Designing new Gunite Pool

[Jim's Pool]

Hello All
Moving to South Carolina and putting in a Gunite Pool with a water fall feature. My thoughts on equipment
Would like
1. 2" PVC pipes - as it turns the volume of water over more
2. VS Pump
3. Cartridge Filter - Ease of use
4. SWG Generator
5. Chlorinator - suggested by Pool Builder to supplement SWG during peak summer
6. Heater - for cooler months
7. Check Valves
8. Auto Fill - suggested by Pool Builder
9. Anode

Questions
1. Should plumbing be installed to bypass heater when months not needed? If so do you drain heater not to leave still water sitting in it?
2. Any real need for a flow meter?
3. What am I missing or comments?


Thank you

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Hey there- sounds like you know what you want there. My only suggestion is to drop the chlorinator off as the SWG properly sized should be all you need. We always suggest a salt water chlorinator to be sized 2x-3x the pool volume. This way you can run it on low and have it last longer. My first cell lasted almost 9 years.

IF for some reason you did need to augment the SWG you can either use liquid chlorine or get a small floater for puck use. The problem with pucks is they cointain stabilizer also and that builds up in a pool and is usually unwanted. Another advantage of just using a small cheap floater for occasional use is that the large chlorinator won't be clogging up space in your equipment pad.

Best bet is a true Variable speed pump (not a two speed) as Variable Speed pumps are dictated by law come July '21, so don't let your builder dump any old stock on you. A lot of folks with large VS run them on low around the clock as the power is so low then.

Heater bypasses are very good ideas.

Start a build thread in the "Under Construction" subforum and we'd love to watch along. Pics very much welcome. Where in SC are you moving to??

Maddie

 

[Jim's Pool]

Thanks for the feedback. I am moving to Margaritaville Hilton Head.

If you have a bypass on the heater, do you need to drain it when not using so the water isn't stagnant?

 

[jimmythegreek]

Nobody ever drains them, a tiny bit of stagnant water refreshes itself when it hits the chlorine. Easier to just keep flushing the bypass every once in a while