Hardware requirements - +/-20,000 gallon pool

[Chris_N]

Hello all,

We're planning on building a pool in our home and I've had experience owning a pool, just not spec'ing in hardware.

Our pool plan is as follows:
About 20,000 gallons with spa with six jets
Looking at one, maybe two water features. This would be a sheer descent rain pattern.
Pentair 40K BTU heater
Pentair Cartridge Filter
Pentair Automation wifi

How many pumps would I need? I would like this to function like our old pool/spa. When we would swim, we could run the jets for the kids to play in the spa and the water features as well. The spa had it's own pump for the jets.

Our current builder says one pump is enough. How many should we have to optimize the filtration and keep the features going strong?

Thank you in advance.
Chris

 

[HermanTX]

I always like to have the water feature with its own pump and flow loop. This provides better control and not dependent if pool pump is running or not. It also allows a circulation path if for some reason your main pool pump fails and you need to wait a day or so to replace it. At least you can circulate water without having to use a sump pump thrown into the pool.
If you want to run the spa separately while the pool is circulating then you will most likely need a separate pump for that. Maybe others will have alternative ideas. If you use just 1 pump then either the pool circulates or the spa jets.

 

[guinness]

When you say Pentair Automation wifi, are you referring to IntelliConnect or IntelliCenter? I assume the latter if you have a spa.

 

[Chris_N]

Yes, I mean intellicenter. I didn't look up the specific part name, I just knew it was wifi capable. I come from a house that had the Compool.

 

[guinness]

For the main filtration pump get the Intelliflo which can be used for both pool & spa - just run spa mode (pump switches to high RPM) when the kids want to play in spa. A lot of people also have an air blower to create additional bubbles in the spa.