Critique my equiptment choices & design!

[courtneyhi]

About to start a pool- please critique my choices!
Also thoughts on a PV3 in-floor vs Polaris?

Thanks!

-Modern shaped pool with steps and benches.
-Approx. 90' perimeter and 418 sq foot surface area.
-Depth goes from 3 1/2' - 6' deep.





-Pentair 30" Tagulus TA100D sand filter with top mount valve kit
- Pebble Filter Media (3)
-Glass Filter Media (7)
-Standard pool skimmers (2)
-Pool Miser water leveler autofill box
-Check Valves, Ball Valves
-Return jets
-Pentair IntellaFlo Pump
-Pentair Wisperflo 3/4 HP pump (water feature)
-Polaris 360 pool cleaner
-Pentair Mastertemp 400 Heater
-Standard manual inline tablet chlorinator cannister, Ultraviolet sanitizing system
-LED Pentair Intellibrite COLOR pool lights with nichesLight transformer (300 watt)
-LED Pentair Intellibrite COLOR spa light with nicheLight transformer (100 watt)
-Pentair Intellicenter i8PS Pool and Spa control center
*Includes wireless kit to control with mobile devices

 

[mknauss]

Pretty design.
Some with in-floor cleaners love them, most, not. A robot (Maytronics/Dolphin are the most popular here on the forum) is my choice.

You can leave out the UV system. Your pool will be in the sun all day. More than enough UV there. Consider a SaltWater Chlorine Generator. A great way to chlorinate your pool water and reduce your daily maintenance time. You also do not need the inline tablet chlorinator. The use of tablets is not sustainable. If you do not put in a SWCG, you will need to add liquid chlorine each day to the pool. But, you are in Texas, and only in Texas do they add the inline thing to every pool.

A sand filter (no need for the fancy media, sand is the best) means you use water to clean it. Is your water pretty low priced? Will you have a place to send the large amount of water used to backflush? Cartridge filters, properly sized, can typically be cleaned once or maybe twice per year with much less water loss.

Have fun!

 

[Jimrahbe]

Courtney,

I'm curious, who's idea was the UV system? And what did they say that made you think it would sanitize your pool water?

Just like Marty, I would not recommend an in-floor system or the Polaris 360.... Why would you want to use 1970's technology to clean your pool? Why would you want to be required to run your pump at max RPM for several hours just to push the dirt around and then have some of it get trapped in your filter? Using an in-floor system, or even a pressure side cleaner like the Polaris 360, is like using an old Black Rotary-dial telephone instead of a cell phone. You should think about moving up to this century and get Robot.

The IntelliFlo is a great pump... and will work well with your IntelliCenter automation..

They call them sand filters, not glass and pebbles filters... there is zero advantages to having glass or anything else.. it just costs more for no gain.

"Ball valves" are never a good idea... the handles will break off in a couple of years.. All pool valves should be Jandy style neverlube valves.


And finally... (I'll bet your glad of that.. ) 3.5 feet is really too shallow.. 4 foot is as shallow as we recommend.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[tampatommy]

You have a huge spa with even bigger overflows. Dont make the same mistake i did. I have an intelliflo, but spend the extra $200 and buy the Intelliflo XF. Produces about 55 more gallons per minute. Make sure your skimmer and main drains are plumbed to the pad the entire way with 2.5" piping.

 

[courtneyhi]

Courtney,

I'm curious, who's idea was the UV system? And what did they say that made you think it would sanitize your pool water?

Just like Marty, I would not recommend an in-floor system or the Polaris 360.... Why would you want to use 1970's technology to clean your pool? Why would you want to be required to run your pump at max RPM for several hours just to push the dirt around and then have some of it get trapped in your filter? Using an in-floor system, or even a pressure side cleaner like the Polaris 360, is like using an old Black Rotary-dial telephone instead of a cell phone. You should think about moving up to this century and get Robot.

The IntelliFlo is a great pump... and will work well with your IntelliCenter automation..

They call them sand filters, not glass and pebbles filters... there is zero advantages to having glass or anything else.. it just costs more for no gain.

"Ball valves" are never a good idea... the handles will break off in a couple of years.. All pool valves should be Jandy style neverlube valves.


And finally... (I'll bet your glad of that.. ) 3.5 feet is really too shallow.. 4 foot is as shallow as we recommend.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Great feedback! What is the robot? A type of floor cleaner?
Thanks for feedback on shallow end too. Would have never known that. What about the 3.5 foot hot tub depth? Thanks!

 

[courtneyhi]

Great feedback! What is the robot? A type of floor cleaner?
Thanks for feedback on shallow end too. Would have never known that. What about the 3.5 foot hot tub depth? Thanks!

Oh and every pool builder here recommends UV sanitization?

 

[Jimrahbe]

Courtney,

Here is short robot video.. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjgpcubgqrhAhUE26wKHa-gA60QtwIwAnoECAYQAQ&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly7FcNT9cV8&usg=AOvVaw3VaqjqY3Qxz32zB7eDwrO4

Here is a good thread about robots.. Doheny's Discovery, S200, Active20, Triton owners club

Another one... Alternative sanitizers and "chemical free" pools--The Truth!

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[MyAZPool]

courtneyhi
Just my two cents....

If you incorporate every bit of the advice that you just received from mknauss, Jimrahbe, and tampatommy, regarding pool configuration and equipment, your beautiful pool will go from okay, to GREAT. And it will stay that way for the long term (especially if you incorporate the TFP methods of Pool Care).

In my honest opinion, some pool builders (not all), are more concerned about their wallets, then what is in the best interest of their customer's and their pool's (i,e, UV sanitizers, tablet chlorine dispensers instead of Salt Water Chlorine Generators, ball valves etc.)

Please take their sound advice (moderators and members above). I'm highly confident that you won't regret it.

And when it comes to your IntelliCenter (IMO, nice choice), please tag me when you get to that point, and I will be very happy to assist you in any way I can.

All the best,
r.

 

[courtneyhi]

You have a huge spa with even bigger overflows. Dont make the same mistake i did. I have an intelliflo, but spend the extra $200 and buy the Intelliflo XF. Produces about 55 more gallons per minute. Make sure your skimmer and main drains are plumbed to the pad the entire way with 2.5" piping.

Thanks! Do you have pics of your aqua blue? deciding between aqua blue mini and tropics blue mini stonescapes. Thanks!

 

[tampatommy]

Take a look at my build thread toward the end. I have water in it now but it isn’t balanced or clear yet so it still takes on a green hue

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Make sure they use plumbing unions on all the equipment so if ever you need to work on something they won't have to cut out PVC, just unscrew the unions.

Maddie