Usually I don't bother, and don't feel itchy or dry, like with chlorine.
B

Definitely not necessary.

Steve

Thanks for the responses...just curious though...isn't chlorine the same, whether it comes from tablets or from the SWG system? And if so, is it ok to have that chlorine on the skin, hair, swimming trunks, etc? Thanks again all!

"...just curious though...isn't chlorine the same, whether it comes from tablets or from the SWG system? And if so, is it ok to have that chlorine on the skin, hair, swimming trunks, etc? "

Yep. "Saltwater pools" ARE "chlorine pools". Zero difference except that one also has salt in it.

By the way, the water that you use to rinse off after swimming in that "chlorine pool" (or saltwater pool for that matter) probably has about as much chlorine in it as the pool water. Municipal water systems typically have 2-3 ppm chlorine and/or chloramines.

Of course we know that salt pools are chlorine pools, but I never get that overwhelming smell of chlorine that I remember as a kid from pools I swam in. Maybe I appreciate it most in the equipment shed --- no stored chlorine or messy chlorinator. No splashes eating holes in a new bathing suit. No coughing after swimming. Occasionally I take an "outside shower" after swimming just because I enjoy them. No chlorine in that because it is well water. We love the salt chlorine generator.
Boby

Kurtv,
Your remark (about the water that is used to rinse off having as much chlorine as the pool water) was very interesting. Just curious....was there any reason that we were told in the past to wash after swimming to get rid of the "chemicals"? Maybe, the chlorine controls were not as good and with the fluctuations, excessive chlorine caused problems with skin, swimming trunks, etc? Anyway, thanks for all the responses!

Boby: "Of course we know that salt pools are chlorine pools"
KurtV: Sorry, I thought your previous post, "Usually I don't bother, and don't feel itchy or dry, like with chlorine", strongly implied that you didn't know that. My mistake (of course).

"Boby: "...I never get that overwhelming smell of chlorine that I remember as a kid from pools I swam in."
KurtV: That overwhelming chlorine smell is the result of an improperly chlorinated pool; normally an insufficiently chlorinated pool that's been allowed to develop combined chlorine (chloramines). Those chloramines are what smell and make your eyes burn.

Boby: "Maybe I appreciate it most in the equipment shed --- no stored chlorine or messy chlorinator. No splashes eating holes in a new bathing suit."
KurtV: Not having to store chlorine or add chlorine is an advantage of an SWG.

Boby: "No coughing after swimming."
KurtV: Same as the first point. Any coughing probably resulted from an insufficiently chlorinated pool with high levels of chloramines.

Boby: "...We love the salt chlorine generator."
KurtV: Glad you like it.

supper64: "Your remark (about the water that is used to rinse off having as much chlorine as the pool water) was very interesting. Just curious....was there any reason that we were told in the past to wash after swimming to get rid of the "chemicals"?" Maybe, the chlorine controls were not as good and with the fluctuations, excessive chlorine caused problems with skin, swimming trunks, etc?"
KurtV: More likely it's just as I wrote above in response to Boby. Insufficient chlorination resulting in high levels of chloramines.

KurtV, I am not arguing your information on the improper balance of chemicals, just curious like supper64. I am thinking of the pools I swam in growing up, not just over-chlorinated public, school or pool clubs. These were small residential pools that were crystal clear and clean. I remember the owners testing the water and balancing the chemicals. Were they all doing it wrong? Are the test kits more sophisticated now? I just know that I never get that strong smell of chlorine with my salt system.

Boby

Salt is a steady dosage to the pool that is almost impossible to create with the addition of chlorine manually. Imagine an up and down curve with highs and lows in levels compared to a straight line. When Grandpa comes out and drops two gallons of liquid into the pool and you swin a couple of hours later, you will get reactions.

Chloramines are present as soon as chlorine goes to work. The degree of their level will determine the degree of irritation. Hard to believe, but when told the pool smells like chlorine, add more chlorine.

Our SWG pool has never made my skin feel itchy or dry, nor has it caused our family's swimsuits to have that bleached feeling. Yes, I know, there is chlorine in the system, but it does not make my skin feel the same way it does in normal chlorinated pools. Can't say why, not really sure I even need to know why. My detached spa is a bromine system, and yes, my skin feels itchy after about 15 minutes in the spa, and smells of chemicals even after I shower. Both the pool and the spa have the water tested regularly, and both are kept in chemical balance.

boby, It's hard to say why you had that reaction back then but I would still guess that the pools were not sufficiently chlorinated. Even water that looks pretty clear can have some issues. This is especially true if you have a bunch of kids in a pool doing what kids sometimes do in pools (same as repair guy's Grandpa scenario).

Sorry repair guy, I must disagree with you on manual chlorination. I have never had any measurable combined chlorine (aka chloramines) in my non-SWG equipped pool (I use bleach almost exclusively to chlorinate and tri-chlor pucks occasionally when I need to raise CYA). I have also never shocked this pool in the 20 months or so that it's been in operation.

vanvom, The salt in the water is what makes your skin feel different.

I see thus is going nowhere, so back to your original question, supper64, I feel no need to shower after swimming in our SWG pool. My skin feels softer than usual -- softer than when I haven't been swimming at all.
Boby

"I see thus is going nowhere..."

I made an honest attempt to answer your question; sorry.

Kurtv,
While you may know everything there is to know about saltwater and chlorine and chloramines and salt water chlorine generators and whatever else you find to be a hot button subject, your belittling of those who are learning is completely unnecessary. I don't think I'm the only one who can do without the 'know it all' attitude.

I guess we could have avoided some of this if my first post had said
"Usually I don't bother, and don't feel itchy or dry, like with typical chlorine systems. "

I also find my SWG system very simple to keep in balance, unlike older chlorine systems I cared for years ago. Didn't mean to cause a battle here, but I have to admit that there is an implication that those of us with a SWG have been duped. Even if putting salt in a regular chlorine pool would soften the water, I would still prefer the system I have.

Sorry if I caused a ruckus!
Boby

skinnydipper:
"Kurtv,
While you may know everything there is to know about saltwater and chlorine and chloramines and salt water chlorine generators and whatever else you find to be a hot button subject, your belittling of those who are learning is completely unnecessary. I don't think I'm the only one who can do without the 'know it all' attitude."

skinny,
I'm truly sorry to have offended you (and anyone else who was offended). I am far from a "know-it-all" in reality so I regret that I came across that way. I do try to separate fact from pool industry hype and sometimes get too passionate in that endeavor. I sometimes get frustrated on this site by the number of people that spout pool industry conventional wisdom but don't really have a clue about pool chemistry or maintenance. I think those who do that lead many pool owners down a bad path. Ofttimes I could do that in a more respectful, less confrontational way. Again, I sincerely apologize.

Boby,
No apology necessary. Any fault here is mine. I am not trying to say that people with SWGs have been duped; far from it. I am just trying to help people understand which benefits accrue from the SWG and which are just the result of having salt in the water. I think SWGs do what SWGs do very well. SWGs produce chlorine. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm just saying that you can have many of the benefits that people attribute to SWGs, such as the feel of the water and the lack of eye sting and the de-tangling affects on hair, by putting salt in your water; whether you have an SWG or not.

Whether you have an SWG or not, staying on top of your water chemistry is the key to a well functioning, enjoyable pool. If you find that easier to do with an SWG, that's great. It certainly eliminates adding buying, measuring, and adding chlorine regularly. It may decrease somewhat, but does not eliminate, the need to test your water regularly.

I'm glad that you and others like you are seriously inquiring into these pool chemistry issues.

Kurt

That part about the testing is so true! I think one could get too lax about the testing because things do stay more consistent. I find that I do not test daily. My biggest fear is having a pool get all out of balance. I remember how hard that can be to bring back. I life-guarded at a motel pool many years ago. The owner would sometimes shut the chlorinator down to save money, I guess. We would have to shut the pool down because it would get too cloudy to see the bottom. And then the endless vacuuming! Oh, I know the dangers of a pool that goes awry. So that is why I appreciate that I can adjust the chlorine at the panel, and add very little other stuff to the water. In the 4 summers we have had this pool we have added about 4 or 5 additional bags of salt and 3/4 container of stabilizer. And algae control when closing for winter. And I bought a better test kit this year to be sure I wasn't being led astray by my readings.
Boby

What about the effect of SWG on colored hair? Ladies? Remember the blonde hair going green? What caused that?
Any way to prevent it?
Thanks,
Gloria-KC

metals in the water make your hair turn green - copper I believe.

I do try to separate fact from pool industry hype and sometimes get too passionate in that endeavor. I sometimes get frustrated on this site by the number of people that spout pool industry conventional wisdom but don't really have a clue about pool chemistry or maintenance.

Thanks for clarifying that KurtV. It was starting to feel like an attack on those of us who are trying to learn.