Saltwater pool v. chlorine pool

I had both system and I like salt much better .

I loved my saltwater pool, and miss it every day. Darn downsizing! Why did my kids have to grow up and leave me? LOL

Do you have specific questions?

We switched salt water a few years back and it was great, much nicer than chlorine for all the reasons already listed.

My cousins have a salt water pool. It's amazing. I'm sensitive to chlorine in pools. I spend a week every summer with them and we swim everyday. They've had it for years and have never had an issue other than normal maintenance.

I can't give you a cost breakdown because we only owned one pool and it was salt water. I will say that because it produces its own once set up, we spent next to nothing on chemicals for the pool. Once we had to shock it after a monsoon but it wasn't much that I remember. We had our pool for 6+ years and we did not need to replace the salt cell. We did have to deep clean it with a bucket and some chemical I don't remember (I haven't taken care of the pool in over 4 years because we moved) Soaked it, cleaned it and put it back. The generator we checked regularly because we were in regularly. We got in the hot tub part almost every weekend and the controls were by the generator. No time at all doing that.

We had a vacuum that ran along the bottom of the pool. We were in the habit of brushing the steps when we used the pool and obviously fish out anything floating in the pool after nasty storms etc. Same general things you would do on any pool. The vacuums were the most expensive part. I think we had to replace our vacuum at least once. we were told by the pool supply store and the builder of the pool that vacuums were where we would spend the most. We opted that route instead of an in pool cleaning system due to cost.

We didn't have to replace any parts due to corrosion. The only thing that would get on my nerves was the water ring on the tile, but that has been an issue in any pool I have ever been in after a while. It had nothing to do with the salt. Our deck was cool decking and it didn't suffer from the salt water at all. Didn't suffer from the kids, the dogs or the heat either.

I did not do the pool maintenance. That was my husbands job. He thought it was easier than some of his other duties around the house He was thrilled with how it all worked. When he died, I ended up getting a pool "boy" because I couldn't function enough and keep on top of it. They didn't cost me much at all to keep the pool crystal clear. He also said as a pool guy, he preferred the salt pools as they had less maintenance work to do.

I wish I had more on costs for you but I don't. That might be something you would want to talk to your local pool stores about.

For me the benefits for my skin, eyes, and the lack of chemical smell etc well outweighed any issues we had with the pool.

Salt definitely!!! I don't know anyone that still has a chlorinated pool. Yuk! 

ETA: As someone else mentioned, there is still chlorine in salt water pools, but you can't really smell or taste it. 

It is my understanding that it is cheaper to run a salt pool (but the set up costs might be a bit more initially - not that you will have to worry about that because the pool is already there). It is easier to maintain and you don;t have to check the chlorine levels every day. Also, your bathing suits will last longer because they're not exposed to such strong chemicals. 

As a swimmer I much prefer a salt water pool.

Yes you can!  
We have one as well. And LOVE it. We've done both too in this pool. We went back to the chlorine for a short time. Because we had to replace the salt cell and didn't have the money at the time. The only thing I don't like is the pebble tech for the bottom. It's a little rough on your feet but it's supposed to be better for the salt water. We do have a dark bottom pool which is nice for the most part too. It's just harder to keep the PH right when it heats up and monsoons as others have mentioned. I'm curious if anyone else here that's mentioned they have one has a dark bottom?

It feels good on your skin when you get out. My Dh's fijin cousin comes over just to use our pool so he can feel like he's in the ocean! LOL!
The dogs LOVE it. We don't have kids. But most of the time I can get the younger lab out. 

A saltwater pool is not a pool without chlorine. It uses a chlorine generator to create chlorine for your pool out of salt.

do you mean how often you replace or just the types. I like ours We have the Pentair Clean&Clear cell with the 4 cartridge pump.  They are kind of a pain to clean out but I've gotten really good at it.  The cell is easier to clean out. As I mentioned we've only had to replace the cell once in the almost 10 yrs we've been here. It is pricey but worth it. The pool was a selling factor for us. I didn't know much about pools except that I had one growing up here. I've learned a lot. It is a balance as any pool.  It was new when we bought the house, they had just put it in and ran out of money to finish the house. 
  The cell does create it's own salt but every so often you do need to add it when depending on temps. etc. It will let you know. Ours flashes if it's low. I like that it tells us and it also tells us when there is no flow, low flow, we can add more chlorine or less or salt.. We test it every other week. 

We converted to salt water this Summer. LOVE it! So much better for the hair and skin. It's also less maintenance as far as chemicals go.