Converting a Mineral Pool to Freshwater

You’ve probably heard of saltwater pools. They have been the mainstream alternative to traditional chlorine in the US since the 80’s, common enough by now that most pool owners know roughly how they work. Mineral pools are a different story: most US pool builders don’t install them, and most homeowners have never seen one in person.
Here’s what a mineral pool actually is, how it differs from the saltwater pool you probably already know, why it falls short even in the markets where it’s common, and why freshwater, a system that’s genuinely different from both, is worth putting on your list instead.

What Is a Mineral Pool?

This system is about adding magnesium and potassium chloride to the water, usually alongside regular sodium chloride (pool salt), and runs the whole mix through an electrolysis cell to generate chlorine. The pitch is that the added minerals make the water feel softer and gentler on skin, similar to a mineral spring, and that comparison is doing a lot of the marketing: it’s meant to feel like a wellness upgrade, not just another way to add chlorine.

The mechanism, though, is still the same one as saltwater pool uses: dissolved chloride salts converted into chlorine. A mineral pool is a saltwater pool with extra minerals mixed in and extra marketing on top, not a different system.

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Disadvantages of mineral swimming pools

A mineral pool can be an improvement on a saltwater pool, but here are some of the disadvantages of a mineral system that still rely on a chlorine residual in your pool:

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Causes damage to outdoor furniture near your pool.

Causes damage to pool equipmentStill salt-based, so equipment faces the same corrosion risk

Requires expensive ongoing bags of mineral salts.Costs more to keep topped up than a plain saltwater pool

naked poolSalt and mineral residue can wear down swimwear fabric over time

naked poolMore maintenance overall for a benefit that’s hard to measure

Naked PoolsCan cause skin irritation and affect your eyes, hair and breathing, especially for those with skin conditions and asthma.

Saltwater pools 101

This system works by dissolving plain pool salt, sodium chloride, into the water and running it through a cell that uses electrolysis to generate chlorine on site. It’s the system most US pool owners already know, and most people who use one find it straightforward to live with. What tends to catch owners off guard further down the line is the upkeep: salt cells have a working life and need replacing, and the cost of that replacement isn’t always front of mind when you first install one.

Mineral pools vs saltwater pools

The magnesium a mineral pool adds may genuinely make the water feel a touch gentler on skin and hair than plain salt does, that part isn’t disputed. What the marketing leaves out is the cost of getting there: more products to buy, more upkeep, and the same salt-chlorinator process a saltwater pool already uses to generate chlorine. So if avoiding chlorine altogether was part of the appeal, a mineral pool won’t deliver that: chlorine is still what’s treating the water in both systems.
In the end, a mineral pool is more of an upsell than an upgrade: real added cost for a benefit that’s minor at best. Worth remembering when you’re weighing your options, “mineral” doesn’t solve anything a saltwater pool doesn’t already have covered, it just costs more to get there.

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Introducing the Freshwater System

Freshwater works differently, not just cleaner. It’s best described as a water conditioning and oxidation system with mineral-assisted water balance: an ion cell releases copper and silver into the water to help keep it balanced, alongside a trace of chlorine, less than what’s already coming out of your tap. No vague wellness guesswork required.

Salt only comes into it once, at startup, just to help the water conduct electricity, not the ongoing top-ups a saltwater or mineral pool needs, up to 80% less salt and other additives than a mineral system uses. Less salt means less corrosion risk for your ladders, heaters, and fixtures, and less for you to keep buying, year after year.

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Converting Your Mineral Pool to Freshwater

If you have a mineral pool, converting isn’t a full rebuild. Naked’s system retrofits onto most existing pools and spas, mineral, saltwater, or standard chlorine, without replacing the pool itself. A pool professional can confirm the specifics for your setup, but the shell, plumbing, and structure generally stay exactly where they are; it’s the treatment equipment that changes.
Building new instead? That’s the cleanest path: a freshwater system designed in from day one, no conversion needed, whether you’re working with a typical American backyard pool (most run 15,000 to 20,000 gallons) or something larger. And if you build or design pools for a living, it’s a genuine point of difference, one your competitors likely aren’t offering yet.

Swim in Water the Way It Should Feel

No sting, no smell, no tightness on your skin, and no salty residue mineral pools leave behind.
That matters most for the people actually living in your pool all summer, especially across Florida and the Sun Belt, where pool season barely ends. Less chlorine and no ongoing salt or mineral dosing mean less irritation for sensitive skin and eyes, which counts when your kids are in the water from May through September. It’s also picked up real third-party recognition, including a Good Design Award and an asthma and allergy safety endorsement.

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Ready to Feel the Difference?

Whether you’re planning a new pool or eyeing an upgrade to the one you’ve got, it’s worth finding out what freshwater actually feels like before you default to a salt-based system, mineral or otherwise, because that’s what everyone else has. Talk to a Naked Freshwater expert and see what your backyard could feel like.

This product is not registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is not intended to treat or disinfect pool water or to control algae, bacteria, or viruses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a mineral pool?

A pool that adds magnesium and potassium chloride to the water alongside regular pool salt, then runs the mix through electrolysis to generate chlorine. It’s marketed for skin and wellness benefits, though the mechanism is fundamentally the same as a saltwater pool, and there isn’t much independent research backing up the wellness claims themselves.

Is a mineral pool the same as a saltwater pool?

Not exactly, but they’re close relatives. Both rely on dissolved chloride salts converted into chlorine through electrolysis. A mineral pool adds magnesium and potassium on top of that same process, at a higher cost, with limited evidence behind the added wellness claims. In practice, the main difference you’ll notice is the price tag, not the water.

Is a mineral pool better than a freshwater pool?

Not on the fundamentals. A mineral pool is still a chlorine-generating salt system with extra minerals added. A freshwater system uses copper and silver ionization instead, needs only a one-time startup dose of salt, and adds just a trace of chlorine, so you get the skin-feel benefit mineral pools promise without the ongoing mineral costs.

Are mineral pools common in the US?

Not really. They’re more established in markets like Australia, where mineral systems are a well-known alternative to plain saltwater. Most US pool builders and homeowners are choosing between chlorine, saltwater, and now freshwater systems instead.

Can I convert my existing pool to a freshwater system?

In most cases, yes, whether your pool currently runs on chlorine, salt, or minerals. Naked’s system can be retrofitted to most existing pools and spas. A pool professional can confirm exactly what your setup needs.

How much maintenance does a freshwater pool need?

Less than a chlorine, saltwater, or mineral pool, though it’s not zero-maintenance. Most owners find it’s occasional checks rather than a regular chemical routine, but routine checks still come with pool ownership, whichever system you run.

Is a freshwater pool a good option for kids or sensitive skin?

Generally, yes. Less chlorine and no ongoing salt or mineral dosing tend to mean less irritation for sensitive skin and eyes, which is worth knowing if your household spends all summer in the pool. It’s also picked up real third-party recognition for exactly this reason, including a Good Design Award and an asthma and allergy safety endorsement.