The first time that you went to the beach you probably ran out into the ocean and dove in like you were in a giant swimming pool. You came out with a face-full of seawater, burning your eyes and making you gag. That was your first lesson in saltwater. And you probably had visions of someone standing in the ocean with a giant salt shaker, emptying it into the water.

Of course now you know that it doesn’t quite work that way. But do you really know the difference between the different types of salt? Do you know why we can use some of them in things like fish tanks and hot tubs but not all of them?

How Does a Saltwater Spa Work?

If you’re shopping for a saltwater hot tub then you’ve probably heard that they don’t use chlorine. Well, they kind of do. When the saltwater moves through the chlorinator it gets transformed into chlorine. It’s the same substance that’s been keeping pools and hot tubs clean for decades, it just happens slowly so that it is less harsh and keeps everything nice and balanced.

What If I Pour In Some Table Salt?

First of all, don’t do that. Table salt, or iodized salt, may be the same thing but it is processed differently because we use it for different things. Regular salt is much more course than the salt meant for your spa. It also has some additive included that could cause a lot of damage to the metal electrode plates in your system.

If you need salt for your spa you don’t want to go to the grocery store. Come visit our showroom at Aqua Pools and let our friendly staff help you. We have all of the supplies that you need to keep your hot tub clean and balanced. Come see us today .