Update: We’ve got a new chlorine/bromine vs saltwater hot tub comparison infographic here!
Salt Water Facts
The words ‘salt water hot tub’ are a bit deceiving. When people hear ‘salt water’ usually their first thought is; “Oh good, a chemical- free system.” Unfortunately, that’s not true. Salt water systems work by dumping large amounts of either bromine salts or chlorine salts into your hot tub. The system uses an electric current to, very slowly, convert the chemical salts to usable bromine (or chlorine).
All this boils down to a not-so-chemical-free system. And, because the conversion from salt to sanitizer is so slow, the system often fails to keep up with family use because of the added demand on the system. The end result is either too much chlorine/bromine, or not enough – leading to over-chlorinated or dirty, slimy tubs.
Salt Water Hot Tub Misconceptions
Both systems, the old chemical salts, and the new Mineraluxe system were created (and enjoyed) for the same reasons: salt water (whether it is a chemical salt or a mineral salt) feels better on your skin, and helps to reduce chemical smells.
Unfortunately, the old salt generator systems came with a hefty price: a $1,500(+) equipment upgrade to your tub. But it didn’t stop there. The old systems were advertised as low maintenance/low cost because you didn’t have to add chlorine or bromine to the water – you just hooked up it up and let the machine do the rest. Theoretically, this also saved you from buying new chemicals – you just topped up the (chemical) salt in the machine.
The reality, however, was very different. The salt water still needed to be balanced, shocked with an oxidizer, and manually topped up with chlorine or bromine during any heavy use to prevent stinky, slimy water. Worse yet, the type and amount of salt added to this system also turned out to be highly corrosive to any metallic components of the tub (notably heaters, pump motors and electronics), even stainless steel ones, causing increased wear and increased maintenance costs on your tub. In the end, this makes the old saltwater option even more expensive and time-consuming than traditional methods.
The Mineraluxe Advantage
The Mineraluxe system adds that same bit of polish (plus a bit more) to an already wonderful experience, without the headache of the old system. To begin with, Mineraluxe doesn’t require the same pricey addition to your tub.
The system is added to your hot tub weekly by adding pre-measured packages directly to the tub; no more measuring or guesswork. Not only that, this system is designed to be balanced, meaning adding it won’t drop your pH as it did in old systems, so there’s no need to re-balance your entire tub after every addition. Because this treatment is added weekly there is no need to saturate your tub with several months-worth of chemical salts – you only add what you need when you need it.
On top of the lack of smell and moisture-retaining effects on the skin, Mineraluxe is also designed to maintain the long-term health of your tub. Part of the mineral blend in this system prevents minerals and gunk from sticking to the acrylic surfaces, plumbing, and mechanical components.
In fact, this effect is so powerful that we have to warn new Mineraluxe customers with old hot tubs that everything that has been building up in their plumbing since they got their tub is now going to be cleaned from the inside out. For a day or so after you start using this system you can actually see everything from inside the plumbing exiting through the jets before being harmlessly filtered out. After Mineraluxe has cleaned out your tub, it will stay clean as long as you stay on the system. This also means that the resale on your tub will go up, and the maintenance requirements will go down – the exact opposite of the old system.
Are you ready to switch over to the Mineraluxe? This article will explain just how easy it is.
If you want more information and missed our first post in the series, check out our chlorine vs saltwater hot tub comparison.