Please Help Build My Pool!

[WMBaseball9]

Hello Everyone,

I live in northern Virginia and am looking at pulling the trigger on an AGP. I was hoping to get some help with suggestions on setup. I talked to the guys at the pool factory website to order a pool but didn’t get much on specifics. I know at the end of the day there is a “better“ choice out of the options they provide (because the great information provided in the introductory section of the forum) when it comes to the pump, filter, liner choice, etc. Need some direction on choosing components for a 15x30.

Pools considering:

15'x30'x52" Saltwater 5000 Oval Above Ground Pool

Leading edge pool that struts its stuff with such utter elegance. Saltwater 5000 Oval Pool developed advanced techniques that will eliminate pool corrosion.

www.thepoolfactory.com

15'x30'x54

Transform your outdoor space into a haven of relaxation with a premium pool like the 15'x30'x54" Saltwater Aurora Oval Pool. Our pools provide hassle-free enjoyment!

www.thepoolfactory.com

Is it worth the extra money to get the aurora?… as it appears to be all resin. Do these pools really last decades if well kept?

We are building a deck around most of the pool, a little gazebo area on one side, a little bar top area on the other. I would say the area gets good sunlight from about 12 to 7 in the summer.

Considering solar to boost the heat / use in conjunction with a solar cover.

Thanks for any help or simply a point in the right direction. Tried to skim over the site a bit over the past week… so much to learn!

 

[PoolGate]

Were you planning on doing the assembly yourself or having it done? I would lean towards doing most of it myself. Contract out parts you don't feel comfortable with (ie: Have a landscaper clear and level the area). Electrician perhaps if you don't feel comfortable running electric to the site, etc. Call your local pool supply store and ask about contractors that install above ground pools they most likely keep a list. Get as many bids as you can. Be prepared for sticker shock where you live which is why I would do it myself.

 

[WMBaseball9]

Yes planning on doing it myself (ourselves-family). My family has been in the construction industry for quite some time. We arent experts on pools by any means which is why I came here. My dad initially wanted to build up the low side and I quickly learned that’s not ideal from much reading here so I’m forwarding my findings.

That all sounds reasonable - appreciate the response. I was hoping to get some help with the actual components for the pool purchased directly from the website. For example, Im feeling pretty confident that I want to go with a cartridge filter system… but I read bigger isn’t necessarily better. For a 15x30 saltwater pool - what would be suggested?

Picture below shows the options… the subtotal on the left includes the options that I picked (just picked what I thought were the most reasonable selections in my limited knowledge to see what the total would come to).

They also have Solax and Hayward options for the SWG. Any opinions on these products?
Picture also attached

Thanks for any advice. The guy at the pool factory website just said all options show work with the pool… I want to know what works best and he didn’t seem to have that info.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[VinnyinNJ]

We just had our pool installed, we are replacing a pool that we got rid of 3 years ago. We are going salt water this time vs just using chlorine (liquid and tabs) the last time. Pool chlorine is crazy expensive so is bleach and I'm hoping to break even with costs.

Durability - our last pool had a 15 year warranty and we got about 20 years before the liner ripped. The liner was the original so we were happy with the life we got out of it. When we cut the liner the inside pool wall had some rust on it, the area around the skimmer had some worse rust around it and the bottom track was gone. We decided to junk it and took us this long to decide to get another pool.

Here are my thoughts on installation - is your area flat? If yes it should be fairly easy to get a level pool; If no, then it could be a bit of work to get it level. My backyard is sloped and they had to bring a Bobcat to get the ground level with the first pool, there was a lot of dirt removed. We had to remove the rocks that ringed the old pool for the new installation and we removed tons of them which was a lot of work. Although we already had sand down I sifted the sand because of those darn rocks got into it, again a lot of work (I know this is not your case). Then there was 4 tons of sand the installers moved to the pool area to pad the bottom which my understanding all AG pools need something under the lining for padding. We paid $1300.00 for installation, they put it up in 4 hours and did all the heavy lifting with pool installation ... it was good money spent!

Equipment - I went to a Hayward dealer and got all Hayward equipment not on purpose but just buying the pool. I liked my old DE filter, it was a Pentair and had grids and was so easy to use; I was hesitant on the Hayward DE system with fingers and went with a sand filter also the dealer said my township is treating used DE as hazardous waste and I didn't want to deal with it. A lot of people swear by cartridge filters but I can't speak about them. I'm getting a 1 1/2 HP pump, my last one was either 3/4 or 1 HP but can't comment on it yet. I am getting an Aquatrol SWG good for up to 18,000 gallons, we never had a SWG so I can't say good or bad but people here say great things about them mostly. My dealer is hard piping the filter so no more hoses!!! I've had hoses turn into fountains after a few years.

Pool size - I asked about a 54" height and it was $1000 more so for us it wasn't worth the cost. Are you going to notice 2" maybe/maybe not. Our last pool was 52" deep and was nice; 54" may be a little nicer but not for the money IMO for us.

One last word about installation, it really doesn't seem too hard but it is labor intensive. I watched both pool installs and with the correct amount of people and tools/gadgets it seems to go smoothly. There are YouTube videos showing how to do it. The last installers used a plate compactor to get the sand firm (I don't remember that with the first), they both used stakes around the pool to keep the wall up while working, they both used concrete blocks under the uprights, both used a transit to make sure the blocks were level with each other and both used vacuums to help get the wrinkles out of the liner. Why we didn't do it - we are older, that type of physical labor is a killer if you're not used to it, the amount the installers charged was worth it not to have to do all that physical labor and they have installed 100's of pools vs us having installed 0!

 

[PoolGate]

You want to lower ground, not raise it. It is always better to site a pool on undisturbed ground. The weight of a pool is enormous. Building up WILL result in settling.

I would go with saltwater and a cartridge filter. Saltwater size for twice your pool volume (or more). For the cartridge filter, get as large as you can afford. The bigger the better. Check on pricing and availability of replacement cartridges for whatever filter you select before committing. Cartridges last 5 years or so. For SWG check on pricing and availability of the salt sell. They also last 5 years or so.

 

[WMBaseball9]

We just had our pool installed, we are replacing a pool that we got rid of 3 years ago. We are going salt water this time vs just using chlorine (liquid and tabs) the last time. Pool chlorine is crazy expensive so is bleach and I'm hoping to break even with costs.

Durability - our last pool had a 15 year warranty and we got about 20 years before the liner ripped. The liner was the original so we were happy with the life we got out of it. When we cut the liner the inside pool wall had some rust on it, the area around the skimmer had some worse rust around it and the bottom track was gone. We decided to junk it and took us this long to decide to get another pool.

Here are my thoughts on installation - is your area flat? If yes it should be fairly easy to get a level pool; If no, then it could be a bit of work to get it level. My backyard is sloped and they had to bring a Bobcat to get the ground level with the first pool, there was a lot of dirt removed. We had to remove the rocks that ringed the old pool for the new installation and we removed tons of them which was a lot of work. Although we already had sand down I sifted the sand because of those darn rocks got into it, again a lot of work (I know this is not your case). Then there was 4 tons of sand the installers moved to the pool area to pad the bottom which my understanding all AG pools need something under the lining for padding. We paid $1300.00 for installation, they put it up in 4 hours and did all the heavy lifting with pool installation ... it was good money spent!

Equipment - I went to a Hayward dealer and got all Hayward equipment not on purpose but just buying the pool. I liked my old DE filter, it was a Pentair and had grids and was so easy to use; I was hesitant on the Hayward DE system with fingers and went with a sand filter also the dealer said my township is treating used DE as hazardous waste and I didn't want to deal with it. A lot of people swear by cartridge filters but I can't speak about them. I'm getting a 1 1/2 HP pump, my last one was either 3/4 or 1 HP but can't comment on it yet. I am getting an Aquatrol SWG good for up to 18,000 gallons, we never had a SWG so I can't say good or bad but people here say great things about them mostly. My dealer is hard piping the filter so no more hoses!!! I've had hoses turn into fountains after a few years.

Pool size - I asked about a 54" height and it was $1000 more so for us it wasn't worth the cost. Are you going to notice 2" maybe/maybe not. Our last pool was 52" deep and was nice; 54" may be a little nicer but not for the money IMO for us.

One last word about installation, it really doesn't seem too hard but it is labor intensive. I watched both pool installs and with the correct amount of people and tools/gadgets it seems to go smoothly. There are YouTube videos showing how to do it. The last installers used a plate compactor to get the sand firm (I don't remember that with the first), they both used stakes around the pool to keep the wall up while working, they both used concrete blocks under the uprights, both used a transit to make sure the blocks were level with each other and both used vacuums to help get the wrinkles out of the liner. Why we didn't do it - we are older, that type of physical labor is a killer if you're not used to it, the amount the installers charged was worth it not to have to do all that physical labor and they have installed 100's of pools vs us having installed 0!

Thank you for your detailed reply!

The area we are working with is fairly flat… one side has a slope of about 5 inches, the other side is about 12”. Nothing crazy but will obviously need work.

We are hoping to do majority of the work prior to winter so we can be ready to roll early in the season next year!

 

[WMBaseball9]

You want to lower ground, not raise it. It is always better to site a pool on undisturbed ground. The weight of a pool is enormous. Building up WILL result in settling.

I would go with saltwater and a cartridge filter. Saltwater size for twice your pool volume (or more). For the cartridge filter, get as large as you can afford. The bigger the better. Check on pricing and availability of replacement cartridges for whatever filter you select before committing. Cartridges last 5 years or so. For SWG check on pricing and availability of the salt sell. They also last 5 years or so.

10-4 Ive forwarded the ground leveling procedure directly from the site
When you say “saltwater size for twice your pool volume”… is this in reference to the swg?

Thanks for the tips!

 

[WMBaseball9]

There is a massive difference between these filters but these are the two “higher end” offerings from the site.

so you would say spend the extra 700 or so dollars to get the huge mega quad cartridge filter?

 

[VinnyinNJ]

A couple of things to consider...

Whatever filter you choose make sure replacement parts are available. I'm only familiar with 2 names in filters and pumps Hayward and Pentair but that doesn't mean they are the only 2 "popular" brands with parts. If you can't get filters, pumps and other parts for the filter system it's a waste of money if/when they break.

As far as the SWG, I agree a system that produces chlorine for a larger pool is great but the difference between an AG Hayward SWG and an IG 40,000 gallon SWG was a substantial difference in price, probably close to $800 which seemed a little excessive to me. The difference between a 20,000 IG to 40,000 was about $300 was was more reasonable IMO. I'm quoting Hayward because I bought the pool from a Hayward dealer and that's what he offered maybe a different brand would be more reasonable.

 

[WMBaseball9]

A couple of things to consider...

Whatever filter you choose make sure replacement parts are available. I'm only familiar with 2 names in filters and pumps Hayward and Pentair but that doesn't mean they are the only 2 "popular" brands with parts. If you can't get filters, pumps and other parts for the filter system it's a waste of money if/when they break.

As far as the SWG, I agree a system that produces chlorine for a larger pool is great but the difference between an AG Hayward SWG and an IG 40,000 gallon SWG was a substantial difference in price, probably close to $800 which seemed a little excessive to me. The difference between a 20,000 IG to 40,000 was about $300 was was more reasonable IMO. I'm quoting Hayward because I bought the pool from a Hayward dealer and that's what he offered maybe a different brand would be more reasonable.

understood. Thanks for the insight!

 

[WMBaseball9]

Is this inline “anode“ worth a darn?

Doesn’t seem like many people have purchased - 0 reviews on the product page.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

It's a sacrificial part and apparently this is something to get especially with a salt water pool. It will corrode leaving any other metal part corrosion free. It gets replaced every couple/few years.

I knew nothing about it, the dealer included it with the system and the one he installed sits where I can easily see it and change it. I did some research after buying the pool and it was almost insisted to put on with a SWG. I didn't pay for it (I'm sure it's in the price somewhere ) but it's a small price to pay to not have issues with other metal parts.

 

[mknauss]

Unnecessary. What metals is it protecting?

 

[VinnyinNJ]

Unnecessary. What metals is it protecting?

Interesting, it sounded like it protected any metal parts exposed to the pool water. Screws, shafts of the pump and whatever else the water came in contact with. I guess this is a voodoo part!

 

[WMBaseball9]

Unnecessary. What metals is it protecting?

thats what I was assuming… especially if I’m going all resin but didn’t know if there were small internal parts exposed in some way in some of the components.