Newbie: Zinc Anodes: Are they needed

[mnittler]

I am going to install a new salt water pool with a chlorine generator (28,000 gallon). Should I install zinc Anodes to help protect any metal surface (ladder, light, etc)? If so is there a recommended size and location to install?

[waterbear]

probably not needed.

[PoolDoc]

Zinc anodes *could* protect metal components IF they were sized, installed, and maintained properly. I've not seen any evidence that that is happening. I've only seen a few installed anodes, but those were not installed in such a way that they would have any useful effect.

A better option is to make sure that all your pool equipment is salt compatible. I will caution you that it appears that some pools, particularly in Texas, seem to have a problem with salt-related deterioration of natural stone deck and feature surfaces. We have not seen similar reports from other areas, and it doesn't seem to be a problem everywhere in Texas, or with plain concrete finishes, but we don't know a lot more than that.