Hello from Pflugerville, TX

[chedlin]

Hello. We are in the final stages of selecting our pool builder to start construction next month. We have the design settled with an 18' x 40' pool and a 50 sq ft hot tub.

I have a few questions. Are Ozonators and or UV worth the cost? I suspect no.

I'm tempted to get a modern robotic cleaner that can actually brush the pool, but the Polaris 280 keeps coming up. Because of the booster and installation, it costs more and seems to do less. Am I missing something? The builder says they will install the line regardless in case I ever change my mind.

We decided to forgo water features. Will we miss them? They are in budget, we just didn't think they would be appreciated.

What else should we consider as first time pool owners while we still have a chance to make any changes?

Thanks,
Charlie

 

[Texas Splash]

Hello fellow Texan neighbor!

Are Ozonators and or UV worth the cost? I suspect no.

You are correct - no. Not for outdoor pools anyways.

I'm tempted to get a modern robotic cleaner that can actually brush the pool, but the Polaris 280 keeps coming up.

There are many recent discussions about such cleaners on our forums. Just take a peek or search for a few and you'll see many great opinions.

We decided to forgo water features. Will we miss them?

Depends. Some are nice, but some can be a bit of work. Most water features increase pH (aeration) and/or can trap algae, so it depends on how they are used and installed. When in doubt, at least ask for a stub-out so you have pre-plumbed PVC to a location or two if you ever change you mind later. That's what we did.

What else should we consider as first time pool owners while we still have a chance to make any changes?

When you get your quote and list of products for the bid, post it here and we'll be glad to give you some input.

Nice to have you with us at TFP Charlie.

 

[JVTrain]

Welcome to TFP!

Do a search here on TFP for ozonator and UV and you'll find lots of discussion. The short answer is, they don't significantly reduce need for chlorine and don't provide other benefits to any outdoor pool. They can be helpful for indoor pools to help break down combined chlorines but the sun does a great job of that outdoors. Well that was kind of long... so the actual short answer is: No. If you're looking for more automated sanitation, a salt water chlorine generator is the way to go.

Robots have many advantages including not needing a secondary pump or not needing to run primary pump to clean the pool. They generally do a better job of cleaning as well. Get a good robot and you'll be happier. There are many good options in the $600 - 1000 price range.

Water features and other considerations come down to how you're going to use the pool. Do you need a slide for kids? Do you want artistic looking features such as a waterfall or deck jets to make your pool more visually appealing or to help cool the pool? Do you want some enhanced LED lighting for evening/night enjoyment? Do you need deck area for social gatherings? Are you going to swim laps and need length or be more of a lounging, irregular pool? Autocovers are very expensive but make managing temperature, closing and debris management quite a bit easier. Does your desired shape allow for the type of covering you might want to use, solar and/or winter? Will you benefit from solar heating or want to go with natural gas... or a heat pump... or not at all?

There are many questions that you can ask yourself but if you have other specific features you'd like to know about, fire away! Many folks on TFP love to help other people spend money (wisely) on their pools.

 

[woodyp]

The builder says they will install the line regardless in case I ever change my mind.

Is he gonna pay for it if you don't want it? It's YOUR pool!