pump and spec questions

[PTHaines]

So, I have all the details for my new pool (yay!) This will be my first pool ever-we are so excited-but I'm doing a ton of research to prepare! We are currently getting our HOa approval and permits. I have a few questions about pump size, one or 2 speed, step height, and chlorinator:

Here are the specs:

Freeform pool-lagoon style with large tanning deck
Perimeter: 95
SF: 589
depth: 3-6 feet (I think I'm going to change this to 3.5-6.5)
Gallons-about 22,000
Dimensions: 34x26 at widest points
Plaster with 30% quartz
Cartridge filter
2.0 HP single speed pump
Rainbow 320 Inline Chlorinator
Separate pump for waterfall (3x5x3), 2 bubblers and 2 fan jets
Polaris 280 with booster pump

Questions:

From what I've read, a 2 HP pump seems overkill for just the pool, right? Should it be a 3/4 or 1 HP? Also, one pool builder mentioned that 2 speed pumps were silly because at low speed, it wasn't strong enough to filter or run the polaris, so better to just get a single speed and only run it a few hours a day, or get a 2 speed to save electricity (I'm in Houston area, not high electric costs)

It seems like the inline chlorinator is unnecessary if I plan on using BBB method. Should I just have it installed anyways in case I need it on vacation or something? (It's $140)

I am confused about when you run the pump. I know you want to turn the pool over at least once to go through the filter, or distribute chemicals when added, but do you turn it on when people are in the pool? I always feel like when I swim, I feel water from the returns, so I'm confused about that

Currently, we are doing a double tanning ledge (second step is a depth for a bath chair for my special needs son). The first height is 6" of water (so 9" deep), second is 15" of water (so 18 deep) and 3rd step is currently 27" deep which then steps down to 36" of water. Would a 12" step be too tall (so I could go to 30" and then 42"?) Also, if the first step is 6" of water, add in 3" and then the coping, would that really be a 12 step? Confused about heights and water height!


Thank you so much!!!!

 

[jblizzle]

I agree that 2HP is overkill for just a pool filtration pump (since you have a separate waterfall pump and no spa). A 1HP 2-speed would be a much better choice. And that builder does not know what they are talking about. You actually get better filtration with the lower flow rates and the booster pump for the cleaner (more about this later) will run fine with it on low speed.

You do not need the chlorinator, but it can be nice for vacations (or you could just use a cheap floating one). If they will credit you for it, I might get rid of it.

Turn over is meaningless. You do not need to move that much water in a day. See this: http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/152-determine-pump-run-time

Regarding the cleaner ... I might consider a robot instead of the boosted pressure side cleaner. The boosted pressure side cleaners are really the least efficient because you have to be running 2 pumps just for them to function.

 

[bmoreswim]

I'll take a first stab at the pump question because your pool is similar to mine. We have a two-speed 2HP pump, which is oversized because the PB moved up from 1 1/2 HP to 2 HP without telling us (the free upgrade that keeps on costing). However, I almost always run it on low. Only on high for 15 minutes at the beginning of each day's cycle or if I want to do some heavy duty circulation for some other reason. The cleaner is will be programmed (assuming you have automation) to only function with the pump on high speed and then also with the booster pump running of course. But for us, we don't need to run it much so it's not a big deal.

Low speed is almost silent versus high which is fairly loud. It's a big and welcome difference running it on low if your pump is anywhere in the vicinity of where it can be heard (inside or outside). Some thing in the 1HP range, in two-speed version, would seem ideal to me for your scenario.

Regarding when to run the pump for circulation/filtration...we run ours during the day (therefore it's running almost anytime people are swimming). I like the concept of having it running while it is in use though in reality it makes little difference. We also chlorinate with a SWCG so when the pump is running, that's when chlorine is actively being produced (or some % of that time based on the chlorinator setting). BTW - I highly recommend a SWCG setup. Another reason I run the pump during the day is we have no different electricity rates throughout the day. We buy at a fixed price. Also, we tend to have our autocover closed during the night so would get little/no skimming benefit if we ran it then.

Keeping the inline chlorinator (assuming you don't go with a SWCG) isn't a bad idea. It would make sense to use it during vacations assuming your pool can handle the increase in CYA or calcium, depending on which variety of tabs you would use (Di-Chlor or Cal-Hypo respectively).

We ended up with an 8% quartz plaster. 1 bag of Diamond Brite Onyx in a 12 bag total mixture of white marble dust and white cement. It yielded a swirled/mottled medium gray finish. Yours will also be mottled if they didn't mention that, assuming the 30% quartz is being mixed with white plaster as mine was.

Best of luck during this exciting time!

 

[Isaac-1]

One thing we see over and over again is that pool builders tend to push oversized 1 speed pumps combined with undersized filters

 

[PTHaines]

I thought that that pump was too large-jsut wanted to check before I contacted him. Originally, we had a spa, so the 2 HP pump made more sense-but I realized that the same pump was on the new spec sheet, and after some research, figured it was too large. I'm going to send him and email (it was a different PB that said that the pool can't efficiently filter on low speed-but this PB is a little old school and doesn't see the problem with a one speed pump

 

[Isaac-1]

Pool builders tend to never care about ongoing maintenance or expense issues, they likely never see them so out of sight out of mind. My pet peeve on this is that so many pool builders plumb the equipment pads in such a way that you have to cut out hundreds of dollars worth of plumbing to replace any equipment (pumps, etc.) because they plumb it so compactly that there is no room to cut in a splice if needed.