The short answer
A salt pool still uses chlorine: a salt chlorine generator makes it from dissolved salt in an electrolytic cell. You add salt a few times a season instead of chlorine every week. The cell is a wear part that typically lasts 3 to 7 years, and salt water can be hard on some stone, metal and older heater parts.
Side by side
| Salt system | Tablets or liquid chlorine | |
|---|---|---|
| Chlorine source | Made from salt by the cell | Added by you |
| Up-front cost | System and install | Feeder optional |
| Ongoing cost | Salt, and a cell every few years | Chlorine every week |
| Water feel | Softer to many swimmers | Depends on balance |
Sizing a salt system
Choose a system rated well above your volume, about 1.25 times normally and 1.5 times in hot climates; the Hayward AquaRite 40,000 gal and CircuPool CORE35 are examples. The salt system calculator lists systems with headroom.
What to check first
- Stone coping, metal fixtures and heater exchangers that tolerate salt.
- Bonding and a dedicated circuit, installed by an electrician.
- Replacement cell cost and availability for the system you choose.
Products mentioned
In-ground salt system · Hayward
Hayward Aquarite 40,000 gal Salt Chlorine Generator
Up to 40,000 gallons
In-ground salt system · CircuPool
CircuPool CORE35 35,000 gal Salt Chlorine Generator
Up to 35,000 gallons · 1.4 lb of chlorine per day
Replacement salt cell · Hayward
Hayward TurboCell 40,000 gal Salt Cell
Up to 40,000 gallons
Questions readers ask
Is a salt water pool cheaper?
Often over several years: salt is cheap, but the cell needs replacing every few years, so compare that cost with a season of chlorine.
Do salt pools still have chlorine?
Yes. The generator turns salt into chlorine; you still test and balance chlorine, pH and stabilizer.