Just a quick question.. Do all pools need added chlorine. I once had a salt water pool which I added chlorine?

Chlorine is a Sanitizer and an oxidizer. There are other ways of disinfecting a pool(uv ozone, bromine,mineral, bacuquil(sp?),etc). Chlorine is the most prominent way sanitize pool water and your tap water too. A salt water pool creates chlorine when the water passes over its cell( salt is sodium chloride and the cell generates chlorine from the salinity of the water). In some cases salt water pools need to be supplemented with additional sources of chlorine. These sources can be Chlorine tabs, liquid chlorine, or powdered shocks. this need may arise from an under sized salt cell, dirty salt cell, extreme use, water balance, un proper maintenance(cleaning pool), inadequate equipment and of course weather and landscaping. Sodium Bicarbonate is known as soda Ash in the industry. It raises the PH of a Pool. Muriatic Acid, or Dry Acid(mainly vinly pools) is to lower PH. There are man factors as to why pools that have similar setups act differently (see above). Keeping you water balanced properly, your equipment clean and running(includes cleaning salt cell from calcium build up), and removing dead leaves and dirt from the water is the best help. But sometimes you just have more issues then your neighbor or in laws. Ask a local Independent Pool Store For more answers. Kevin