I'm planning on installing a metric round pool (30' or 33') fully in the ground in the next year. I work on the road a lot so I won't be home much to monitor water quality and my lovely wife isn't the most mechanical inclined person when it comes to pool pumps and water chemistry. I like the idea of a SWG. Any suggestions on how to make this as maintinace free for my wife as possible. Any suggestions on pump and filter size, type, and brand would be greatly appreicated.
Any suggetstion for a new pump & filtration system
- Thread starter tommyb44
- Start date
tommyb44:
Welcome to TFP
Depending on depth, you are looking at a range of roughly 30,000 - 40,000 gallons. Are there any other water features you have planned (attached spa, waterfalls, etc.)? That (along with other factors like the pool's plumbing system length and pipe diameter) will impact the power output needed. When you have your pool built, I would get a schematic showing the underground location of the plumbing system even if there is an extra charge for this or, at the very least, take pictures at different stages of the pool's construction.
Power output aside, I recommend getting either a 2-speed or variable speed (VS) pump. The VS makes sense from a cost benefit standpoint if your electric rates per kWh are $0.20 or higher. Otherwise, the 2-speed is usually the better choice and it doesn't cost much more than a single-speed pump but will save you $ on your electric bill, especially if you live in a warm climate and keep the pool operational year-round. If you go the SWG route, you need to pump a certain amount of water through the system to ensure that enough chlorine is added to the pool by the SWG. Even if you ran at low speed for twice the amount of time as you would on high-speed, you will save roughly 50% on your electric bill associated with running your pump . If you do keep your pool operational year-round, you can run on low speed for freeze protection. In cooler water temps (below around 65-70°F), the reduced flow becomes moot since you will need to manually dose with chlorine anyway since the SWG will not produce enough chlorine at or below these water temperatures. Therefore, you can take advantage of the lower speed during the off-season.
As for brands, I have had good luck with Pentair and they offer a full range of pumps. Of course, there are other brands out there as well (Jandy and Haywood are two other brands that come to mind).
When you have a bit more information to get into sizing the pump for power output, I would become familiar with HP and Service Factors. This can be one of the most confusing aspects of pump ratings. Operating HP can be calculated by multiplying the labeled HP by the Service Factor. For example, a "full-rated" 1 HP pump with a service factor of 1.5 would have a braking HP of 1.5 and would be identical to an "up-rated" 1.5 HP with a service factor of 1. Both pumps will have the same pumping capability and provide the same flow rates for a given plumbing system.
As for filter type, I am quite happy with my sand filter. IMHO, sand gives good filtering with the lowest overall maintenance. When looking at a spec sheet, other types of filters may filter down to a lower micron level, but I cannot tell you how many people have commented that my pool is the cleanest one they have ever seen. Basic pool maintenance such as maintaining proper chlorine and overall water chemistry levels play the leading role in the clarity of your water regardless of what type of filter you have.
Welcome to TFP
Depending on depth, you are looking at a range of roughly 30,000 - 40,000 gallons. Are there any other water features you have planned (attached spa, waterfalls, etc.)? That (along with other factors like the pool's plumbing system length and pipe diameter) will impact the power output needed. When you have your pool built, I would get a schematic showing the underground location of the plumbing system even if there is an extra charge for this or, at the very least, take pictures at different stages of the pool's construction.
Power output aside, I recommend getting either a 2-speed or variable speed (VS) pump. The VS makes sense from a cost benefit standpoint if your electric rates per kWh are $0.20 or higher. Otherwise, the 2-speed is usually the better choice and it doesn't cost much more than a single-speed pump but will save you $ on your electric bill, especially if you live in a warm climate and keep the pool operational year-round. If you go the SWG route, you need to pump a certain amount of water through the system to ensure that enough chlorine is added to the pool by the SWG. Even if you ran at low speed for twice the amount of time as you would on high-speed, you will save roughly 50% on your electric bill associated with running your pump . If you do keep your pool operational year-round, you can run on low speed for freeze protection. In cooler water temps (below around 65-70°F), the reduced flow becomes moot since you will need to manually dose with chlorine anyway since the SWG will not produce enough chlorine at or below these water temperatures. Therefore, you can take advantage of the lower speed during the off-season.
As for brands, I have had good luck with Pentair and they offer a full range of pumps. Of course, there are other brands out there as well (Jandy and Haywood are two other brands that come to mind).
When you have a bit more information to get into sizing the pump for power output, I would become familiar with HP and Service Factors. This can be one of the most confusing aspects of pump ratings. Operating HP can be calculated by multiplying the labeled HP by the Service Factor. For example, a "full-rated" 1 HP pump with a service factor of 1.5 would have a braking HP of 1.5 and would be identical to an "up-rated" 1.5 HP with a service factor of 1. Both pumps will have the same pumping capability and provide the same flow rates for a given plumbing system.
As for filter type, I am quite happy with my sand filter. IMHO, sand gives good filtering with the lowest overall maintenance. When looking at a spec sheet, other types of filters may filter down to a lower micron level, but I cannot tell you how many people have commented that my pool is the cleanest one they have ever seen. Basic pool maintenance such as maintaining proper chlorine and overall water chemistry levels play the leading role in the clarity of your water regardless of what type of filter you have.
Welcome to tfp, tommyb44
As Bodarville said, as you get closer to deciding on you pool size, post the updated info and we can help with equipment suggestions. A 33' pool is fairly large...if you are not making a deep end, then your volume would be ~26000 gallons. That will require a fairly large filter and because of that and the fact that you are burying it, you will likely want to buy a inground style pump.
Once up and running with a swg, it should be quite easy to maintain...I really like having one.
As Bodarville said, as you get closer to deciding on you pool size, post the updated info and we can help with equipment suggestions. A 33' pool is fairly large...if you are not making a deep end, then your volume would be ~26000 gallons. That will require a fairly large filter and because of that and the fact that you are burying it, you will likely want to buy a inground style pump.
Once up and running with a swg, it should be quite easy to maintain...I really like having one.
Thanks for the info. The more I look the more I'm torn between the radiant and just going with a 20' x 40' vinyl IG. I do industrial concrete all over the country so the build for me would be easy other than having to trowel on the vermiculite bottom. I may contract that out to save time. My brother in-law is an electrician and my nephew is a master plumber :-D. I'm trying to find a good kit. I live in northern WI, so from what i've read, steel walls are the way to go. But I also want a SWG so I'm getting conflicting info on how they react to steel walls. I'm trying to stay under $15K but don't want to skimp out on the filtration system. I hope this helps and any feedback on the IG kits and the filtration system would be great. I should probably post this under the construction page.
Actually - for maintenence free- you might want to consider plastic walls, like my inground pool has. after 25+ years - when we replaced the liner a few years ago - the guy that owned the company was impressed enough to say that he was considering steel walls for his own pool, but seeing the condition of our plastic ones was having him reconsider that.
As for a pump / filtration system - get as large a filter as you can afford / fit into the space - bigger means it will require less maintenance. Doesn't matter whether you are using cartiridges, a sand filter, or DE - larger is always better for less maintenance. If your wife maybe doing alot of the maintenance - a sand filter might be the easiest to maintain.
As for a pump / filtration system - get as large a filter as you can afford / fit into the space - bigger means it will require less maintenance. Doesn't matter whether you are using cartiridges, a sand filter, or DE - larger is always better for less maintenance. If your wife maybe doing alot of the maintenance - a sand filter might be the easiest to maintain.