Disco Pool

[Vaex]

Hi from Discovery Bay, Ca!
I’m currently waiting for my pool permit to arrive so my program manager and
I can start with the walkthrough. My pool is a narrow 6’6”x33’. Our backyard is really narrow so I’m so glad that we can even fit a pool with spa in it. I have at least 27’ or about 5-7 freestyle strokes before I reach the other end. I just have to make sure I don’t kick the wall. I’m excited to pick waterline tiles tomorrow. Been benefitting from this forum a lot when it comes to preparing for all decision making processes. Here’s hoping our pool will be Trouble Free

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!

I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[Vaex]

Welcome to the forum!

I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

Thank you so much, mknauss! I have the O3 purchased. PB recommended this as compared to saltwater. After reading the ABCs, I realized I have to organize my week and put water testing as part of my routine. Is there like a weekly schedule that I can refer to? How does the O3 help with the chemistry part? Thank you so much!

 

[mknauss]

Sorry but the Ozone thing is just magic. It will consume some of your FC and will not reduce how much chlorine you will need to add. Adding liquid chlorine every day to the pool during swim season is possible, but many tire of it quickly. The SWCG will create the chlorine for you.

 

[mknauss]

Ozone Systems - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Vaex]

Sorry but the Ozone thing is just magic. It will consume some of your FC and will not reduce how much chlorine you will need to add. Adding liquid chlorine every day to the pool during swim season is possible, but many tire of it quickly. The SWCG will create the chlorine for you.

From the short responses I read, it looked like it did more harm than good. I hope I can still remove it from the purchase and use the $2k for something better. I will email my PB about it. It was not recommended until I asked about the SWG. It makes sense now that it wasn't part of the basic/preliminary discussion because we can make do without it. Big thank you again!

 

[Dirk]

+1 for ditching the ozone. It will not adequately protect you and your family from pathogens, which I can explain at length if you're interested. Go with a SWG system. What the PB is neglecting to tell you (other than ozone doesn't work) is that all pools end up as saltwater pools. Chlorine, pool acid and humans all leave behind salt as byproducts of what they do in a pool. That salt doesn't evaporate with the water, it accumulates. And unless you regularly exchange water, the salt builds up and you end up with a saltwater pool! So might as well add the salt up front, and the SWG, and enjoy the convenience!

Welcome to TFP and congrats on the new pool! Stick around and we can help you with your pool, before, during and after the build. We like to do that around here, and we love to see pics of the whole process. Your pic is too small too view well, so give it another shot and see if you can't upload a better version, because we'd all love to see it!

 

[Vaex]

Thank you so much! I emailed PB and requested to pull the Ozone system. I already signed a contract but haven’t done the walkthrough. Hopefully, nothing’s finalized yet. I just asked PB to change black bottom pool to deep blue and he had no issue with it. I re-attached he 3D plan for the pool. Hope it can be seen better.

 

[Dirk]

Pic is better, but could be bigger. Pool looks nice. The PB should be OK with the change, unless he's already ordered and received it. Maybe there will be a restocking fee? Either way, it's $2K down the drain if you let him install it... He'll probably charge you about the same for an SWG system, so he'll be making a nice chunk of change with either system.

 

[Dirk]

@ajw22, do you have any thoughts on the booster-less Polaris TR36 Pool Sweep?

 

[ajw22]

@ajw22, do you have any thoughts on the booster-less Polaris TR36 Pool Sweep?

Without a booster pump it is hit or miss if the main pump can supply enough power for effective cleaning. A booster pump removes all the variables of the equipment pad.

 

[Vaex]

Thanks Dirk and AJ. I’ll ask about the booster pump tomorrow since we’re scheduled for a waterline tile appointment.

 

[Vaex]

Without a booster pump it is hit or miss if the main pump can supply enough power for effective cleaning. A booster pump removes all the variables of the equipment pad.

I greatly appreciate your feedback. Here's the rest of the plan. Thank you in advance!

 

[Dirk]

Your model of vac does not use a booster pump, and I doubt you could add one for it. And you don't want a booster pump anyway. That system of pool cleaner (called "pressure-side") is old school and energy inefficient. I like my suction-side cleaner, which only requires the main filter pump, not a booster. And a lot of folks here like their robot cleaners, which don't use any pump at all (they plug in to a 120V outlet).

So there are likely better pool cleaning alternatives out there. As we're hinting, your PB's ideas about equipment might be, uh, less than state of the art. Do some research, and maybe start a thread about it here, to come up with the best cleaner solution for your pool and your tastes. There are lots of models and lots of pros and cons. But some of the models require plumbing that must be installed before the pool is finished, so the decision has to be made soonish.

 

[mknauss]

maybe start a thread about it here

I will move this thread to Under Construction. Keep everything here.

Thank you.

 

[Dirk]

Just saw your spec. Here are some random thoughts.

Some here will tell you 3.5' is too shallow for a lap pool.

Be sure your lights point away from the house, you won't like staring into them.

Consider two skimmers, one at each end, instead of the drains. Drains are also old-school and more and more pools are being built without them. They do little for circulation, and even though they are much safer than they used to be, drains can be an entrapment hazard. And they're ugly to boot. They really serve no purpose, and just add plumbing in the one place that is impossible to fix if it fails: under the pool.

Auto-fill is must have. Consider auto-leveler instead, which combines an auto-filler and overflow control in one unit, so you never have to think about maintaining your water level, rain or shine. I like my PoolMiser. I certainly appreciate it today, it's been raining for two days straight! Water level hasn't budged.

I don't know much about Jandy, I'm a Pentair guy. But Jandy is a fine brand. The mistake I made with my Pentair automation controller was trusting a pro to pick the model. It's the single biggest pool purchase mistake I made. I should have read the manual and understood what it could and couldn't do before I bought it. I recommend you do that. Ask the questions now. They are too expensive to get rid of and buy another later should you find out they don't have all the capability you need.

Everything else looks good to me, for what I know about it...

 

[Vaex]

WOW!!! So much I don’t know. Just like most stuff, I’m just ride and drive. You are all heaven sent. I definitely will ask for a skimmer.

Depth: 3.5’ seems to be there to accommodate children. I’ll ask if it’s too late to have it changed since they might have submitted the plan for a permit. In case it’s not possible, I’ll be done with it.

Auto-leveler I’ll ask about. I know they told me they don’t install auto drain. Is that the same as auto-leveler?

Jandy: thinking about it, a lot of the equipment are part of the package, I was never ask nor given options for them. It’s almost like going to a mechanic, if you don’t ask, they won’t tell and fix it.

Suction side vs Robot cleaner: another part of the package. Sounds like it’s getting expensive but I’m committed and thinking long-term plus less maintenance.

To be honest, first time I read the feedback, I got overwhelmed. But I want to do things right so again, greatly appreciated!

 

[Dirk]

Auto-leveler I’ll ask about. I know they told me they don’t install auto drain. Is that the same as auto-leveler?

No way to know what they mean by auto drain. Ask him to clarify. It sounds like the overflow control I described. I've heard that some PBs don't like to install auto-fill and overflow systems together. Who cares. It's your pool so get what you want. Both systems can be defeated later, independently, if there's a good reason not to use one or the other. But neither can be added later, they go under the deck and into the pool. So you have to decide now.

I've heard some PBs don't like the idea that a faulty auto-fill system combined with an overflow system could mean thousands of gallons of wasted water if the auto-filler gets stuck in the on mode. Since your pool would be auto draining, you might not notice what's happening for days or even weeks. Not until the water bill shows up. That is a remote possibility, but assumes you would be ignoring your pool for days or weeks at a time. The convenience of an auto-leveling system, to me, is worth the small risk. Frankly, if I had to fill my pool with a hose, I'd very likely forget the hose was on and find my pool overflowed the next day, or week. So what's the difference in wasted water? (I've left the hose on three times now, overnight, filling my stupid little fountain, so I know that's me!) I inspect my pool and its systems most every day, as you should. It takes a minute and is a nice thing to do in the morning, so it's not much of a chore. Just walk around the pool and glance at the equipment pad. I would notice from that a failed autofill system. But again, even if you later decide the risk is too great, you can just turn them off.

The alternative is dragging a hose to your pool, waiting for it to fill, and winding up the hose afterwards. As much as every day in the summer. Every day! Oh, don't forget about going out to the equipment pad to start the pump in the middle of the night, in the middle of a massive rain storm, to lower your pool's water level! We just had two straight days of wild rain where I live. The water level didn't budge. That works for me!

 

[kimkats]

I am SO in for this one!! The others have you well started on the equipment.

I am going to talk of the "auto drain". The only thing you need is a run of pipe with a grate over the hole in the pool. The grate/pipe will set way up the water line tile so the only way it will allow water out is from big rains. The pipe should be run to where your local government allows water to drain to. Mine is just ran to the grass beyond the pool.

Kim

 

[Vaex]

Hi Kim!
I’ll totally ask about that grate/pipe this afternoon.

So I look at the forums about drain vs skimmer and found out it’s a hot topic. I emailed my PB and asked for his opinion regarding the pros and cons of just drain, skimmer, and combination. The entrapment story about a kid losing 75% of his intestine was quite a shocker. Also the horror stories of owners having to drain for days. Made me realize that I’m glad I’m changing black bottom for a little less darker, going for deep blue instead. I think I wouldn’t see much of the dirt or algae foeming

I’ll be paying an amendment fee of $350 since the blueprint had been submitted already. It’s ok though, better that than years of waiting stuck with Ozone and others.

I’ll give more updates as we go through the process.

Thanks all!