New Build Frisco TX 1st Pool - Intro & Plan Pics

[boyzu]

Re: New Build Frisco TX 1st Pool - Intro & Plan Pics

Your pool returns and skimmers have to work together to circulate water and remove floating debris, and if you have a pool return at a bench or shelf, bonus points. Which way is north for you? If you stand and face north, natural flow will be counterclockwise.

Not sure where the returns will be, but there are going to be 5 according to the specs. You are facing almost directly north in the pic. PB advised the skimmers don't work well with a bench or shelf which made sense and we can't put one in the back raised wall so we really only had the two spots. My only concern is that there is little room to walk on left side near grotto to driveway, but I don't think the skimmer will impede that, right?

If you post pictures of everything here, you'll get lots of help!

Thank you Nursenini, I know I read so much before I posted one could spend days just reading here and I have so much to do! I'm now reading your thread and waiting in anticipation to see if you finally got the CU to clear up and close!

Just wish my wife was as interested and involved as you. Ironically, I wanted to wait another year but she wanted to do it this year and then seems uninterested to help. I feel anything worth doing should be done well and especially this big want to try to get it right first time. But, of course, reading here I expect issues and we'll deal with them.

- - - Updated - - -

Speaking of the advice I've read it seems bigger is better in terms of filter and SWG. Do you think we should get the IC 60 instead of 40?

 

[Helen203]

Re: New Build Frisco TX 1st Pool - Intro & Plan Pics

Not sure where the returns will be, but there are going to be 5 according to the specs. You are facing almost directly north in the pic. PB advised the skimmers don't work well with a bench or shelf which made sense and we can't put one in the back raised wall so we really only had the two spots. My only concern is that there is little room to walk on left side near grotto to driveway, but I don't think the skimmer will impede that, right?

In theory, your returns will augment the natural counterclockwise flow of water around the perimeter of your pool. The skimmer in the bottom right of the photo is set parallel to and slightly behind the perimeter flow, so its hard to see how it will efficiently collect debris.

 

[boyzu]

The skimmer in the bottom right of the photo is set parallel to and slightly behind the perimeter flow, so its hard to see how it will efficiently collect debris.

So you think we should ask to move it as follows?

 

[Helen203]

It makes sense to me -- maybe JoyfulNoise will chime in on this one...

 

[Casey]

I think, functionality aside, it would look better moved over. But that's just me n Helen atm.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

If it is easy to move over, that would work a little better but the fact is you have two (2) skimmers so I'm not all that worried about it as long as each skimmer is independently run to the equipment pad and not tied together in series.

Mark (mas985) is really the hydraulics expert but here's my take on it - circulation is not nearly as important as prevailing wind direction. Stuff on the surface of the water can easily be 2-3" away from the skimmer opening and float right past the skimmer without being sucked in. Skimmers do not generate a huge amount of water velocity at the surface and so only the stuff that close to the skimmer opening will drift in. Now, if the skimmer is facing the prevailing winds, then the stuff on the surface gets pushed towards the skimmer and there's a much greater likelihood of it ending up in the skimmer basket. So you really want to position your skimmers based on how the wind blows on your property.

Move it over if its not a big deal but, honestly, it will work where it is.

Good luck,

Matt

Disclaimer - All statements above are null & void if Mark says so.

 

[mas985]

With such a small pool, why do you have two skimmers? Keep in mind that with two skimmers you need twice the minimum flow rate to maintain good skimming which means more energy costs depending on the pump used. You can always turn one off but if one is downwind, that is the one that is going to collect the most debris anyway.

 

[boyzu]

Thank you, I don't know why there are two skimmers. I have come to realize that this size pool might only need one, but thought two might be better. In any case this is strictly the PB plan nothing we requested. We are going to keep it as dug and I will look to see that they are independently run.

 

[Ale_Brewer]

Nothing wrong with two skimmers. Yeah you may need a bigger pump/motor but your run times will be less, which will offset the increased energy demand. Personally I would want two.


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[boyzu]

So we have most of the steel today, they will finish on Monday, but there is a problem I should have found earlier.

They missed the bench that is supposed to be just off the spa on the back side. Anyone ever have to add dirt back and after the rebar before?
I texted PB but don't expect to hear back till Monday.

We really want that bench and it was the PB who initially suggested it and added to plan so I assume he will get it added back.

 

[Ale_Brewer]

Backfilling won't be a problem. The dirt is just the mold for the gunnite. The gunnite will be thick enough that it doesn't need the compacted dirt for support.


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[mas985]

Nothing wrong with two skimmers. Yeah you may need a bigger pump/motor but your run times will be less, which will offset the increased energy demand. Personally I would want two.

A two speed pump uses about 4x the energy on high vs low. It is close to 7x the energy use for a VS to double flow rate. So I really don't think it will be a wash.

 

[Ale_Brewer]

I forget about VS pumps since my setup is so old and I don't have one. I meant smaller vs. larger on a single speed.


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[mas985]

Even the smallest single speed pump will easily handle two skimmers so run time should not change with HP.

 

[boyzu]

Backfilling won't be a problem.

I don't think it will be either except that they hauled away the dirt for another job and will have to cut some steel I'm assuming. Glad to catch it now though.

 

[Ale_Brewer]

I was referencing someone else saying that by adding a second skimmer you might need a larger pump.


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[kimkats]

Backfilling won't be a problem. The dirt is just the mold for the gunnite. The gunnite will be thick enough that it doesn't need the compacted dirt for support.

It will not be a big deal. It was their mistake and they should fix it. They might try to say it is too late, too much work, will cost you extra but...............nope! Their mistake and they should fix it. Push for it and do not accept anything else.

Kim (hoping your PB is a stand up fella and there will be no issues with the bench)

 

[Casey]

If the bench is in the plans, they'll add it. Just make sure it's added before the gunnite truck shows up.

 

[bmoreswim]

They won't back-fill I don't think. What they may do is use sand bags stacked up to take up some space. Then the steel cage around that. The other option is to just have thick gunite. Sand is probably cheaper for them and what I'd expect they'd do.

 

[boyzu]

Thank you, I don't expect it will be a problem either. I can see him asking if we can live without, but then just saying OK when I say it's got to stay. I've been waiting for when something goes wrong, I don't think it's possible not to have problems. We were lucky that even though they were absolutely positive they would hit our gas line they didn't.

On another question, I searched the forum for opinions on bench heights in the spa and found an old thread from someone in Frisco too that suggested three heights is best. We are spec'd for two now, but I asked our PB about 3 and although he didn't really think we need 3 said he would if we really wanted.

So what do you think about varying seat heights for the spa?

I'm inclined for three progressively lower as you go into the spa to a max of about 22-23 inches. The PB noted that there are only 6 jets and so with 3 that's two per section, but not sure what that will be like. He's also worried about space for each section, but we have 26 ft perimeter minus maybe 8 ft fro spillway, that seems plenty space for three maybe 5-6' seat height sections.