DIY pool kit questions

[richlan]

My 16x32,8ft deep end,vinyl liner pool kit is on its way, this will be our first pool and our first build .The salesman tried to sell me an aquagenie ,but after some research ,i decided to go with a Hayward skimmer and 2 returns instead.
3 questions ...........will 2 returns plus 1 for polaris booster pump circulate good enough?
can i plumb the booster pump return to run off of the main pump when booster is not running?
they told me a main drain is not nessesary in a pool this size , what do yall think about that ?

 

[bk406]

I cant answer the polaris question, but on that pool i would have at least 3 returns that worked full time. 2 by the steps, and one in the deep end opposite the skimmer. You could do a 4th on the opposite side of the skimmer in the shallow end.
As for the main drain, i'm a big believer in them. You will get varied opinions, but i would rather have a side wall main suction rather than a floor drain. Some people would rather do the floor drain becasue they think it does a better job circulating the water. That may be true. But in reality, i dont think you would see that much difference in that size of pool if you went with a side wall. They dont get in the way of vacuuming or using a robot, they are easier to blow out in the winter, and if the liner leaks around the fititng (not that likely, but it does happen) they are easier to repair. At any rate, a main drain is must, IMO.