SE FL Pool Build

Welcome, to answer your questions:

#1 Hot Tubs - They are not hard to clean especially if you use them often. Its your call on if a hot tub is worth it. We use ours a lot more than I expected, mainly because we made it easy to see the TV from the spa.

#2 Travertine - I like ours and there are no stains. It certainly is a lot cooler than other surfaces. I can easily walk barefoot on it in 100 degree heat when I wouldn't dare do that with other surfaces.

#3 Shell Lock - Never heard of it, but found someone with it on here:

#4 Spa/sunshelf placement - I would put them how you want them and don't just go with what your pool builder thinks. You have to live with the placement in your forever home. IMO the spa is going to be the attraction and if everyone is it that and other people want to sit near them there are still plenty of seating opportunities.

Reading…

DE filter will not capture iron or calcium.

The initial water fill of your pool should come from water trucks with good water chemistry.

Then use iron filters and polyfill for your makeup water in your pool to keep the iron level down…

Tfpguest said:

Ive watched a few videos last night on DE vs cartridge. Other than the carcinogen, is there any other reason why the preference over cartridge vs DE?

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If you have a setup that can dispose of DE and are comfortable handling DE then DE filters as good or better then a cartridge and is easier to clean with a backwash. Get an MPV with a DE filter which lets you easily BACKWASH, DRAIN, and RECIRCULATE.

Tfpguest said:

So I was reading and comparing cartridge vs DE and there are pros and cons.

I have golden retrievers who are impossible to keep out of the pool. Which filter do you recommend for dogs?

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We recommend using skimmer socks to catch the dog hair before it gets in the filter…

Tfpguest said:

I got the specs for the pump and filter

Jandy flo pro, he didn't have the gph rating with him
DEV 48 filter

When you signed contract, did you modify or add anything to the terms of the contract?

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Love the design, looks like it will make a beautiful oasis.

Just make sure it is the variable speed flavor. I would imagine it is. I see a few models of the Flo pro that are only 2 speed. My 1.5 HP VS pump runs as low as 150 watts on eco speed at 27 GPM and over 1000 watts at full speed maxing around 54 GPM. The energy savings is significant.

The in ground spas look great on a magazine cover but add a lot of complexity to plumbing/heating etc. We opted for a separate hot tub which has been a good choice so far, but in the end that decision is up to you. We initially looked at adding a spill over with the pool but the cost was going to be at least 2x the cost of just buying stand alone electric hot tub. For the spa make sure you have a strong enough pump for the number of jets you will have. I have seen some systems that will actually use a second pump just for the spa.

Deck jets are another added complexity that end up being used less than you think you will use them. Again they look awesome in photos but in reality they add a lot of complexity that may not be worth it in the end. You also need to run them occasionally to get fresh sanitized water through the plumbing.

My favorite add on for our pool was the Salt water chlorine generator. Having the salt feel and ability to produce chlorine without adding any chemicals has been great, something to consider.

For umbrellas we went with this system:

I placed sonotubes around the pool when I was building with 2 locations on either side of the pool to double as a net holder or umbrella base and 2 other locations near the steps and the tanning ledge. This allowed us to move two large 10' cantilever umbrellas around as needed. It takes a little bit of forethought but we thought it was a nice touch that simplified things for us in the end.