I've been using this forum for 2 years to care for an existing pool. I really only know about my own equipment and chemistry. My husband is building a pool in his investment property. It will not be for our own enjoyment. We have tenants check in weekly from June through September. The pool will be serviced by the builder's service company twice/week. I haven't been involved in this project until now. My husband has gone along with what the pool builder suggests based upon what the norm is down here. I went along yesterday to choose plaster, tile, coping, and the stone veneer around the spa. This was my first contact with the builder. The deck around the pool will be concrete. The coping was supposed to be pavers, but we upgraded to silver travertine. We chose blue stone for the seating/coping around the spa. The glass tiles for the water line were very pretty, but I thought I read something negative on here about them. We picked large square tiles, "npt, coral, Georgonian Teal". We couldn't resist upgrading from white plaster, which was in the contract, to WetEdge Prism Matrix. We were leaning toward Kaleidoscope, but the builder mentioned the way the green pops, and with the way tenants complain about anything and everything, he discouraged us. We don't need extra service calls because a tenant checks in and says, "I think there might be algae in the pool. It looks a little green." We went with Blue Lagoon, but I'm worried it may be a little dark. We felt very rushed, and didn't know the options before we got there. We didn't have time to research any of the decisions we made, and if we are going to change anything, I think we have to do it immediately. He seems somewhat flexible though. I asked about a SWCG. He didn't feel it was worth the money, and said we wouldn't be able to use it during the first 30 days. Is this because it can't be used with new plaster? It was an option though. So it's not too late to choose one. He was worried we thought salt water pools don't have chlorine. We're a little too knowledgeable to think that. The only filter allowed in our community is a cartridge filter. Water is not allowed to be pumped out of the pool. I have a sand filter at home, to which I add diatomaceous earth. So that's all I am familiar with. Then came the chlorine question. They use trichlor and cal hypo. I asked what happens when the CYA gets too high. (The pool at my residence had CYA of 200, and CH of 500 when I moved in. I tried patiently waiting for rain, backwashing, and splash-out to fix it, then did a partial drain and refill.) He said they "don't add CYA. It can completely clog up the filter". I mentioned that CYA is in trichlor, and he said only a very small amount. I already know what happens when you chlorinate with trichlor. And if they use cal hypo, what happens when the calcium gets too high? What equipment would you choose to chlorinate a pool that has to be professionally serviced, and has to be as low-maintenance as possible? Would you choose an SWCG, or is there some sort of a system that will dispense liquid chlorine? Would most pool services be willing to use liquid chlorine if you requested it? Or would I need to shop for a pool service that would be willing to do it that way? Is there anything we picked that we might want to immediately reconsider? Here is the initial proposal. The crew that "blew" the pool left an hour ago. At this point, I can probably change the surface materials and the equipment, but I would have to do it immediately.
- Construction of a 400 square foot pool, with custom steps and benches, and or a sunshelf with umbrella sleeve
- Excavation and removal of soil, clean stone base, 3/8” rebar shell, 12” on center as per code
- The pool will have a minimum of 4 returns, and 2 main drains (tee’d together asper code), and 1 skimmer, all plumbing to be schedule 40 P.V.C.
- The pool will get a multicolor light
- Pentair filtration system including, Pentair Master Temp 400,000 BTU heater,
420 Sq. ft. cartridge filter, and a Superflo variable speed pump - Coping (bull nose pavers) and 6” of frost proof tile installation, including tile trim on steps and benches
- Electric connections , and gas line from meter to equipment
- White pool plaster
- 300 square feet of lightly broomed concrete
- OPTION 1: Raised spa with cultured stone veneer, 8 jets,bench seat all the way around, easy touch control panel with remote