New Pool build specs

[RogerRoger]

First off, I wish I had found this website earlier. There is a ton of good info here. Anyway, here are the specs for the pool we plan on building. How does the equipment selection look? Also, I haven't seen much info on here about the Paramount Paraglo lights. Are those any good or not?

Shotcrete shell
Pool: 38' x 18' with pool depth of 3' down to 7.5'
Baja shelf: 7' x 19' with 3 geyser bubblers
Spa: 6' x 8' with 8 jets, 2 main drains and 1.5HP air blower with Paramount Paraglo LED light
2 - 24" bobe scuppers on either side of the spa.

All plumbing to be schedule 40 PVC with 2 skimmers and 4 return lines (all suction lines dedicated with 2"PVC)
Prather never lube valves
Pump: Hayward 950 VSP
Filter: Hayward 5030 Swimclear 525
Goldline salt purification system
Goldline omnilogic fully automated indoor/outdoor pool control system with remote access
Paramount super flow 360 color match safety drain in deep end
3 LED colorchanging Paramount Paraglo lights
May use LED bubblers for the baja shelf
Stonescapes Pebblestone plaster
Polaris 280 Automated Cleaner system with dedicate pump
Hayward 400,000 BTU Universal H-Series Natural Gas Heater

Any comments are welcomed. Thanks!

 

[TexasRain]

Hi, welcome! Do you have any pictures of your design/plan? That helps us picture things to help even more!

One thing is 3' is very shallow. Most will suggest 3.5" or 4" to be the shallowest.

 

[JJ_Tex]

+1 on 3' being too shallow.

Also the polaris cleaner is older technology that requires a booster pump. Consider upgrading to a robot cleaner (Maytronics or similar brand). They do a better job and do not require the separate pump.

 

[HermanTX]

Welcome to TFP. You will find a wealth of information from all of the TFP guides, experts, and pool owners.
Overall your equipment list looks great.
A quick calculation shows that your pool will be around 25,000 gals. Ensure your SWCG is 2x your pool volume - you did not provide a model number for your Hayward SWCG.

Good with 2" suction lines but ensure your skimmers are plumbed back to equipment pad as independent lines and have a valve to control each. So you will have 3 lines for suction at the equipment pad - 1 for each skimmer and 1 for the main drain.
Also, some times it is good to have dedicated return lines but that depends on your distance and flow requirements. You will want a separate line to your bubblers & scuppers to control them independently.

You may want to post a graphic of your design and overall layout.

There are lots of views on the forum regarding cleaners. Most would tell you to go to a robot cleaner and delete the pressure side Polaris cleaner that requires an additional booster pump. If you go robot, then you need an GFCI electrical outlet nearby (within code) to plug it in.

Buy your test kit now - Test Kits Compared and test your fill water so you know what you are dealing with.

Keep asking questions. Here are some other useful links for new pool construction.

How to Pick a Pool Builder

How to Pick a Pool Builder - Trouble Free Pool

How to Select Pool Equipment

How to select pool equipment - Further Reading

Construction Tips & Best Practices

Construction Best Practices - Further Reading

Watering New Gunite & Concrete

Watering New Gunite and Concrete - Further Reading

Pool Start-Up Guidelines

Plaster Start-Up Guides - Further Reading

 

[RogerRoger]

Attached is the pool design. Some of the walls to the right and house side of the pool are not quite accurate. Also, the bench in the deep end has been changed to run along the entire deep end wall. And the shallow is going to be 3.5' and not 3'. The baja shelf is actually half the length of the pool. In the pic, it isn't quite half.
I'll have to check on the SWCG size. Good to know about the cleaner. What's the cost difference in the Polaris vs the robot? And does the robot only plug in while in use? (I know, stupid question, but I don't want to assume anything.)

Thanks for the replies so far.

 

[HermanTX]

Also, the bench in the deep end has been changed to run along the entire deep end wall.

You may want to change your lights to be on the long side nearest the house - so they shine away from the house and baja shelf.

And the shallow is going to be 3.5' and not 3'.

Great - 3.5 is absolute minimum

What's the cost difference in the Polaris vs the robot?

Cleaner vs. Cleaner - a robot may just be a tad more expensive depending on the model but there are some good prices on robots. Many of the participants on the forum have contacted Marina Pool as they sell via internet with warranties. See contact info below.
Marina Pool, Spa & Patio
7777 West Jewell Avenue
Lakewood, Colorado 80232
303-985-0077
[email protected]

Furthermore, with a pressure side cleaner you have to purchase a booster pump and the added cost of plumbing. These costs clearly put it above a robot not only for the initial startup cost but for longterm as you will most likely need to replace the booster pump in the future.

And does the robot only plug in while in use?

It is electrical and many leave them in the pool just as you would the Polaris 280 that your PB quoted. You can also remove the robot and store it and only put it in the pool as needed. It has a 50ft cord so good for most size pools but you also have to consider how far away is your electrical outlet. Most codes require 10ft from the pool but something your PB can guide you on for your specific area. There is a small control box that you need to keep dry as well.

Hope this helps.

 

[RogerRoger]

Thanks for the info Herman.

We have changed the light position to be on the long side of the house side of the pool so the lights will shine away. Speaking of lights, anyone have any comments on the Paramount Paraglo ones?

When talking about the 50ft cord, that's for the robot itself. We could use an extension cord to plug in the control box, correct?

 

[Jimrahbe]

We could use an extension cord to plug in the control box, correct?

The key to using an extension cord is that the end of the cord can't be within about 10' of the water, and it can't in anyway allow the robot to pull the power supply into the pool. Also has to be plugged into a GFCI outlet.

Jim R.