Follow my owner build pool in AZ

[Dogwell]

Hi All. Pool is dug. Now onto plumbing. For anyone that is reading this as they contemplate doing an owner build pool, I will share tips as I go.

Lessons learned after excavation:

Know your pool elevation! Confirm that at least one member of the crew sent speaks English. Confirm whether taxes will be charged. Have rebar company check the dig before you approve completion. Mine offered to do this and I was lucky because he pointed out a few issues that needed correction.

 

[pjt]

How many microbrite lights should I have in the pool?

I would recommend 7. Make sure the shelf is illuminated. My pool is 48' long with 5 MicroBrites, and one more light would have been better. Make sure all the lights face away from the house/main seating area.

I would also recommend relocating the shelf so you'd have a swim lane along the entire long axis of the pool.

Go with 4' for the shallow ends of your pool. I have a 4'-5'-4' profile and it works great. 3.5' or 3' is very shallow.

 

[Dogwell]

I would recommend 7. Make sure the shelf is illuminated. My pool is 48' long with 5 MicroBrites, and one more light would have been better. Make sure all the lights face away from the house/main seating area.

I would also recommend relocating the shelf so you'd have a swim lane along the entire long axis of the pool.

Go with 4' for the shallow ends of your pool. I have a 4'-5'-4' profile and it works great. 3.5' or 3' is very shallow.

Thank you very much!

We have a lot of younger kids in the family so the thought was the 3' depth would allow them to hang out for a few more years. I agree for an adult it's not ideal. This has been the biggest thing we keep going back and forth on.

 

[generessler]

We have a lot of younger kids in the family so the thought was the 3' depth would allow them to hang out for a few more years. I agree for an adult it's not ideal. This has been the biggest thing we keep going back and forth on.

Ours goes from 3' 4" at the round end to 5' opposite. This works out great for the grandchildren. I swim laps all the time with no issues, though I guess kick turns - which I can't do - would be a problem.

 

[Dogwell]

Ours goes from 3' 4" at the round end to 5' opposite. This works out great for the grandchildren. I swim laps all the time with no issues, though I guess kick turns - which I can't do - would be a problem.
View attachment 561146
View attachment 561143

Thank you for the feedback!

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Here’s a picture of a 40’ pool with 5 lights.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Your drawing shows the bubblers on the second step, how much water will be above them?

 

[Schwimmbad]

30’x15’ pool (half of yours) with 4 intellibrites and 1 of the 4 is on the Baja ledge (which is 15’ by 8’).

Thanks for the opportunity to shamelessly show off another pic of my pool!

 

[Dogwell]

Here’s a picture of a 40’ pool with 5 lights.View attachment 561302

Thank you! What causes the light to be brighter in the middle area under your waterfall wall?

 

[Dogwell]

Your drawing shows the bubblers on the second step, how much water will be above them?

I am not sure. I actually am looking for advice on the baja shelf depths. I had just heard from people here in AZ that baja shelf on first step depth leads to a lot of bird poop as they all flock towards it for a bird bath.

 

[Dogwell]

30’x15’ pool (half of yours) with 4 intellibrites and 1 of the 4 is on the Baja ledge (which is 15’ by 8’).

Thanks for the opportunity to shamelessly show off another pic of my pool!

View attachment 561324

Thanks for sharing your pic! I see you are also in AZ. Can you please share (feel free ro pm) the cost of the fire bowls? Do you find yourself lighting them often? What height do you have them at vs the waterfall wall? Do you recommend the waterfall wall? I read so many threads where people said they are too noisy / too crusty / lead to high ph and initially removed them from my plan. Can you please also share your baja depth?

 

[Dogwell]

Hello! Does anyone know what kind of edge this is?

 

[bradgray]

Large format tile. Looks to be around .5" thick.

Difficult to tell what type. Could be textured porcelain.

 

[Schwimmbad]

Fire bowls were stupid expensive, mine were $2k each about 6 months ago (I got a deal on sale, at the time list price was just under $3k), I just checked on the same ones and I almost choked, the same ones are now almost $5k each, gas line adds another big cost (depending on your run could add approximately $4k. At todays prices I couldn’t do it for about $15k, that is just insane.

I’m sitting out tonight and just turned the fire bowls and waterfall on. So far we have the fire bowls going a few times a month, sometimes more often. This was even before the pool was filled. They just add some very nice ambience, especially with the waterfall. It has a very resort-ish feel. I just created and posted a 2 minute video on my YouTube channel if you want to hear the waterfall at various pump speeds. We usually have the pump running at 800 or 1,000 rpm’s.

We just filled the pool almost a month ago so not sure how often we will have the features running. Still very new to us and very . Pool is drinking large amounts of acid daily right now given new plaster and bicarbonate startup with high TA, so not sure how much the waterfall contributes to pH. If you think you’ll use it, I would do it. It really is now or never.

Feature wall is 15’ long and 18” high, columns are 30”x30”x24” high, fire bowls are 24” square and they sit about 10” high.

Baja water depth is just over 10” at max autoleveler height. Our design called for 12” at nominal height, but somehow I missed the depth was off, probably at excavation. Not a biggie. If you are ever out in the west valley and want to drop by feel free to pm me.

 

[Dogwell]

Fire bowls were stupid expensive, mine were $2k each about 6 months ago (I got a deal on sale, at the time list price was just under $3k), I just checked on the same ones and I almost choked, the same ones are now almost $5k each, gas line adds another big cost (depending on your run could add approximately $4k. At todays prices I couldn’t do it for about $15k, that is just insane.

I’m sitting out tonight and just turned the fire bowls and waterfall on. So far we have the fire bowls going a few times a month, sometimes more often. This was even before the pool was filled. They just add some very nice ambience, especially with the waterfall. It has a very resort-ish feel. I just created and posted a 2 minute video on my YouTube channel if you want to hear the waterfall at various pump speeds. We usually have the pump running at 800 or 1,000 rpm’s.

We just filled the pool almost a month ago so not sure how often we will have the features running. Still very new to us and very . Pool is drinking large amounts of acid daily right now given new plaster and bicarbonate startup with high TA, so not sure how much the waterfall contributes to pH. If you think you’ll use it, I would do it. It really is now or never.

Feature wall is 15’ long and 18” high, columns are 30”x30”x24” high, fire bowls are 24” square and they sit about 10” high.

Baja water depth is just over 10” at max autoleveler height. Our design called for 12” at nominal height, but somehow I missed the depth was off, probably at excavation. Not a biggie. If you are ever out in the west valley and want to drop by feel free to pm me.

Wow! Those are pricey!! They look awesome though! I haven't inquired yet about the linear fire features I have in my drawing, but I saw some basic linear fire stubs (not sure offficial name) online and figured they might be cheaper to add in than buying separate bowls.

Thank you so much for the video. Definitely helped me see they are not something I'd consider too noisy. Can you please share what brand / style you got? Are these sheer descents or waterfalls?

Is your baja shelf considered first step?

 

[Dogwell]

Hello,

Can you please share the baja shelf depth you have in your pool and whether you are happy with it or regret it? We are mostly swimmers / standers so not entirely sure how much use we will get out of the baja, but it seems to be very much in demand in our area so are getting it added for a nominal cost (in the scheme of things). Just need help deciding the depth. Please see attached sketch. We plan to have some sort of free-form shape in the rectangular pool.

Has anyone done two depths of baja in their pool?

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Thank you! What causes the light to be brighter in the middle area under your waterfall wall?

The depth of the water, the lights are all at the same elevation and in a level line.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

I am not sure. I actually am looking for advice on the baja shelf depths. I had just heard from people here in AZ that baja shelf on first step depth leads to a lot of bird poop as they all flock towards it for a bird bath.

That is something to consider, you must first think of what purpose your shelf is being designed for.

 

[Schwimmbad]

Wow! Those are pricey!! They look awesome though! I haven't inquired yet about the linear fire features I have in my drawing, but I saw some basic linear fire stubs (not sure offficial name) online and figured they might be cheaper to add in than buying separate bowls.

Thank you so much for the video. Definitely helped me see they are not something I'd consider too noisy. Can you please share what brand / style you got? Are these sheer descents or waterfalls?

Is your baja shelf considered first step?

Here are my scuppers. This online site was great to work with. I wanted hammered copper scuppers to match the fire bowls but they weren’t listed. They customized them for me with hammer copper sides and top and smooth copper for the bottom.

There is a four foot long step at each end of the Baja. The steps into the pool are off the Baja.

 

[Dogwell]

The depth of the water, the lights are all at the same elevation and in a level line.

Please excuse my ignorance. Is the brighter section deeper or more shallow?