Newbee with Return Question

[sgraham308]

Hello to all and thanks for reading. I am new to the pool owner realm, but I have read pool school a number of times and feel like I have a pretty good habdle on what I'm getting into. My wife found a used 33' above ground for sale locally on a "Buy, Sell, or Trade" group on facebook. It was an 8yr old Sharkline with a 1yr old pump and filter and the big "wedding cake" steps. The guy also threw in the 3.5' wide half wrap composite deck and the 8'x16' composite extension as well, all for only $700, and I had to come get it. Kind of seemed like a "no-brainer" to me. It was a lot of work, but my dad and I got it taken down and hauled to my house in a weekend just before winter set in. The only problem was the bottom rail was pretty much shot, and we broke one of the resin post cups for the uprights. Other than that and a few light scratches (mostly the fault of the demo crew), the pool seems to be in great shape. The pool now sits neatly dissassembled in my garage and the deck components are neatly stored on pallets in the back yard, both eagerly awaiting spring to be set up and brought back to life.

I think I know what to get as far as the liner goes (25-mil beaded), and I know what chemicals and test kit (TF-100) to get and how to do all the bonding and plumbing, etc... I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to let a local pool builder do the install ($800 plus bobcat rental$270, 3/8" by down crushed limestone$180 and fine mason sand$150) or if I'll do it myself, but I'm really leaning toward the diy approach and saving the $800. Comments?

My question is in regards to the single return this thing has on the service panel next to the wide mouth skimmer. One return seems insufficient to me for a 33' round pool. Should I cut an additional return on the opposite side and plumb a line over to it? All piping will be hard piped 1-1/2" PVC with a couple of drops for a future aeration head / fountain and a future solor panel install.

Thanks again for reading and I greatly appreciate any advice that you can share. If you think of some reccomendations for the pool install mentioned above, by all means share them. I've done a lot of research on it, but research is nothing without implementation, and I've not done this before. But to be honest, I am somewhat "giddy" about the journey I'm about to take and I can't wait to see the look on my two daughters' face when they get to swim in it for the first time.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Welcome to TFP and congrats on the find.

If you live on a fairly level spot and are comfortable getting the site level then it's not a bad job to install the pool. However if there's a lot of digging and leveling $800 will seem like a bargain.

Since it's a round pool, one return will be enough but since you're willing to add a second, it would be eorth the trouble to do it and know that you won't have an issue. I'd try to set the skimmer up on the prevalent downwind side too.

 

[sgraham308]

On another note, I've just read some posts of people having to drain their pools on a somewhat regular basis due to rainfall. We usually get a decent amount of rainfall around here, especially in spring and fall, and I'm curious as to why a person couldn't just install a third return fitting as high up as possible, just below the bead on the liner, and plumb the outside line out away from the pool edge to a suitable drain location. Wouldn't this prevent overfilling with rainwater during all seasons? Am I over-thinking this? This seems like a pretty logical thing, but I'm thinking someone would have already thought of this before me if it really made sense.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Overflow on an AGP usually isn't a problem. Mine just overflows out the top of the skimmer and runs off. It does no harm.

 

[cramar]

800 bucks is a good deal, personally I'd let someone else do it for 800 (as long as their qualified and reputable), locally I was looking at $2500.

Honestly, if I had to do my pool over again I would add a bottom drain. Round pools have curlcular motion of the water and all the debris in my pool collects in the middle, I know I would have significantly less vacuuming with a bottom drain.
Next time!!!!!

 

[CB]

I would hire it done.(if the installer is reputable).See how much a bobcat is to rent(around here it's $200-300 plus $100 delivery charge plus fuel ($5.00 a gallon) for an 8hr. run time or 24hrs. which ever comes first)a transit/grade level runs about $65 a day.
Thought about pavers for the legs?

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, sgraham308

I too did a diy used pool. It is satisfying, and saved me much money...but like bama and cramer said, 800 bucks is a pretty good deal for the work.

With a pool that size , any chance you are going to dig a deep end?...my kids (and I) love ours! As the kids get older, the deep end tends to continue to keep them interested in using our pool (verses other non-deep end pools).

I am not sure in cold weather climates (where do you live?) that a center drain for agps makes much practical sense...unless you obsessive compulsive on not having a speck of dirt on the floor... sorry cramer More places to leak and needs to be winterized. I suppose the exception would be if your pool is directly under trees that are constantly dropping stuff.

 

[cramar]

No worries, I'm probably compulsive out it, most times I can't leave well enough alone.
Honestly, never considered the winterizing part of it, that's probably a deal breaker for me as we have very hard winters here, still, it would make cleaning alot easier.