The Legend II is comparable to a Polaris 280. I happen to like both equally, as will you.

Properly sized cells should last ~5 years.

25 Lbs of tabs is about $75. I use about 40 lbs/season for my 25000 liner pool. My season runs from mid May to the end of September/early October. I also have to buy pH Rise because the tablets lower the pH of the pool weekly. I will be switching when I can afford the initial hit. Muratic is much cheaper to lower the pH since cells will raise the pH.
Salt is about $10/50lbs. After the initial 5 or 6 bags, I'd use about a bag a season to make up for dilution due to weather(rain) and backwash(refilling).
You do the math.

Ozone does not leave a residual. If an accident happens, I want chlorine there ahead of time. I would not turn y chlorine level down if I had an ozone or UV system in place.

Salt is not corrosive. Salt water can carry an electric current which can be corrosive to non-bonded metals. It will not harm your selected coping.

Testing the water in no more difficult than with other pools.

Ozone and salt cells are not mutually exclusive. Ozone can and does compliment whatever form of chlorine you use. Don't look at it as a replacement for chlorine.

Good Luck!

Scott

Thanks for the response.

So if I went for the Salt water option, I could add an "Ozinator" to the system to increase the systems sanitation capacity?

The Ozone system does have a automatic chlorine feader if that matters.

We are in Austin, so our water is kinda hard does that factor into the equation at all?

mashmasher,
Respectfully, I disagree with poolguynj about salt systems not causing corrosion to coping stone surfaces. Here on the west coast I have seen no problems with stone coping. Most of the problems I see are with metal diving board bases and hand rails. There is anecdotal evidence from builders that salt has caused problems with certain types of coping. I've heard this from various builders around the country including a respected PB in Dallas who has had several coping problems believed to be associated with salt systems. Natural stone properties will vary all over the country. Stone coping in CA or Texas or NJ may not be the same and some may be more susceptible to flaking, errosion, or corrosion based on the mineral content, hardness, or other properties.Good luck.

Most flaking I have seen in NJ has been the result temp changes. All ladder cups should be bonded if they are made of metal. Dive stand should have high grade stainless hardware and be bonded. Light niches and deck boxes should be bonded. This is standard code. There are plastic cups, rails and ladders out there too. They don't need to be bonded but some officials want them done too.

Salt is not corrosive. Look at you salt shakers. Ever seen one corroded?

"Salt is not corrosive. Salt water can carry an electric current which can be corrosive to non-bonded metals. It will not harm your selected coping."

Take a ride through the PA,NY,NJ or even Florida contryside and tell me that Salt has no adverse effects. Look what it does to the roads and cars in the Northern or coastal States. Why do they undercoat cars in the north but not in the south? One Word "SALT"

Well I will not have a diving board or a ladder so I'm not as concerned about corosion.

Here in NJ, and I would expect similar in other areas where freeze thaw cycle exist, roads get beat up because water gets in the cracks and expands when it freezes, making larger cracks. It also causes heaves. Often voids form under the road and cause pot holes, especially in spring.

Consumers Union, a magazine I respect highly, has in the past, recommended against undercoatings. I can't say that that is positively the case today as it has been a few years since I was a subscriber.

The pools I service are made neither from car parts nor macadam.

The salt I add to pools is pure salt, not the impure stuff the road crews spread during a snow storm.

IMO, unless your willing to ante up for a good commercial ozonator your best served sticking with salt or a standard tablet erosion chlorinator.
I'm not knocking an ozonator because it's a ruthless sanitizer, but they work a 100 times better with a commercial grade ozonator and a little sodium bromide in the pool water chemistry.

Just my .02

See ya,
Kelly

I recently had a similar choice to make and after some research the choice was pretty easy.

As poolguynj said ozone does not leave a residual. That being the case, how can you really test if the ozone generator is functioning.

With a salt system, you can measure the salt, you can measure the chlorine and you know exactly what the situation is. With a tablet chlorinator, you can also measure your chemistry.

In the end I decided to stick with a salt system, as I had one for 10 years without any noticeable corrosion issue on my last pool. I can always add an ozonator later if I want a bit more clarity in the pool, but I still want that chlorine residual regardless.

Good luck.