Another pool question...

[1stepcloser]

I'm having a pool done, and am researching salt water systems...
Does anyone here use one?
Are they for real? Do they stand up to the hype?

['78 gt boat]

I am having my pool done right now and we are having salt water system put in. It's about $1200 more but it is better on the skin it creates natural chlorine instead of using chemicals. :)

[Dan Lorenze]

I have a friend that builds pools, he says they rarely sets up pools for chlorine anymore , all salt.. I think I'm the only guy in my neighborhood with chlorine..

[RAZORSHARP]

I have a 2 year old pool with salt system. Great. But just like any other pool still requires regular maintenance. In particular, there is a "cell" in which the salt converts to chlorine. It must be cleaned every 3 months or so. Very easy though. You will save $ money. 50lb. of salt costs less than $5. I add about 50-100lbs once every 6 months or so.

[funkybunchjr]

I converted mine about 3 months back and I love it. My only bitch is that I get salt buildup on my rock waterfall.

[1stepcloser]

I converted mine about 3 months back and I love it. My only bitch is that I get salt buildup on my rock waterfall.
Really? One reason that appealed to me was the reported lack of mineral build up.
I will have three drops around the pool, and was concerned with mineral, as our water here is pretty hard. This was presented as a major feature of salt systems.

[RitcheyRch]

Whats involved with converting a pool to a salt system?
I converted mine about 3 months back and I love it. My only bitch is that I get salt buildup on my rock waterfall.

[76ANTHONY]

they are great systems, one thing about the build up, yes it gets worse. there are chemicals sold to clean off the rocks and tile, its for the salt system, reg maint and its not too bad, pumise stone and some tilex from the pool store and the salt build up comes of, just do 3 or 4 tiles everytime ya jump in and you will not even notice your workin on them. salt system is about 1200.00......

[mmered8299]

I converted mine about 3 months back and I love it. My only bitch is that I get salt buildup on my rock waterfall.
I dont think that is salt. Probably hard water minerals. Use Acid to contol you hard water. Pools that have salt system require more acid. I try to keep the PH on my pools with waterfalls at 7.4. Try an "Aqua Doc" on your plumbing line too. It helps some with the hard water.

[al cole'holic]

...dude, whats with the avatar..??..I know people with salt systems that are running wrong but they think its ok, if you can taste it or see massive residues it isn't running right!! That's about my input, I am still on og chemical but there's a reason its a hundred year old proces...it works :)

[funkybunchjr]

Really? One reason that appealed to me was the reported lack of mineral build up.
I will have three drops around the pool, and was concerned with mineral, as our water here is pretty hard. This was presented as a major feature of salt systems.
It could be that the water fall is fed by my hot tub, maybe the hot water drying fast has something to do with it. I'll ask my pool guy the next time I see him.

[funkybunchjr]

Whats involved with converting a pool to a salt system?
They installed a little block or cell in line with the pump, it's controlled by a little box (looks like a sprinker system timer). The cell converts the salt to chlorine, and the process it controlled by the little computer. My pool guy just keeps the salt at a certain level (i'm not sure what it is, i'm still used to the chlorine setup) and the cell does the rest.

[Trailer Park Casanova]

Do you get build-up & plateing out on the pool walls with a salt system?
Isnt that a drawback?

[funkybunchjr]

Do you get build-up & plateing out on the pool walls with a salt system?
Isnt that a drawback?
I have has less buildup on the tile and walls with the salt, to me it seems to do better than chlorine. The only buildup I get is where the hot tub spills over to the pool.

[RitcheyRch]

Interesting. Might have to mention this to my parents for their pool.
They installed a little block or cell in line with the pump, it's controlled by a little box (looks like a sprinker system timer). The cell converts the salt to chlorine, and the process it controlled by the little computer. My pool guy just keeps the salt at a certain level (i'm not sure what it is, i'm still used to the chlorine setup) and the cell does the rest.

[seanv]

any phoenix ***boat guys build pools?

[Capt'nRon]

We are having our pool done by Code Blue. Expensive, but Gary is very dependable. We also got a quote from Sandcastle. They pushed the salt system really hard. Based upon the maintenance, we chose to go with the traditional chlorine pool.
Good luck with the project. It has taken us forever to get ours started.

[HCS]

My brother in-law has the salt water sytem. He has had zero problems.
Says it's very easy to maintain.

[havasu5150]

I have a salt water pool with pebbletec surface and two waterfalls. I get no buildup or deposits. Salt water pools are great no chlorine smell, or eye irritation. relativley low maint. Add acid about every week!

[riverracerx]

I have salt and would NEVER do a regular chlorine pool!
I have 5 pumps and 40' of waterfalls too:
http://riverracerx.com/pool/images/DSC00168.jpg
More picks here!!!!!!! (http://riverracerx.com/pool/)

[Red Horse]

Nice pool. Looks more like a tropical hideaway that you find at the end of a long trail than something in a backyard. :cool:

[seanv]

holly crap rr that pool is sick! what are we talkin here 100k?

[GHT]

Holy Sh1t!!!!! RR... I just pulled the trigger on our pool (in Vegas) and now I'm questioning if I should go back to the drawing board, after seeing your pool.....
By the way we are going salt as well. But I heard you still have to add Chlorine but only a fraction of what you would normally need.
Seanv, it isn't nice to ask how much someone paid for something. Didn't your parents teach you that?
I'll bet it was more along the lines of 120 - 130.... :) :)

[RitcheyRch]

Awesome pool.
I have salt and would NEVER do a regular chlorine pool!
I have 5 pumps and 40' of waterfalls too:
http://riverracerx.com/pool/images/DSC00168.jpg
More picks here!!!!!!! (http://riverracerx.com/pool/)

[Perfect Mixer]

I have salt and would NEVER do a regular chlorine pool!
I have 5 pumps and 40' of waterfalls too:
http://riverracerx.com/pool/images/DSC00168.jpg
More picks here!!!!!!! (http://riverracerx.com/pool/)
WOW :supp:

[riverracerx]

Thanks everyone.
No need to add any chlorine. Just add muriatic acid once a week. My pool is 40'x20 and the baja shelf is 12x12. Spa is 11x7.
Pebble tec in the pool, Pebblesheen in the spa!
I add 1/2 gallon of acid a week and keep my salt at 3000-3200ppm. I don't even have a pool guy. It is super easy to maintain! And I knew nothing about pools before the install.
I just did alot of research and salt is the only way to go. No itchy eyes or skin.
Let me know if you have any questions. You want to do it right the first time!

[Fire Angler]

riverracerx (or anyone else with pebble tech),
How is the pebble tech on the feet? Is it true it's kind of sharp and a little bit uncomfortable on the feet?
I'm starting my pool in 2 months, and I really like the look of the Pebble tech.

[seanv]

Seanv, it isn't nice to ask how much someone paid for something. Didn't your parents teach you that?
I'll bet it was more along the lines of 120 - 130.... :) :)
lol yeah but i was thinking i guessed low as well. thats a sweet pool is all i was getting at. besides, how many of your friends ask how much your boat costs?

[riverracerx]

Plaster is just as abrasive on your feet if you are active in the pool. My neighbor has color quartz and it is rough on the feet too.
I don't think pebbletec is that bad, just make sure they trowel the steps well. I have a few bad spots, but it will happen with any pool.
And if you do a spa, do pebble sheen. Much smoother on your butt when you and the misses are sans swimsuit! ;)
I wish I would have done pebble sheen in the whole pool.
I don't care what I spent on my pool, because I enjoy it everyday in the summer. And the waterfalls are really nice to watch, even in the winter.
I have a full built in covered BBQ, TV, firepit and bar as well, so the back yard gets used year round.

[Fire Angler]

riverracerx,
What is pebble sheen?
post a Photo.

[riverracerx]

Just a smaller pebble:
http://www.pebbletec.com/pebble_sheen.aspx

[DeeCandyBar]

salt system and pebblesheen is the way to go.
there are two kinds of pool owners - those that have salt and those that wish they had salt

[Chico&Zeus]

We have a pebble sheen with salt system, the salt is the best, but ours does require maintenance. Acid every week, and I have to add salt about once a month in the summer. Everyone says that it should require salt only twice or three times a year, but my damn dog splashes so much water out that I have to keep adding it.

[riverracerx]

True, you only need to add salt if the pool water is removed from the pool, as in dogs, kids and splashing.
Last year with the heavy rains it diluted my salt down to 1/2 in about two weeks. Rain will overflow your pool and steal your salt too.
I also have LED lights in the pool that chage multiple colors. Not the color wheel ones, true LED. they never get hot and take very little juice. see them here:
http://www.svision.com/images/products/led/Prod_LED_IGP_lg.jpg
http://www.svision.com/prod_led_galaxy_pool.html
http://www.svision.com/images/applications/pool/underwater_lrg01.jpg

[riverracerx]

Spent about 20 hours in the pool this weekend!

[Hardly Satisfied]

I have salt and would NEVER do a regular chlorine pool!
I have 5 pumps and 40' of waterfalls too:
http://riverracerx.com/pool/images/DSC00168.jpg
More picks here!!!!!!! (http://riverracerx.com/pool/)
That pool and yard is AWESOME

[lawbreaker2]

Hey chris, nice pool, We have the land and a big ass hill just off our deck, so what you did gave me some Idea's and it would be easy, so can we see the pic's of the B-Q, I know I said we are moving out of ohio, but I don't see it happening for a few year yet, so to work we go. :D

[riverracerx]

I am putting together a build gallery, because everyone wants to know about the rock I used. I need to shoot a finished pic of the BBQ house too. I will get it up soon so you can see.
As for the rock. It is made from a mold taken from real rock. It is fiberglass reinforced concrete and comes in panel of 6x8 and in rock (boulder) form. It is cut and pieced together, then patched so you can't see the seams, then stained whatever color you want.
It is basically panels screwed and rebar tied to a retaining wall behind and attached to the pool. It is then backfilled with concrete to make it solid (3-5' thick). You can climb all over it, it is solid as a rock (get it :) )
The top rock is a 10' jump to the surface of the pool. The kids love it!

[28Prowler525]

When the salt water goes through the “Cell” it runs past the “Plates”. The “Plates” are electrically charged and when the H2o hits the charged “Plates” the electricity separates the salt (Sodium Chloride) into 2 parts Sodium and Chloride. The Sodium attracts hard water deposited and attaches itself to the “Plates”. This is why you need to clean your “Plates”. The Chloride (A binary compound of chlorine) is the “Natural” Chlorine that keeps your pool healthy.
Go with Salt it is much more healthy for your family.

[OutCole'd]

What does it cost to convert a chlorine pool to a salt pool?

[riverracerx]

Cut your inlet line, and add the unit. I would say $1500.00
I would also drain and refil the pool and start fresh.
You will never buy chlorine again. (just alot of acid)

[lawbreaker2]

With a pool like that, I would have to have a bar maid to bring me those little fruity drinks in a thong and pasties, now that is the life. :rollside:

[phebus]

The Ritz-Riverracerx :D

[OutCole'd]

The Ritz-Riverracerx :D
Owning a web site must pay huge bucks!!

[RitcheyRch]

Wish a pool and yard like that I would be having naked parties at my house every weekend. :)

[riverracerx]

Owning a web site must pay huge bucks!!
I wish. It's kinda the opposite.
I just do the site for fun.
The pool was a long time in the making, and saving!

[OutCole'd]

I wish. It's kinda the opposite.
I just do the site for fun.
The pool was a long time in the making, and saving!
Sorry, I thought you were making millions off the RRX site. :D
I'm trynig to make it to the Regatta. Looks like a great time as usual.

[ROZ]

Taylor is giving hefner a run for his money :cool:
I'm glad chris brought up the point that a person still needs to check the pool weekly when running a salt system. This type of pool tends to use a lot more acid, but it's partially due to that you don't run tabs as with a normal chemical procedure... I don't have salt and only have to add acid about once every 3 weeks...maybe a pint... My current chlorine usage is only about .5 gallon a week plus 1 tab.
John, call me. I can answer any of your questions.

[riverracerx]

I made just under a million from RRX last year, but I donated all of the money to the homeless parakeet foundation.
Poor birds....
http://students.ou.edu/D/Elizabeth.A.Duff-1/scan.jpg

[lawbreaker2]

Wish a pool and yard like that I would be having naked parties at my house every weekend. :)
The wife and I are in. :D

[INSman]

PebbleFina is also an option and I think is even more gentle on the feet and such, than either the PebbleTech or PebbleSheen, as the PebbleFina is not an exposed aggregate.
I will let you know how it looks and feels when they finish mine in about a week or so.

[RitcheyRch]

Will let you know once the pool is done. :)
The wife and I are in. :D

[riverracerx]

My other hot tip! Go with dual skimmers. Keeps the surface cleaner.

[INSman]

My other hot tip! Go with dual skimmers. Keeps the surface cleaner.
Now you tell me !!! :argue: :mad: :rollside:

['78 gt boat]

any phoenix ***boat guys build pools?
I don't know of any but www.diypoolsdirect is building mine in Buckeye, Az and it's a very good price. Check them out. You want to ask for Andy. :)

[seanv]

rrx, did you have pix of the rest of your yard? who cares what it cost, it's an awesome setup!

[riverracerx]

I am working on a gallery of everything. Maybe in the next few days.

[Kiddunot]

not to be rude or anything but i am curious as well as others, how much do you have in that setup......I have to say it is a sick setup.......I would sell the boat and just hang out in my backyard plus it would be much safer these days.

[seanv]

I am working on a gallery of everything. Maybe in the next few days.
thanks im looking forward to it!

[Riverkid]

We went with the salt setup and it's been great. Our twins are in there evry day (plus about 100# of wet dog for most of the day). No red eye, faded suits, dry skin, etc. Salt systems are great. The electronic monitoring is also very cool, as it makes it almost failsafe. Can you say superchlorinate? :)

[Woodster]

I just got done contracting a pool myself also..It was a pretty easy deal really.I spent around 50k for the pool itself which includes Solar heating(not including concrete) I got bids from 75-80k for the same pool. I went with the salt system also but havent started it up yet. I just got water in the pool around 4 weeks ago and your suppose to run reg chlorine for at least a month before switching over. Everything as far as the pool went really smooth, the concrete is another subject though. I went with an acid wash concrete and the guy over exposed it in some area's. I do Terrazzo flooring for a living, so I may end up just polishing it out and using a wetlook sealer over it. I would highly reccomend doing it yourself, you'll save a boatload of money :)

[blown dough]

here's pebble tech at our beach entrance

[Bling Bling]

When the salt water goes through the “Cell” it runs past the “Plates”. The “Plates” are electrically charged and when the H2o hits the charged “Plates” the electricity separates the salt (Sodium Chloride) into 2 parts Sodium and Chloride. The Sodium attracts hard water deposited and attaches itself to the “Plates”. This is why you need to clean your “Plates”. The Chloride (A binary compound of chlorine) is the “Natural” Chlorine that keeps your pool healthy.
Go with Salt it is much more healthy for your family.
Explained very well. Salt water systems in my opinion pound for pound the best sanitizing system on the market. Here are some down falls: DO NOT THINK YOU CAN INSTALL SALT WATER SYSTEMS AND WALK AWAY. On my pool service side of my business you have no idea how many times we've wipe the asses of other pool builders because they sold there clients this system on the sole idea there was no maintenence. I charge more for a salt water full pool service then an old school Tri clor tab- Chlorine pool full service. There is more work in a salt water pool. From keeping your PH as well as your total Alkalinity in line, PPM of salt right, and Stabilizer-pool conditioner-cyanuric acid level, what ever you feel comfortable calling it,
at the right level can sometimes be a pain in the ass. I've also seen where water hardness is high in the pool and pool water temps exceed 90 degrees, a chalky white substance wiil return into your pool. Instead of explaining this condition in another paragraph, don't worry if this happens it can be fixed. As far as the water features building up calcium faster, that's a big negative. Most of the time this is created from improper pool water chemistry. And don't think were perfect, we have alot of our pools on service with this problem on the water features. It just happens. Pool water chemistry is way harder then alot of people think.
When installing a salt water system and turning the water into salt water on older pools you do not need to drain your pool unless the TDS or water hardness exceeds 400 ppm, your pool service or yourself is such a dumb fock and has let the pool water get so bad you can't see the bottom, or unless your pool is in it's time frame to be drained. This can vary in different areas, so have your pool person do a full chemical reading of your pool water before installing. Some others don't agree with this, but I always install a tablet feeder in with my salt water systems. It goes as far possible down stream from the heater, after the salt water cell, and has a spring check valve in the plumbing in between the heater and the return of the tab feeder. I can almost for sure tell ya at some point in time your salt system will create a glitch, and the tab feeder and some tri-clor tabs will keep ya up and going untill you fix it.
Anyone can clean a pool. But not everbody can create perfect pool water chemistry, as well as flowing pool water right through there pool equipment. RRX has just been lucky, one more Vegas female stripper party at that pool, and he better have Roz or myself phone #'s handy. :D :D
Pebble-tec is the only way to go. If ya got sissy feet stay out of the pool. Pebble sheen and Pebble fina are great also, but both are generally more money. A new thing we've been doing and looks great, is if you have a conversation area, shelf, reef, beach entry, or whatever you want to call it, do that in one color, and the main part of the pool and spa in a diffrent color. Seperate the two colors with some of your water line tiles, I use a 6x6 cut down to 1x6 all the way across and up the sides to the water line tiles. Get yourself a good tile person, because if he focks it up it will look like shit. We usally stick to colors that are fairly close in shade. This week one's being done in Sandy beach and Carribian blue. Play area and conversation area in Sandy, spa and pool area in Carribian. A bit scared but it should look great. I'll try to post pictures, but ask BoatFloating how likely that can happen. :D
BTW, why have a pool, your buddies just come over drink beer and piss in it :D . I hope this helps you out, good luck.

[1stepcloser]

Thanks for the insight. I like the two tone idea as well. no pebble tech though, just traditional plaster. Unfortunately, I have a budget to stick to. :(
I opted for a couple of water features, but certainly nothing on the scale of RRX or some of you other ballers on here, Damn! you guys have some sick setups!
I'm pretty settled on the salt, couple of other things still in the air, but theres a 952 in my yard digging a hole so I need to make up my mind soon.
Roz, I got your number... I'm gonna be burning the lines again... :)
28Prowler, thats the kind of reply I needed, good explanation, Thanks.
Bling, thanks for the input as well, I have a lot to learn about water chemistry, and the whole point of the pool is a place for the neighbors to hang while were drinking. :) I'll have a dont ask - dont tell policy about the pee thing though...

[riverracerx]

I have been pretty lucky with my chemistry, but have had to be very careful and adjust my cleaning times. I have to run my pool 12 hours a day in the summer and 8-9 in the winter. Also have to adjust the chlorination on the dial accordingly. Otherwise I get algae on my sunny side walls.
I have a pretty good pool place by my house and I take them water samples regularly. I keep conditioner in it and I clean my filter about every 3 months.
The best thing is when I run my waterfalls, as it really gets the oxygen circulating in the water. I also run my spa jets for 15 minutes a day.
As long as you keep your water moving, it will stay clean and clear.
I have a pretty big pool too, and that seems to make it easier to maintain (think tiny saltwater aquarium vs. big tank, smaller is harder to maintain your salt and Ph). I think my pool is around 45,000 gallons.
40'x20', 8 feet deep with a 12'x12' step that is 9" deep.

[1stepcloser]

Good point about water movement... Not sure on amount of water, but I'm looking at 18X32 and 9X9 step. Thats a really nice pool BTW Chris. Really nice. Looking forward to your regatta too... :)

[Deano]

Nice post BB. It is hard to keep your pool chemistry on. When my ghetto family comes over and makes my pool look like a commuity center that you just paid a quarter to get into, it takes me about a month to get it back in shape.
Salt is the only way to go