I'm wondering the same thing, as I'm putting in a pool on the Big Island (I have enough room to put in a full 25m lap pool, so I've been looking at the monty thread for design considerations). My contractor mentioned not to go with salt if you have a negative-edge pool (we're not going to), and it seems to have other downsides like scale:
https://www.poolwerx.com/...now-about-salt-pool/.
On the other hand, our water is really hard, so it would be nice to have the softening effect of a salt generator.

I had one for 15 years in my pool in the Bay Area, and it was really nice to swim in. I don't remember any major issues, but it did seem to erode some of the coping over time.

Ian

I have a few friends that have built pools recently and gone with salt and they are very happy with it. I was all set to go with a salt system in my pool, but my pool builder talked me out of it for two reasons. First, I installed an automated cover that has tracks embedded in the walls just above the water line. These tracks (and most of the cover hardware) are powder coated aluminum, which would get attacked and corroded by the salt. Secondly, I installed an Endless Pools Fastlane unit in my pool. Similarly, the salt will corrode the hardware in the Fastlane unit and require a rebuild every few years. I didn't want to have to deal with corrosion problems down the road, so decided to go with chlorine instead.

One big thing that made a chlorine system FAR more liveable for us was the addition of the Pentair Intellichem system. The system has sensors that monitor acid and chlorine levels real-time. There are two 5-gallon containers in the pool equipment area that have chlorine and acid, and the system is constantly micro-dosing to maintain the pH and ORP setpoints. In the real world what this means is that we can set an ORP (chlorine) level that maintains clean water without having the large surges in chlorine level you'd get if you only add chlorine a few times per week. At the level we set (ORP of 700) the smell of chlorine is almost undetectable, and we don't have any of that lingering chlorine smell on our skin or hair after swimming. From an ease of maintenance standpoint, it's also a godsend, as the system is constantly managing chlorine and acid levels. Our pool guy checks water chemistry once a week and rarely has to do anything at all (other than refill the acid and chlorine vats when they run low).

I'm glad you mentioned the automatic cover and FastLane as I planned on having both of those as well. If that's a dealbreaker for salt I guess that solves it then!

We have built two pools (Waco first and now in Lubbock). It’s a saltwater pool but I have removed the chlorinator and replaced it with a pass through (which you can buy for around $30). The pool is about 10 years old. I ran the first 5 years as a salt water pool but it produced so much calcium due to our hard water that it was a pain (always having to clean the pool to get rid of it) and not worth it, in my opinion. The switch to manual chlorination has worked great. We also have a retractable cover and, though subject to West Texas hail, has been great. We use The pool year round as we have an efficient heater and an abundance of sunshine. Enjoy your pool!

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"The more you suffer, the more it shows you really care.”

Another Texan here who recently completed a lap pool build in my back yard (I think you may have read my post here?). I have a salt system, although you can’t turn on the system for the first 30 days while the plaster cures, so I had to manage my pool without it at first.

For those not familiar, a salt water pool is still a chlorine pool. The only difference is that you have a chlorine generator that converts salt to chlorine, which is converted back to salt, which is then converted back to chlorine, etc. It’s a very convenient system. The level of salt is 10% of ocean water and you can’t taste the salt. Corrosion concerns are way overblown and, IMO, any actual corrosion was probably due to having chlorinated water nearby, not from salt water.

That aside, you have 3 ways to add chlorine to a pool: tablets, liquid chlorine, or a chlorine generator (aka salt system). The tablets are what 99% of folks use and are mostly convenient, although you do have to refill tablets every few days. The main downside to tablets is they add cyanuric acid (CYA) to the water. CYA builds up over time and neutralizes the chlorine. That’s why you’ll hear about people with algae in their pool despite having plenty of chlorine. The only solution is to drain the water to get rid of the CYA.

The other point that most folks miss is that your chlorine level needs to go up as your CYA goes up. Many of my neighbors keep their pools at 2-3 ppm chlorine, which is the old school way of thinking. Then they tell me about algae growth, then later I’ll see them draining their pool.

Liquid chlorine is only chlorine and does not add CYA. But you either have to add it daily by hand or install a liquid chlorine injection system, and refill the tank with liquid chlorine periodically.

With the salt system, you add salt, set the generator at its %, and then let it create chlorine. It doesn’t add CYA to the water, and you aren’t having to add tablets, etc.

I’ve done all three methods as my pool was new and then transitioned to the salt system. The salt system is by far the most convenient and would choose it again in a heartbeat.

The only issue for the OP is the Fast Lane. I looked at putting one in and talked to Endless Pools. Their Fast Lane rep (who was very helpful) said the unit will require more frequent maintenance with salt water. However, after having lived with my pool for a few months now and taking care of it, I would still go with the salt system even if I was going to install a Fast Lane.

i had an above ground salt water pool for a while. the maintenance was essentially zero versus a "standard" chlorine pool. my skin looked waaaay better after being in the salt water regularly, i didnt have to go take a shower after i got out of the water, i could open my eyes underwater easily, and my sinuses were not irritated all the time.

if i ever have any sort of a pool ever again it will be salt water.

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80/20 Endurance Ambassador

I'm doing a pool right now and was sure I'd do salt. My desinger sent the plans over and it was chlorine wife was freaking out... . he won't do a salt design without me signing a waiver. My cover guy hates them too. I went chlorine and a uv light thing to lower the need for chlorine. And I have the pumps and intelligence chem. Plaster next week.

I always thought if I built a pool salt was a no-brainer but given Fastlane, automatic covers, etc I'm really leaning towards chlorine. Yes, dktxracer, I did follow yours closely. When can I come over for a swim?? haha. I'm in process of interviewing pool contractors and am curious to hear what they say about salt vs chlorine as well.

I went with a salt water pool about 15 years ago, and would have nothing else. But the description of the new fangled automatic chemical dispenser is interesting, but would rather stay away from them. The water is so clean and the maintenance is virtually nil. Just look at the number on the screen, and add a little salt every month or two.

And it is such a small amount really, and when in the pool it is mostly chlorine anyway. Maybe stainless steel with any components you are worried about..

Texas pool builders hate salt water chlorine generators, so they will all tell you it’s a bad idea. I don’t know anyone who actually has a salt water system that doesn’t like it. Quite the opposite.

But I understand the concern with the Fast Lane and cover. If you go with the tablet system, please just remember this: monitor your CYA level and increase your chlorine level as your CYA goes up. Once your CYA hits 70 or 80, you should drain half your pool water and refill.

And ignore what the pool stores say and ignore phosphates. You’ll have a much easier time avoiding algae if you follow the above. If the tablet system becomes a pain, you can always add a salt water system later. This isn’t a forever fork in the road choice. I actually have a tablet feeder just after my salt water system, so I can use tablets as well if i want to.

Setting aside salt, have you thought about how to heat / cool the pool? I have a huge heat pump, and if I had to go it again, I would go with a gas heater and a separate traditional water chiller (the kind that cools convectively by dripping water). The heat pump is slow to heat / cool and uses a lot of electricity, around 6 KW / hour.

The number one issue I have with swimming laps in the summer is keeping the water temps down. My pool naturally cools to 84 in the morning, which is a few degrees warmer than I’d like for laps. I turn my chiller on the night before I’m going to swim (I swim in the morning), and it will drop the pool to around 82.