Salt water conversion is simpler than you expect.

Yes, you can convert a chlorine pool to salt water without draining it. You basically just add a salt chlorine generator and enough salt to get the level right. That’s the gist.

The salt system uses electricity to turn dissolved salt into chlorine, so you still get chlorine in the water — it’s just produced on-site instead of adding tablets or liquid. You’ll need to buy a salt cell and control box (around $500–$1,000 depending on your pool size), hardwire it into your existing plumbing after the filter, and then pour in about 40–50 bags of pool salt. Don’t use table salt — it has anti-caking agents that will mess up the cell.

Once it’s running, you still test and balance the water. Salt pools don’t disappear maintenance — they just make chlorinating automatic and softer on your skin and swimsuits. The cell wears out every 3–5 years and costs a few hundred to replace.

Your water will feel silkier, and you’ll stop buying chlorine pucks. That alone is worth the swap.