Converting to a MagnaPool in Spring

 

Imagine the first warm weekend of spring. You invited your family and friends over for a dip. No chlorine smell, no dry skin—just relaxation and enjoyment. This dream scenario starts now by upgrading your traditional chlorine or saltwater pool to a MagnaPool this spring.

Spring in Australia is typically quiet for pool use, creating the perfect opportunity to consider upgrades or maintenance to your swimming pool. One upgrade gaining popularity is converting a traditional chlorine or saltwater pool into a MagnaPool - a magnesium-based mineral pool system. Many pool owners are drawn to MagnaPool for its gentler water, therapeutic benefits, and easier maintenance.

Converting during spring means you can perform necessary maintenance even if it involves partially draining the pool without missing out on prime swimming weather. We will explain why springr is the optimal season to make the switch, outline the benefits of MagnaPool versus conventional chlorine and salt pools and walk through the basic conversion process.

Why Spring is the Ideal Time for a MagnaPool Conversion

Spring might seem like the least intuitive time to think about swimming pools, but savvy pool owners know it’s the perfect upgrade opportunity. With less demand for pool use, spring provides an ideal window to complete any necessary maintenance, refresh your water, and smoothly transition to a luxurious MagnaPool. Here are three reasons why switching in the cooler months will set you up perfectly for an enjoyable summer ahead.

Minimal Swimming Downtime

During the colder months, pools are rarely used, allowing you to comfortably take your pool offline for a short period to do the conversion without disappointing the family on a hot day. In fact, converting to a MagnaPool is a quick process often completed within a day, so scheduling it in spring ensures your pool will be ready to enjoy by the time the weather warms up.

Perfect Time for Maintenance

Switching to a MagnaPool often involves tasks like changing filter media or partially draining the pool. When you refill with fresh water after any maintenance or cleaning, it’s the perfect opportunity to start with MagnaPool minerals and balanced chemistry from scratch. Starting fresh in spring means you’ll achieve optimal water quality well before summer hits.

Beat the Summer Rush

Pool professionals often get busy in summer as it’s the start of the swimming season. By planning your conversion in spring, you may find it easier to book a technician and even take advantage of off-peak rates or specials.

What is a MagnaPool and Why Consider It?

A MagnaPool is a type of mineral pool system that uses a patented blend of magnesium and potassium chloride instead of the large amounts of salt (sodium chloride) used in traditional saltwater pools. MagnaPool is the one and only mineral pool system on the market that is salt-free. The water is enriched with magnesium minerals, providing a softer, more therapeutic swimming experience. Here’s what makes MagnaPool appealing:

Gentle, Mineral-Rich Water

MagnaPool water is known for being silky and gentle on the skin, often compared to a spa experience. Swimmers find their skin softer and hair healthier after swimming. The magnesium in the water can help relax muscles and even reduce stress and aches, turning your pool into a wellness retreat rather than just a pool.

No Salt and Less Chlorine Odour

Unlike standard saltwater pools, a MagnaPool is completely sodium-free. This means you won’t have salt residue on your skin or around the pool, and it also reduces corrosion of pool equipment and fixtures, which is great for your pool’s longevity. The mineral system still sanitises the water by generating chlorine through a special cell called a Hydroxinator, but because of the mineral mix, the strong chlorine smell is dramatically reduced. In fact, MagnaPool water has very low chloramine levels - chloramines are the pungent, irritating by-products of chlorine, which is often mistaken as the chlorine smell - up to 50% lower than in traditional pools. Less chloramine means no harsh chlorine odour and far less eye or skin irritation for swimmers.

Good for the Environment

MagnaPool systems use glass filtration media instead of sand in the filter, which filters water more finely and requires less frequent backwashing. This saves a significant amount of water as glass media can reduce backwash water usage by up to 65% each cycle. Moreover, because MagnaPool water contains beneficial minerals and no salt, you can reuse backwash water on your garden (diluted 5:1 with fresh water) without harming your plants. Traditional salt pool backwash, on the other hand, can damage soil and plants due to its salinity. The MagnaPool system is also Climate Care Certified in Australia for its water and energy-efficient qualities, which is a nod to its eco-friendliness and cost savings.

MagnaPool vs Chlorine vs Saltwater Pools Comparison

When considering a conversion, it’s important to know how a MagnaPool stacks up against the more common pool systems. Therefore, we compare them below on water quality, comfort, maintenance and costs:

Water Quality and Clarity

All three systems properly sanitise water, but MagnaPool tends to deliver superior clarity and a more pleasant water feel. The magnesium in a MagnaPool acts as a natural flocculent, attracting and removing fine particles to keep the water crystal clear. This means you won’t need to add extra clarifiers or flocculant chemicals, as is sometimes required in chlorine or salt pools when the water gets cloudy.

Comfort for Skin and Eyes

If you or your family have ever experienced red eyes, dry skin, or that bleached hair feeling after swimming, this is where MagnaPool really shines. Chlorine pools are known to cause eye and skin irritation as the strong chemicals can leave eyes red and skin itchy or dry. Saltwater pools are gentler than chlorine because they produce lower chlorine levels continuously, but they can still leave a slight salty film on your skin and hair. MagnaPool’s magnesium-enriched water is by far the gentlest. Many Australians with sensitive skin or conditions like eczema have reported improvements after switching to a MagnaPool. For example, one NSW pool owner noted that after converting, she and her son, who both suffer from eczema, no longer get sore eyes, and “our skin feels conditioned rather than dried. Our hair feels silkier, too!” The water’s softness means you don’t even need to shower immediately after a swim, as there’s no chlorine smell clinging to you.

Easy to Maintain

One big reason pool owners switch systems is to simplify maintenance. Chlorine pools typically require regular manual dosing of chlorine plus adding algaecides, clarifiers, and shocking the pool on occasion. It can be hands-on and time-consuming, and chemical costs add up over time. Saltwater pools automate a lot of the chlorination process, which means you usually just top up salt and clean the electrolytic cell periodically. Maintenance is easier than with chlorine, but you still have to monitor pH and stabiliser levels, and occasionally deal with salt chlorinator issues or cell replacements.

MagnaPool systems are designed to keep maintenance minimal. The MagnaPool Hydroxinator unit automatically manages chlorine production from the minerals, and it features a reverse polarity cell that helps keep cleaning and maintenance to an absolute minimum. The glass filter media traps fine debris with less frequent backwashing. You will still need to test your water periodically and may need to add a bag of minerals occasionally, but overall, a MagnaPool can save you effort on weekly upkeep. 

Lower Costs in Long-Term

Upfront, converting to a MagnaPool or installing any mineral pool system does involve an investment, which includes the specialised Hydroxinator unit and glass filter media are the costs that chlorine pools don’t have, and the mineral salts are pricier than regular salt. Traditional chlorine pools are cheapest to set up initially, but they incur higher ongoing expenses for chlorine chemicals, oxidisers, and balancing chemicals. Saltwater pools have a moderate initial cost for the salt chlorinator, and salt is fairly inexpensive, but you’ll eventually need to replace the chlorinator cell every few years and pay for any repairs.

With MagnaPool, think of it like using premium fuel: you pay a bit more for the minerals, but running costs tend to be lower than for salt or chlorine pools. This is because you’ll spend less on additional chemicals, and the equipment may last longer with fewer issues like calcification. MagnaPool’s glass filter media also lasts longer than traditional sand and saves water, which can also reduce your water bill over time. 

Easy Steps to Convert Your Pool to a MagnaPool

Converting from a chlorine or saltwater pool to a MagnaPool is straightforward when handled by a pool professional. It typically involves a few key steps and pieces of equipment.

Step 1: Install the MagnaPool Hydroxinator

The Hydroxinator is the core of the MagnaPool system. The technician will fit the unit and its electrolytic cell into your pool’s plumbing, usually in place of your existing chlorinator cell. 

Step 2: Upgrade the Filtration Media to Glass

MagnaPool works best with a media filter rather than a cartridge filter. If you already have a sand filter, the sand will be replaced with Crystal Clear glass media* for finer filtration.

*Note: Glass media is preferred because it filters very small particles and doesn’t clog as easily, which complements the MagnaPool system’s goals of clarity and low maintenance.

Step 3: Balance Water and Partially Refill (if needed)

Before adding the new minerals, the pool water may require adjustment. Often, if you’re converting from a saltwater pool, the total dissolved solids (TDS) or salt level in the water is higher than what MagnaPool needs. Therefore, the conversion will include partially draining the pool and refilling with fresh water to lower the salinity/TDS to the appropriate level.

This water refresh has an extra benefit: it allows you to start the MagnaPool with clean, balanced water. Spring is a great time to do this because you can dispose of the old water more easily. The technician will also conduct a water analysis at this stage to check pH, hardness, and other parameters, ensuring everything will be in balance.

Step 4: Add MagnaPool Minerals

With the equipment in place and water levels adjusted, it’s time to introduce the MagnaPool magnesium mineral blend. Based on your pool’s volume, a calculated amount of MagnaPool mineral salts will be added to the water. Your pool professional can determine the exact number of mineral bags needed by testing the water’s salinity and factoring in pool size. 

Step 5: Circulate and Enjoy

After adding the minerals, the pool’s pump and the new hydroxinator system will be run continuously for at least 24 hours to fully circulate the water and dissolve the minerals. During the initial circulation, you might notice some foaming on the water’s surface, which is normal when magnesium minerals first start working in the water. After a day or so of continuous running, the water will be well-mixed and the system will be up and sanitising. 

At this point, the conversion is complete, and now your MagnaPool is ready to use! It’s recommended to do a final water test to confirm all levels are perfect, and then you can start enjoying the new swimming experience.

Bottom Line

Upgrading to a MagnaPool system during the spring is a smart move for pool owners looking to enhance their swimming experience and simplify maintenance. By converting in spring, you take advantage of the low-swim season to perform necessary changes with minimal downtime, ensuring your pool is in perfect condition for the start of summer. Contact our authorised MagnaPool specialist to make the switch today!