New Build in Houston
- Thread starter Smelscifi
- Start date
Good to know- I will try basic chlorination first and see how that goes. Not to single you out, but do you have any recommendations for good non-travertine pavers for a small pool deck? Belgard seems to be the only thing I can find.
S,
Sorry, no I don't..
No matter how you chlorinate your pool, the key to staying out of trouble is to have a good test kit and do routine testing on your own. Most pool owners that get into trouble have no clue what their chemical readings are.. They let the "Pool Boy" do it. Unfortunately, bad things do not happen to pools overnight, they often take several years. This means by the time the owner realizes there is a problem, it is often too late to fix. As long as you monitor your own pool water you can stay out of trouble no matter how you sanitize your pool. The reason everyone likes a SWCG, is because it is easiest and most convenient way to do it.
Oh, we only recommend one of two test kits... the TF-100 (the one I have) and the Taylor K-2006C (and yes, the C is important). Anything else is really a toy and won't provide you with the test data needed to keep your chemicals in balance.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Sorry, no I don't..
No matter how you chlorinate your pool, the key to staying out of trouble is to have a good test kit and do routine testing on your own. Most pool owners that get into trouble have no clue what their chemical readings are.. They let the "Pool Boy" do it. Unfortunately, bad things do not happen to pools overnight, they often take several years. This means by the time the owner realizes there is a problem, it is often too late to fix. As long as you monitor your own pool water you can stay out of trouble no matter how you sanitize your pool. The reason everyone likes a SWCG, is because it is easiest and most convenient way to do it.
Oh, we only recommend one of two test kits... the TF-100 (the one I have) and the Taylor K-2006C (and yes, the C is important). Anything else is really a toy and won't provide you with the test data needed to keep your chemicals in balance.
Thanks,
Jim R.
Thank you for the advice- I will ask my PB which test kit is included in the bid and if its not one of these models, I will request it.
If u follow the “add bleach/liquid chlorine” program you will be adding this EVERY DAY in HOUSTON between June-September. No doubt about it. That will become a pain. I really like swimming in my pool and not making it my second job but that’s just me. All of my friends insisted on using there inline chlorinator with trichlor pucks. The Trichlor drives up the CYA quickly especially in HOUSTON and it gets out of control quickly (ie it rises too high for you to keep up with the recommended FC levels).
I use a Glacier Chiller which operates by a fan that cools the water. The electricity use is negligible. I honestly can’t even tell the difference in my bill and I run it 12 hours a day. It’s also ran off of my automation so it can be controlled from my iPhone.
I use a Glacier Chiller which operates by a fan that cools the water. The electricity use is negligible. I honestly can’t even tell the difference in my bill and I run it 12 hours a day. It’s also ran off of my automation so it can be controlled from my iPhone.
in that case you should be fine, I think adding a SWG later should be pretty simple when/if you decide to do it. 
S,
I can tell you right now, all the stuff the pool builder will give you for pool care will be cheap Walmart stuff that will last about a year..
Jim R.
I can tell you right now, all the stuff the pool builder will give you for pool care will be cheap Walmart stuff that will last about a year..
Jim R.
S,
I can tell you right now, all the stuff the pool builder will give you for pool care will be cheap Walmart stuff that will last about a year..
Jim R.
mine gave me the ‘gold package’. It was the walmart stuff but with a gold colored pole. Lol.
I took your advice and asked to add a chiller. Goodbye budget! But I think you're right that it will be worth it. My PB won't do Glacier based on bad past experiences so he's quoting me the AquaCal TC1000.
Are these chillers also heaters or just chillers?.
Are they as expensive as a SWG setup?
This one is just a chiller, not a heat pump. I would say more expensive than SWG from what I'm seeing on the bid. But for SWG, I can always come back and install it if I get annoyed with chlorination schedule. For the chiller, I know I'm going to want it given temps here- I prefer water on the cooler side.
What are the preferred choices for pool decking? Is there some kind of soft surface for kids to run around or is pebble aggregate / pavers what people like?
From the picture, it appears like you've used normal slab stone around the pool?
From the picture, it appears like you've used normal slab stone around the pool?
Right now, I'm leaning toward oversize 16x24 travertine coping and a 300 sqft travertine deck replacement of some existing softscape flagstones I have (see rendering). for 3 sides of the pool, there will still be yard which I haven't decided how I'm going to landscape. Open to suggestions since I assume trying to keep grass alive there will just lead to it dying due to water splashing.
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I don't know if anyone here is good with pumps but adding the chiller has my PB proposing to add a 2nd pump dedicated to the caretaker system. I'm trying to convince him to just design two independent plumbing runs that can each be fed by the 1 VS pump with automated valving. In my head, I'm thinking IFC and chiller on one plumbing run and heater, spa, normal returns on a second plumbing run. Any advice on this? Would love to avoid a 2nd pump for maintenance/cost reasons if I could.
Exlonghorn
Gold Supporter
- Jun 16, 2019
- 119
- Pool Size
- 18000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Truclear / Ei
Just put in a SWCG in Houston. Jandy TruClear. Smartest move I've made besides finding TFP and following their advice.
The more I read about it, the more I'm leaning toward just going SWG off the bat. My wife isn't happy about it but I'm convincing her that storing gallons of chlorine isn't worth the safety/hassle even if she thinks she won't like the saltwater feel. I have a couple of questions:
- Which Jandy SWG cell would be best for a small pool? Mine is ~12,000 gallons. I have a 2.5 HP VS pump coming in.
- I will have to run the pump full speed for the in-floor cleaner but I'm going to have that on it's own discharge line in parallel to the mainline with SWG and everything else. In theory I can automate it to ramp down when it's not in the IFC line. I know how folks around here feel about IFC and I still want to pursue it- just wondering if anyone has experience with an IFC+SWG since they both seem to have different pump/flow requirements.
- I only have an Aqualink PD4 in my scope- between a heater, chiller, spa, automatic valves and now an SWG, I'm assuming I'll have to upgrade this to handle everything I want. Any advice on what I should do for Jandy controls/automation?
- My PB is going to make me sign a scary release waiver about my travertine decking and equipment eroding. How worried should I be about this?
- Which Jandy SWG cell would be best for a small pool? Mine is ~12,000 gallons. I have a 2.5 HP VS pump coming in.
- I will have to run the pump full speed for the in-floor cleaner but I'm going to have that on it's own discharge line in parallel to the mainline with SWG and everything else. In theory I can automate it to ramp down when it's not in the IFC line. I know how folks around here feel about IFC and I still want to pursue it- just wondering if anyone has experience with an IFC+SWG since they both seem to have different pump/flow requirements.
- I only have an Aqualink PD4 in my scope- between a heater, chiller, spa, automatic valves and now an SWG, I'm assuming I'll have to upgrade this to handle everything I want. Any advice on what I should do for Jandy controls/automation?
- My PB is going to make me sign a scary release waiver about my travertine decking and equipment eroding. How worried should I be about this?
- Jul 17, 2019
- 3,714
- Pool Size
- 13000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
You will feel a difference in the water once you get out, but usually it is a good difference as your skin will feel smoother/silky. You could add salt to a bathtub at ~3500 parts per million (right at the point you can barely start to taste the salt) and see what she thinks.
As for the waiver, not really sure what to tell you there. Your travertine decking is rock and will be fine (otherwise the oceans would have dissolved everything millions of years ago). For your equipment, I wouldnt be worried about actual damage, but what does the waver say? Does it completely void your warranty?
As for the waiver, not really sure what to tell you there. Your travertine decking is rock and will be fine (otherwise the oceans would have dissolved everything millions of years ago). For your equipment, I wouldnt be worried about actual damage, but what does the waver say? Does it completely void your warranty?
I'll send a picture once I'm at home. To me the game changer is that I won't have any cool, dark outdoor storage for chlorine so I'm going to have to lug it around the house if I don't go SWG. I'll end up bleaching everything in sight.
To give you safety in numbers, I just signed a pool contract with a SWG, and it says that the PB will not cover damage caused by salt. I'm also going with travertine for my decking. I can't find any firsthand accounts of people having damage to their travertine from salt.
On a related note, while I've never had a pool, I get the impression that many view the choice of salt vs traditional as an upfront, unchangeable decision. My thought process was salt makes the most sense to me, but if I don't like it for whatever reason, I'll switch to a different form of adding chlorine.
On a related note, while I've never had a pool, I get the impression that many view the choice of salt vs traditional as an upfront, unchangeable decision. My thought process was salt makes the most sense to me, but if I don't like it for whatever reason, I'll switch to a different form of adding chlorine.