Is is true that the Oasis Pool at the Polynesian is salt water????

[WelcomeHome]

or did I just dream that?????

 

[DVCRSheridan]

I believe that is in fact the case. A lot of pools, at resorts especially, have made the switch to saltwater as it's easier to maintain and not as harsh as chlorine.

 

[bumbershoot]

They wouldn't be meaning salt water like the ocean. When people say a salt water pool they mean that a salt like bromine is used rather than chlorine. (Of course, chlorine is a salt too but whatever) My brother has a "salt" water pool, too, and it's treated with bromine.

 

[Shanti]

or did I just dream that?????

Not in the sense of ocean-type salt water, no.

 

[disneynutz]

If treated properly, a "salt water" pool should not taste salty. It uses a different chemical reaction and equipment to treat the water and Chlorine created from salt does not smell like bleach, and is very gentle to skin, hair and swim suits. The water has a softer feel.

Bill

 

[pangyal]

My understanding is that all Disney pools use Bromine, which is better in hotter climates, but that the Oasis pool is a salt water pool (formulated for pools, of course).

 

[Tlmb615]

We just got back from a stay at Poly and the Oasis pool is a salt water pool. We could tell the difference when we went to the other pool.

 

[disneynutz]

My understanding is that all Disney pools use Bromine, which is better in hotter climates, but that the Oasis pool is a salt water pool (formulated for pools, of course).

The water rides also use bromine.

Bill

 

[SL6827]

So, it can taste salty then, like the ocean or what?

 

[disneynutz]

So, it can taste salty then, like the ocean or what?

It should not taste salty. It should taste better than chlorine treated pools.

Bill

 

[zavandor]

Isn't salt water in an oasis a contradiction? It should be the Sea Lagoon pool.

 

[NS8VN]

I believe that is in fact the case. A lot of pools, at resorts especially, have made the switch to saltwater as it's easier to maintain and not as harsh as chlorine.

Got a surprise for everyone, saltwater pools are chlorine pools. Salt Water chlorine Generators (SWG) just pass a current through the water in the cell which produces pure chlorine. Once the chlorine reacts with something in the water, kills bacteria, breaks down sweat or skin cells, or kills algae, it returns to salt. Then the process is repeated. It isn't so much easier to maintain, but it is not as dangerous as using chlorine gas injection and not as labor intensive as transporting large amounts of liquid chlorine. As for harshness, all chlorine is the same once it is in the water no matter the source. It depends on how much is in the water and whether there is any cyanuric acid present to buffer it. Though the salt in the water can create a marginally better feel it is not nearly as important as balancing pH and keeping chlorine levels correct.

SWG pools run around 2500-3500 ppm in the US which is right on the edge of being able to taste it. That is 1/10th of ocean water so it is nothing like swimming in the ocean and most people wouldn't even notice it. Though I don't know what exact systems Disney uses, it is possible to have a saltwater bromine pool. If there is sodium bromide in a pool, any pool, once chlorine is added it reacts with the bromide and creates bromine. In a private outdoor pool bromine isn't a great system since most chlorine or bromine loss is to the sun and cyanuric acid can't be used to protect bromine from UV degradation like it does for chlorine, but in a public pool most loss is because people are in it so either system works fine.