Answer:

It is actually the same as chlorine, it is just introducing the chlorine in a different way. In a salt generator system, salt is added to the pool water and a cell installed that can convert this salt into free chlorine. It can be a very effective system and can cut down on maintenance due to the fact that it is constantly producing chlorine. However, it should be treated the same as any other chlorine system with regular testing and adjustment of balancing chemicals like pH and total alkalinity as well as the occasional shock treatment. One word of caution about these systems - the cell used to convert salt to chlorine will need to be replaced every 3 - 5 years and can be very costly. Before you purchase a salt system check to see what the replacement cell will cost you and factor that into your decision.