Above ground new purchase help needed please

[plower]

Hello,
I am up near Buffalo ,NY. My wife and I have decided to purchase a above ground for our 3 grand children to enjoy for many future years. No I have to learn some things about pools. I have been searching websites trying to determine what to buy that will be most easily maintained. I have visited a few pool retailers also which now makes me more confused. They all seem to tell you something different. For people selling pools for a living they don't seem to know anything. I have pretty much decided that I want a salt water pool. I had a chlorine based one way back with a DE filter and it was a pain. This is my plan. If it's a bad plan please feel free to tell me so. I certainly can't trust any advice from dealers.

I plan is a 33' with 54" wall. For the pool I have selected the Saltwater 8000 all resin which maintains it's warranty using saltwater or the Sharkline Matrix 33. Both can be ordered with a replaceable skimmer/return panel just in case. I will only purchase the actual pool. For the liner I want to get an true 25 MIL spec expandable one so I can dish down to 6' in the middle. Anyone have any comments on doing so? For the pump I intend to use the Pentair Superflow VS inground pump with 3 variable speed along with the SD-60 (sand dollar) filter. Now the pool store guys tell me I can't do this because it is an inground pool pump. Why can't I use this?

For water treatment I can conflicting results. One dealer is trying to tell me that you can't do salt water on an above ground unless I purchase a Simple Salt System which is using copper instead of chlorine. I has all this **** I need to dump in each month per every 10,000 gallons of water. I estimated by water and if dished to 6' I would need about 32-34000 gallons. I then estimated the cost of this system buy called a dealer from another state and getting cost in each monthly product. I estimated it would cost be around 700.00-800.00 per season. Not so sure about this. Anyone know anything about it good or bad. I really think I just want a chlorine generator and a few hunder pounds of salt . Is this the best way to go for the long run or is the old conventional way of dumping in gallons of bleach better.
Thanks in advance for the help,
Rodney

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello Rodney and welcome. You will receive TONS of replies to your questions. But I'll start with a few simple things:
- No on the copper! You only want chlorine (either by regular bleach or traditional SWG making FC). Checkout these two pages in advance:
Pool School - Salt Water Chlorine Generators
Pool School - Water Balance for SWGs

Also take a few minutes to review these pages to get you up to speed on our chemistry and just how easy it is to maintain your own pool:
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals

I promise you though ... it ALL starts right here (the RIGHT test kit):
TFTestkits.net
Pool School - Test Kits Compared

Welcome, and watch for many more replies.

 

[Casey]

You do not need an oversized pump. Run it on low to circulate and high to vacuum. What you will want is the biggest sand filter you can afford. The bigger the filter, the less cleaning you will do if you maintain proper chemistry.

I don't know if Sharkline is rated for SWG. Make sure you look into it before you buy it to see if the warranty will cover it. The SaltWater 8000 May be better suited for what you want. With all that said, even if you did get the Sharkline or another pool, if you get 20 years out of that pool, you got your money's worth. That is my opinion on that.

I would love to have a 33' pool with a dug out center. I don't have the room but if I did, I'd of dug one. Good luck! Remove the earth and do not add to it to make level, have fun and come here often. You'll have to post pics though!

 

[pooldv]

You can use an in ground pump on an above ground pool. No issue there. You can't use an above ground pump on an in ground pool because they aren't self priming and don't have enough suction. The Superflo VS pump is a great pump and very energy efficient.

You are correct, avoid all those mineral systems. They are expensive and they don't sanitize your pool. A regular SWG and some salt is all you need.

 

[plower]

I did go with the Sharkline Matrix. I seems well liked and is all resin without bolts and screws except for the wall of course. Not really concerned with a warranty but it is supposed to be 5 year 100% be prorating starts. The way I see it warranty on an above ground pool is like a warranty on a tire or roofing single. Good luck getting anything. They will always find something to make it your fault and the hassle isn't with dealing with. If it last 15 years I am all good with that. I am now actually looking at the complete packages from CircuPool which have a VS pump, salt system, pre-filter and filter as a bundle on sale now. Is the company good to deal with?

 

[cowboycasey]

I have a circupool SWG but that is all.. It has worked well for me.. I had a bad controller when I first got it installed and they overnighted a new one to me... it has worked perfect ever since...

 

[WayneJ]

I second what Texas Splash said. Read the Pool School and get a TF-100! There is a great deal of wisdom here and I have benefitted from it greatly.

I agree with you on the pool warranty. We had intex pools for years and just last year bought a 33' Sharkline Matrix and chose not dig out the bottom.

I'm not familiar with Circupool pumps but have been pleased with the Hayward vs, which is similar to the Pentair you mentioned earlier. I read this forum for years, picked my pump and took the advice to get a large filter. With all 2" plumbing, we spend $10/month running the pump. We are installing a hayward aqr-15 SWCG now, but have been very satisfied with everything so far. I would pick and choose your pieces of equipment in lieu of a package deal.