Met with the pool company today to pick out the features of the pool and need some input / feedback on a few topics. What know that we are building an in ground, 18 x 36 vinyl pool, hopper bottom ~25,000 gallons, with a gas heater. Questions are as follows:
1. Pool Chemicals – Pool Company is pushing Nature 2 Mineral system. From researching this site, it sounds like any mineral system is just smoke and mirrors that we should stay away from. That decision is easy. So now I’m left with Chlorine vs SWG. We had a pool in NY which was chlorine (NY stats in signature). I have no problems with chlorine, easy to maintain, BBB, etc…. Problem is the chlorine addition and monitoring is harder for my kids/wife to manage if I’m away so I’m looking at the SWG systems. My understanding is that they are easier day to day – week to week maintenance. They still require maintenance, but if I’m gone for a week and everything is good before I leave, it should generally be ok until I return. Correct? I’m not a fan of the saltwater taste but wife and kids like it so if they are happy, that’s half the battle. Finally, since SWG pools are essentially Chlorine pools, if I wanted to, could I convert back to chlorine?
2. Filters – Pool Company is pushing DE. I had sand but was thinking cartridge filters. My understanding is DE offers the best filtration, Cartridge 2nd, Sand 3rd. Pool company was insisting that Cartridge are a maintenance headache and that DE was the best. Claimed that the deodorants, makeup, sun tan oils will clog the cartridges constantly. Not sure that I believe him, wouldn’t the chlorine burn it off when you shock the pool? Filtration wise, it doesn’t seem like there is a wrong choice here.
3. Covers – Solar & Safety vs Automatic – I was hoping to get a solar cover that was recessed in a box in the pool deck and use a safety cover in the winter. We had the old fashioned reel in solar cover but it was harder for the kids/wife to deal with and was always visible. So we thought that the recessed box would make it easier and allow us to hide it to get it out of the way. Pool company advised against it as he said they have not perfected it yet. Metal parts, constantly in contact with chlorine/salt water – not good for the bearings, etc… Did not push the automatic cover but wouldn’t the same issues apply to the automatic covers?
Thanks for any input/feedback.
1. Pool Chemicals – Pool Company is pushing Nature 2 Mineral system. From researching this site, it sounds like any mineral system is just smoke and mirrors that we should stay away from. That decision is easy. So now I’m left with Chlorine vs SWG. We had a pool in NY which was chlorine (NY stats in signature). I have no problems with chlorine, easy to maintain, BBB, etc…. Problem is the chlorine addition and monitoring is harder for my kids/wife to manage if I’m away so I’m looking at the SWG systems. My understanding is that they are easier day to day – week to week maintenance. They still require maintenance, but if I’m gone for a week and everything is good before I leave, it should generally be ok until I return. Correct? I’m not a fan of the saltwater taste but wife and kids like it so if they are happy, that’s half the battle. Finally, since SWG pools are essentially Chlorine pools, if I wanted to, could I convert back to chlorine?
2. Filters – Pool Company is pushing DE. I had sand but was thinking cartridge filters. My understanding is DE offers the best filtration, Cartridge 2nd, Sand 3rd. Pool company was insisting that Cartridge are a maintenance headache and that DE was the best. Claimed that the deodorants, makeup, sun tan oils will clog the cartridges constantly. Not sure that I believe him, wouldn’t the chlorine burn it off when you shock the pool? Filtration wise, it doesn’t seem like there is a wrong choice here.
3. Covers – Solar & Safety vs Automatic – I was hoping to get a solar cover that was recessed in a box in the pool deck and use a safety cover in the winter. We had the old fashioned reel in solar cover but it was harder for the kids/wife to deal with and was always visible. So we thought that the recessed box would make it easier and allow us to hide it to get it out of the way. Pool company advised against it as he said they have not perfected it yet. Metal parts, constantly in contact with chlorine/salt water – not good for the bearings, etc… Did not push the automatic cover but wouldn’t the same issues apply to the automatic covers?
Thanks for any input/feedback.