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And now... for the mess;

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Quick suggestion: ditch the Italian Cypress now while you can! Trust me, you'll thank me in 5 years!

You havn't seen my neighbors backyard!

True, but I have seen what Italian Cypress do to a backyard! And, the neighbors may move one day or have an awakening and decide to clean up the yard (although I don't know if you should count on either of those!).

I'm just saying.......... I don't want to come back to the page in 5 years and see a post that says "Need help removing Italian Cypress behind pool"!!

Hooked up a pan/tilt/zoom controllable cam for the dig. Check it out; username is "user" and there is no password.
http://n8scstm.no-ip.info

Tractor problems have caused some delays. Should be done tomorrow IF they get it fixed first thing in the morning. I'll have the camera live all day Tuesday.

For the sta-rite DE filter, should use a backwash slide valve or go without? I've heard a couple different arguments on this, increased head, leaks, etc...
The Oasis waterfalls recommend a fiter/strainer at the pump and a rock trap for each fall. Are these really required?

Couple of comments....

We had the same dilema as you and went with one pump for the spa. Our returns are also our jets. When we get tired of the jets, we just dial them down - they are adjustable - and maybe leave one not near a person on full force. That way the spa is still being heated. Our air venturi tubes are flush with the deck and have a screw cap for adjustment from full air to off.

I can't tell from your print, but do you have a step into the spa? I think our spa seats are 24" from the water line, which means about 30 inches from the top of the deck. That is a long step down. It was a complaint we heard from many people with built in spas. We added a little round step that also acts as an arm rest for a couple of people.

Yep, there is a little round step, I just didnt draw it.

Does the waterfall feed come from a supply that bypasses your main filter? My PB installed a Jandy "Energy" Filter on the supply to one of my water features, but I'm not sure it's really necessary since the water has just come from the main filter. I would think that a separate filter would be most useful when water is drawn from an intake at the pool and supplied to a return or water feature without a trip through the main filter.

It's on its own pump so it does bypass the filter. So if I use the energy filter, do I really need a rock trap on each waterfall? Seems excesive to me!

How much earth needs to cover the main drain piping before gunite and how much do I need to over-ex around the main drain sump?

Gas line is going in today. Check out the size of that thing. 2" to the heater then steps down to 1-1/2" to feed two patio heaters, a firepit and a bbq.
http://n8scstm.no-ip.info/
u/n = user
no password

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Never seen a gas line in the pool before That is interesting

LOL. I used the wall of the pool to bore a hole horrizontally under the concrete. The hole goes through the pool wall, into the trench (perpendicularly) then under the slab. So the iron pipe had to be inserted through the pool wall all the way into the trench where there is a 90° elbow that meets up with it and goes down the trench towards the gas meter. Pretty crazy setup, but it worked. I used a 3" PVC pipe and an oil filter wrench (to turn the pipe) to bore the hole like a huge drill bit.

What a pain this was. Took me about two full days.