pool chemistry and at the same time want to benefit from numerous advantages, a salt water pool is ideal for you.

A saltwater pool is good for your skin and hair, it creates a more pleasant bathing experience, you save the environment, your wallet and you have less work with pool disinfection and cleaning.

In order to operate a salt water pool, you will need a good sand filter system and a salt system in addition to the pool. In this article, we will introduce you to all three of these high quality products that we are happy to recommend. Therefore, you should take a closer look at these recommendations right away and save yourself a lot of time searching on the Internet.