Saltwater Swimming Pools

Saltwater Swimming Pool Design and Installation

If you are interested in building a saltwater swimming pool, you’re in the right place. Here at Compass Pools, we have substantial experience in the design and construction of high-quality saltwater pools in the UK. Based in Sussex, we have contractors readily available throughout the country, so we can create your dream pool wherever you’re based.

Saltwater Pool Design

Saltwater swimming pools are increasingly growing in popularity since they use less chlorine and require less sanitation work than traditional pool-based designs. As a lower maintenance pool, they’re a great way to save money on maintenance while still enjoying the benefits of an outdoor pool on your own property.

Each one of our Compass Pools can be installed as a saltwater pool – all our designs can be fitted with an IntelliChlor chlorine generator. This system uses regular table salt to produce chlorine in the swimming pool, which regulates the amount of chlorine contained within the pool. It also continually recycles the water to ensure it stays safe and hygienic for you to swim in.

Compass swimming pools are the ideal choice for saltwater as they are made using a specialist ceramic composite material. As a result, they won’t corrode from salt in the same way that concrete pools do, ensuring your pool lasts for many years to come.

We offer a wide variety of unique pool designs, with over 30 different shapes and sizes and a host of customisation options, so you can create your dream pool that will exceed your expectations. What’s more, we bring decades’ worth of experience and expertise to every one of our pool builds.

Why choose a saltwater pool?

Saltwater pools offer a number of benefits over a freshwater pool. While saltwater pools do still contain some chlorine, the concentration is much lower which means that saltwater pools are much softer and less drying to the skin. In fact, some people even say that saltwater is better for the skin as it helps to exfoliate while still being gentle. The water in a saltwater pool has a silkier feeling and won’t sting your eyes or discolour your hair.

Freshwater pools require the level of chlorine to be carefully maintained, while saltwater pools do not since the chlorine is regulated by the generator. This means you don’t need to spend as much time maintaining the pool yourself – you can simply turn the generator on and let it do its thing. It’s a far easier pool to manage, so you can enjoy the benefits without as much work. Saltwater pools have a lower annual cost, since you don’t need to worry about chlorine and chemicals. Fresh water pools can be more expensive to maintain each year.

A Compass Pools saltwater pool is a great choice, as the materials we use to construct our swimming pools are ideally suited to saltwater. Saltwater is unable to corrode our one-piece ceramic pools, as it can with some concrete pools, so you can be sure that the money you invest in your swimming pool will be well spent and will last for much longer. What’s more, when you choose a saltwater pool with us, we’ll upgrade our stainless-steel fittings to marine grade 316 stainless-steel, at no extra cost to you, for a more durable swimming pool that’s built to last.

Read Our Latest Reviews

Adam Breeden

06/11/2023

i procured a pool from compass on a new construction house we built. the house was considerably delayed, but compass were extremely good and accommodating the moving timelines. now the pool is in we are totally delighted with it, stunning aesthetic but also the kit is state of the art and all online via an app they really take the hassle out of up keeping a pool which i was dreading. re the resign of the pool, you are really left with the feeling they really know about pools and whats important. we were going to build one bespoke but we would never have thought of the little design touches that make is so user friendly. i rarely write reviews, but these guys really deserve it, rarely these days do you come across top notch suppliers that are also not too expensive. top service too, shout out to sheila, thank you..

Rupert Evenett

29/09/2023

Penny and Mike of Compass in Kent did a fantastic job - professional, experienced, confidence building (for first time pool owners!) and always on time/always doing exactly what they said they would from first meeting and good advice through to final installation, handover and explanations of maintaining the pool. dealt expertly with difficult access, a narrow lane, a big crane lift (with high winds) along the way. Thoroughly recommend them. Great product, great finish.

Tiffany Hornshaw

15/09/2023

Penny and Mike have been fantastic - from the first enquiry to the handover. So easy to deal with - very responsive and accommodating. Would highly recommend!

Jonathan Hook

04/09/2023

The team were so professional from start to finish. Very thorough and slick. It is true that 'you get what you pay for'! 5/5

Michael Stallard

30/08/2023

Compass pools have just installed our new pool, the service from them has been nothing short of fantastic from the beginning to the final handover. Nick has given us all the help we needed from the start and on site Ryan Nathan & team made the whole construction process enjoyable. We can highly recommend them.

Tom Nicholls

27/07/2023

Denise and Mike were fantastic! Thank you so much for the quality service

Zar Sheikh

05/07/2023

Once decided upon a pool company I’m very pleased we went with Waterstream and the Compass pool. Their whole end to end process was so straightforward for such a dramatic change. No sales push. Dedicated representative thorough out the process. The on-site team were efficient, no nonsense get the job done - but all friendly and very professional. Couldn’t be happier with the final result. Pool looks great - went with the light Pearl finish which looks stunning against the green backdrop of the garden. The plant room is compact and easy to navigate and we love the way it’s all hidden away (behind the hedge) and quiet! The integrated cover completes the look and helps heat the water. With the plethora of companies out there, choosing the right one is paramount and we’ve not been disappointed.

James Lloyd

28/06/2023

Penny and Mike from Waterstream installed our Compass Pool. From the moment I first met Penny to discuss installing a pool to their handover on completion they gave the best service. The quality of the product is excellent and Penny and Mike are so professional and their work is of the highest standards. Commissioning a pool can be quite a daunting process but throughout the process they were always there to put your mind at rest and the end result is perfect. Thanks again and highly recommended to anyone thinking of having a pool!

hamish baillie

16/05/2023

Made a potentially difficult job simple and enjoyable. The team at Compass completed the installation professionally and promptly. They were always quick to reply to any queries we had and had a depth of experience to call upon. The end result is a high quality pool installation that speaks for itself. Anyone daunted by the prospect of a project of this size should speak to the team - it is actually quite simple and they have a tried and tested formula that works.

Carbon Ceramic Technology

Compass Pools are constructed using Carbon Fibre & Ceramic for Stength and Insulation
20 Year Warranty

Supported by the best guarantees in the industry, Compass Pools Carbon Ceramic Shells have a 20 Year Warranty
Green Swimming

Compass Pools are the most energy efficient pool construction type, with ceramic insulators and variable speed pumps

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David Clifford – Wales
"There are two aspects to the company, the people and the product. I can't fault either of them. The people are friendly, expert and very helpful. Theirs is a premium product but worth it. The build quality is first rate and the operating system options can give you a package as sophisticated as you wish."
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Jane Styslinger – Hampshire
"We couldn't be happier with the service we received from all the team. Right from Sheila in sales on day 1 through to John and Glenn on site. Now we have a pool the boys are in it in all weather and it gets them off the Xbox! They have used the pool every day since May-be it after school or early in the morning and we both use it to exercise whenever we have a spare half an hour.That alone makes it more than worth it."
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Sophie Bardrick
"Compass provided an excellent sales service with James Poore giving a full explanation of the pool construction and installation process. Compass delivered each stage on time and installed the pool quickly and efficiently under the direction of Alex. All team members were knowledgable and professional. Would highly recommend Compass Pools to anyone thinking of getting a pool."
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Tim Wilkinson
"Compass were a dream to deal with. They visited and prepared a very detailed quote with full details/breakdown. A start date was agreed on, they turned up on the agreed day and finished the install ahead of schedule. The install team were a pleasure to work with and had a good eye for detail / getting things right / keeping the site tidy. I would not hesitate to recommend Compass."

Frequently Asked Questions

How do saltwater pools work?

While freshwater pools rely on chlorine to disinfect the water and keep it free from algae, bacteria and other organisms that can be damaging to our health, saltwater pools use an electrolytic chlorine generator or ECG. This generator separates salt in the pool water into two primary elements, one of which is chlorine. This is then circulated around the pool to sanitise it.

The main advantage of this process is that it doesn’t produce chloramines which is an irritating by-product of store-bought chlorine. These chloramines are what give the water in swimming pools that distinctive chlorine smell and can sting your eyes.

What kind of salt is used in a salt chlorine generator?

There are several options for the salt used in a saltwater pool:

• Solar salt
• Mechanically evaporated salt
• Mined salt

You should only use salt that’s intended for swimming pools, food-grade and non-iodised. The higher the purity level of the salt, the less maintenance will be required for your pool. It’s recommended to choose a salt that’s 99% purity or higher for the best results. It’s not recommended that you use rock salt or calcium chloride – rock salt won’t dissolve enough and isn’t of a pure enough quality, while calcium chloride impacts the hardness of the water and can lead to deposits forming on the pool walls.

How much salt does a saltwater pool need?

Salt levels in pools are typically 2,700-3,400ppm but it depends on your cell’s rating, as generators have different ranges. The optimal concentration is around 3,200ppm. PPM stands for Parts Per Million and it’s the amount of salt in milligrams that’s present in one litre of water. So, depending on the size of your pool and how much water it holds, the concentration of salt will vary.

However, there are online calculators you can use to determine how much salt is required for your pool. You can also check the reading on your salt chlorine generator to make sure it’s at the right level, or use a salt testing kit for an accurate measurement.

How long will a salt chlorine generator last?

Salt chlorine generator cells will usually last between 3 and 7 years. However, maintenance and salt levels will impact this. Maintaining your salt generator regularly will help it to last longer and improve the quality of the water in your swimming pool.

Can I still use an automatic cover with a saltwater pool?

There are a lot of metal components with an automatic cover, which saltwater can rust and damage, so we recommend using an inline erosion feeder if you have an automatic cover.

If you are interested in finding out more about the range of pools we offer, why not call us today on 0333 4567 111?

Our team would be delighted to help you with any questions or queries you might have, and we will endeavour to get back to you as soon as we can.

Get in touch