Getting ready to be a new pool owner

[Dreric99]

Hi,


My name is Eric, from Manitoba, Canada.
Just introducing myself as a soon to be new pool owner. I enjoy researching things endlessly so that I am ready. I understand I should read pool school. I am about to have a pool installed in June of next year. Does the equiptment I am about to purchace look OK?

18 by 34 doughboy autumn breeze above ground pool with deep end option
Sand shark automatic pool cleaner
UV water treatment with minerals
Starite 22" sand filter
1 hp starite pool pump
125000 btu pentair heat pump
Underwater aquailluminator light

Plus misc other accessories: stairs,covers,etc

Anthing else I should upgrade, consider?

The pool will be in an area that should be free from debris, such as leaves.

Thanks
Eric

 

[chem geek]

Welcome to TFP!

This sounds like an outdoor pool exposed to sunlight, correct? If so, you don't need the UV system and shouldn't get the minerals system either. If you want automated dosing of chlorine, you could consider getting a saltwater chlorine generator.

 

[JoshU]

Welcome.

 

[Dreric99]

Yes this is an outdoor pool in the sunlight.

The pool store guy said that the UV system would cut down in the amount of chlorine we need. Should I cancel this UV thing?

Thanks,
Eric

 

[chem geek]

The pool store guy is absolutely, positively wrong. The UV will not lower chlorine demand. Most chlorine loss in an outdoor residential pool is actually CAUSED by UV, though it's from sunlight. The chlorine demand from bather load is negligible except in high bather load pools such as some commercial/public pools and in spas. There is some reasonable argument for having an ozonator in a residential spa if it is used frequently and a reasonable argument for having UV for an indoor pool to help control chloramines (since there is no sunlight exposure for an indoor pool).

 

[Dreric99]

OK, your input is very much appreciated. From my reading then, I think a salt water system would be for me.

Am I correct in assuming that it requires less maintanance. ie. I leave for a weeks holiday and the FC levels stay more consistant? Or would a pool with the BBB method be OK without maintance for a week?

Thanks
Eric

 

[chem geek]

With BBB you'd need to dose every day or two unless you got an automated dosing system such as The Liquidator or a peristaltic pump. Though you might be able to do a higher dose (say, a shock dose) that could last a week, you couldn't go two. In practice, people usually use Trichlor in a floating dispenser if they are gone for a week (but not longer). With a saltwater chlorine generator, you could be gone for a week or possibly longer and usually be OK, assuming you've got everything in balance so that the rate of pH rise is slower (that's a usual occurrence in SWG pools).