Trouble finishing Ohio pool

[schaefe]

Where to start.....

We started building pool in the summer/fall 2012. The project was to be complete before the end of 2012 and, since the pool contractor and the landscape architect had been working together in numerous projects, we would not have to do anything. The pool was poured in 2012, but was not completed with the statement that we would be first on the books for spring 2013.

It is now getting well below freezing and we are having a hard time finding anyone to finish the pool (last minute and the plumbing has been damaged by the landscapers and the original pool people are incapable of completing the job). We have a local person who is willing to finish things but wants us to change things dramatically and I need advice on what the best options are.

We were set up with a cartridge filter (obviously too small), 3 Hayward Superpumps, SWCG, Pentair Intelitouch Automation with remote. The pool pumps worked sometimes but took forever to prime (30 min if ever) and eventually would never prime at all. We realized that the pumps were installed at a location too high for the pumps (12+ feet above the overflow tank) and decided to get new Pentair Inteliflo pumps and relocate things closer to the level of the pool. Now, the new pool contractor insists on hooking everything up to 1 single speed pump, switch to bromine, and switch to a sand filter.

Questions:
1. Best to have 1, 2 or 3 pumps? We have 3 slightly used single, and 3 new in box VS pumps.
2. Bromine vs. SWCG?
3. Sand vs. Cartrige?

Any suggestions please?

 

[pwrstrk]

Welcome to TFP !
Your question on pumps I'll defer to an expert.
I would go with the SWG over Bromine or bleach injection via liquidator or stenner pump. You could also manually put bleach, liquid chlorine in daily.
As for the filters they will all get the job done. Take a look at this pool-school/pool_filter_comparison

 

[Leebo]

1. Best to have 1, 2 or 3 pumps? We have 3 slightly used single, and 3 new in box VS pumps.

For your setup I see no reason why the 2 single speed pumps couldn't handle the job no problem. What size Superpumps are they?? Where at in Ohio are you located? If your power rates are high you may save some cash using the VS pumps, but from what I've seen.....most of the state has deceit rates. Is there any way you can return the VS pumps if you don't use them? There's just alot of cash on the table in pumps. A long prime time could mean many of things. One of the first things I'd check is for any blockage. Are all skimmers clear of leaves??

2. Bromine vs. SWCG?

No doubt....SWCG. Don't even allow Bromine or a chlorine tab feeder to be an option.

3. Sand vs. Cartrige?

There's really no difference.....Both can clean items smaller than the human eye can see, so as long as they're sized OK they'll both work just fine. What filter and size do you have now??


As a last suggestion.......no matter what you decide to go with, insist that they put in unions before and after each of the pumps installed. This will save you a TON of headaches if you ever need to do any changing anything with your pumps. Rather than cutting up the PVC, all you'll need to do is un-screw them unions and you're done. For about $10 each, they'll save you a TON of headaches.