Domakihub How to Convert Your Pool to Saltwater (and Why It's Worth It)
Skip the daily chlorine juggling — a salt chlorinator gives you softer water and steadier chemistry with less effort.
Reviewed by Domakihub pool pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
Converting a chlorine pool to a saltwater system is one of the most popular upgrades among Greek villa and hotel owners — and for good reason. The video above walks through the full process from choosing a salt chlorine generator to adding salt and balancing the water; this article breaks down each stage so you can plan the job with confidence. Whether you manage a family home, a holiday rental, or a boutique hotel on the islands, this guide applies directly to the pools you work with every day.
What a Saltwater Pool Actually Is
A saltwater pool is not a pool filled with seawater — the salt concentration is roughly ten times lower than the ocean, close to the level of human tears. A device called a salt chlorine generator (SCG) sits in the plumbing line after your filter and passes pool water over electrified titanium plates coated with ruthenium or iridium. The low-voltage current splits dissolved salt (sodium chloride) into sodium hypochlorite — the same sanitiser as liquid chlorine — which then circulates through the pool and gradually converts back to salt. The cycle repeats continuously, meaning you stop buying bags of chlorine.
The result is noticeably softer water that does not bleach swimwear, does not irritate eyes, and does not leave that sharp chemical smell that guests in Greek rentals sometimes complain about. The generator does produce chlorine, so the pool is still a chlorinated pool — it just produces it on site, on demand, at a steady rate rather than in large weekly doses.
Is Your Existing Pool Compatible?
Almost any concrete, fibreglass, or vinyl-lined pool can be converted. The main things to verify before you buy equipment are: the pool volume in cubic metres (you need this to size the generator correctly), whether your existing pump and filter can handle the modest extra resistance of the SCG cell in the plumbing line, and whether any metal fittings — particularly old copper or aluminium ladders and heat exchangers — are present, since elevated salt levels can accelerate corrosion on certain alloys.
In Greece, pools with natural stone coping and tile interiors are usually fine. If your pool has a solar heating system with a copper coil, check the manufacturer's salt compatibility before proceeding. Most modern heaters and heat pumps sold since 2015 list their salt tolerance in the technical datasheet.
How to Convert Your Pool to Saltwater: 5 Steps
- 1
Balance the water chemistry first
Before installing any new equipment, bring the pool to ideal baseline chemistry: free chlorine 1–3 ppm, pH 7.4–7.6, total alkalinity 80–120 ppm, cyanuric acid 30–50 ppm, calcium hardness 200–400 ppm. A salt chlorine generator is sensitive to imbalanced water and will produce less efficiently — or trigger false error codes — if you skip this step. Shock the pool if needed and let the chlorine drop below 5 ppm before you proceed.
- 2
Choose and install the salt chlorine generator
Size the unit for at least 1.5 times your pool volume — for example, a 60 m³ pool needs a cell rated for at least 90 m³ to run comfortably at 50–60 % output, which extends cell life significantly. Install the SCG cell in the return line after the filter and heater (if present), with the flow direction arrow pointing toward the pool. Mount the control board somewhere shaded and weatherproof — direct Mediterranean sun degrades circuit boards quickly. Connect the low-voltage wiring to the cell according to the manufacturer's diagram and power on briefly to confirm no error codes before adding salt.
- 3
Add the correct amount of pool-grade salt
Use only NaCl pool salt or water-softener salt that is at least 99.8 % pure and does not contain anti-caking additives. The target salinity for most generators is 2,700–3,400 ppm. A simple formula: multiply pool volume in litres by the target ppm and divide by 1,000 to get grams, then convert to kilograms. For a 60,000-litre pool starting from zero, you need roughly 180 kg to reach 3,000 ppm. Broadcast the salt around the shallow end with the pump running, then brush any undissolved crystals off the floor. Wait at least 24 hours for the salt to fully dissolve and circulate before switching the generator on.
- 4
Turn on the generator and dial in the output
Once salinity reads within the target range on the display (or a manual test strip), enable the generator and start at around 50 % output. Run the pump for a full filtration cycle — typically 8–10 hours per day in Greek summer — and test free chlorine after 24 hours. Adjust output up or down in 10 % increments until free chlorine holds steadily at 1.5–3 ppm without manual additions. It may take two or three days of fine-tuning to find the right setting for your pool's bather load and sun exposure.
- 5
Maintain monthly and protect the cell
A saltwater pool still needs regular attention: test pH weekly (the electrolysis process tends to push pH upward, so you will add small amounts of muriatic acid more often than you did with granular chlorine), check salinity monthly, and inspect the cell every 3 months for calcium scale buildup on the plates. Clean the cell by soaking it for 5–10 minutes in a diluted acid wash solution (1 part muriatic acid to 10 parts water) when you see white deposits — never scrape the plates with metal tools. A well-maintained cell lasts 5–7 years in Greek conditions.
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FAQ
- How much salt does it actually take, and where do I buy it in Greece?
- A typical residential pool of 50–80 m³ needs 150–250 kg of pool-grade salt for the initial fill, then small top-up amounts (20–40 kg) each season to replace salt lost to splash-out and backwashing. Pool-grade NaCl is stocked at most pool supply shops (pisines/piscines) in major Greek cities and tourist areas, and it is significantly cheaper than buying bottled chlorine year-round. Salt does not evaporate, so your ongoing cost is minimal.
- Will a saltwater pool damage my stone coping, tile grout, or natural travertine?
- At the recommended concentration of 3,000 ppm — roughly 0.3 % salinity — saltwater pools pose no meaningful risk to well-grouted ceramic tile, porcelain, or most natural stones used in Greek pools. Problems arise when salinity spikes well above 4,000 ppm or when water is left to evaporate on porous stonework repeatedly, leaving salt crystals behind. Keep salinity within the target range, rinse coping with fresh water after heavy evaporation periods, and seal natural stone annually with a pool-safe penetrating sealer.
- Can I run the salt generator year-round in Greece, or should I turn it off in winter?
- In most of mainland Greece and the islands, pool professionals recommend keeping the generator running at reduced output (20–30 %) as long as the water temperature stays above 15 °C — roughly October through November in many areas. Below 15 °C, salt chlorine generators become significantly less efficient because the electrolysis rate drops sharply in cold water. Most modern units have a water-temperature cutoff that pauses generation automatically. If you close the pool for winter, remove and store the cell indoors to protect it from frost cracking.