The white flakes are likely to be calcium that flaked of the salt cell during a self clean cycle. I expect you likely have a high calcium hardness condition. Such an event is normal.

WRT to the "pitting" of the coping, let's see a picture. It does not sound normal.

Scott

Thanks for the response re the flakes. I beliieve you are correct as the flakes dont taste like salt, dont really dissovle, and I am battling calcium on my spa spillway tile grout lines. Also, need to add acid all the time to keep ph in range.

does this make sense? is it normal?

Will post some pics on the coping....

Salt cells will normally raise your pH. Adding acid to lower it back into it's proper range is normal.

Scott

I have a salt system and am having the same trouble. Our pool is only 3 years old and the coping is pensylvania flagstone and the salt is not only eating the stone away but is also disolving the slate tiles in the pool as well as all the gout in and near the pool. We love the saline, etc... but the system corodes too many elements. we are switching to a Nature2 system which is very eco friendly and actually uses less chlorine than regular cholorine systems. Can't wait to get rid of the sw system.

Nature2 needs just as much chlorine. It can only augment chlorine. In general, adding metals to a pool adds the potential for metal stains when the pH goes out of whack. IMHO, it's $150 yr expense that isn't needed.

Nature2 can help reduce the opportunity for algae to get a hold in your pool but doesn't do a lot to stop other organisms or to oxidize waste products like wildlife waste, dander, oils, etc...

Scott

I had the white flakes for all three years I had a pool service - they always keep my Ph way too high - as soon as I got my Ph in normal range consistently I no longer had the flakes (ie 3 days of keeping my Ph closer to 7.6 instead of over 8).