New Pool/Spa Build in Northern Virginia

[HermanTX]

This is genuine curiosity but how long would be enough for the spa to stay properly filtered? That just seems like you would have stagnant water the majority of the time in the spa. Could you not pull water from both the pool and spa equally and return it to both with one system?

It may require 30 mins 2x or 3x per day. A spa is usually less then 1000 gals so it mixes quickly. Times may vary if it is winter or summer (algae can grow quicker in warm water). Once you have it up and running and you are doing your own testing, you will be able to fine tune your requirement to mix the spa.

Since we are discussing a disconnected spa from the pool, it would be very difficult to set the suction and return to be equal to both bodies. You risk draining one and overflowing the other if you get it wrong. Plus you would over chlorinate your Spa. IMHO it is too risky. So just set up the automation system to switch to Spa Mode several times a day for 30 mins each time. Do your testing and then adjust your timing for switching to Spa Mode. Maybe this example will help explain why you have to monitor each body of water independently

For example - using a SWCG with a 1.25 lb of Chlorine output over 24 hrs and achieve 3ppm of FC (this is the amount of chlorine that must be replaced per day to account for loss by UV, bather load, etc.)
for a 14000 gal pool you would set the SWCG at 50% and run the pump for 13.5 hrs.
For a 1000 gal spa you would set the SWCG at 50% and run the pump for 1 hr.

So this example indicates that you only need to run your SPA mode for 1 hr a day to get the proper chlorination. Remember, this is an example and we would need specific data for your 2 bodies of water to guide how to set up your Pool Mode and Spa Mode. Additionally this will change if your replace FC is higher or lower. I used 3ppm as the estimated replacement FC needed.

It may be required to run in Spa Mode longer to provide filteration of the water as the discussion above focused on the chlorination which is more critical. Using a net to manually clear the spa of leaves, debris may be best.

 

[HermanTX]

Thanks for the great advice! I will ensure the PB puts the SWG (Intellicenter i5ps w/ SWG) before the 3-way valve, hopefully they already know and are planning to do this but I'll keep them honest.

Ask your PB for the Plumbing layout for the pool, the spa and the equipment pad. Force the point if they make excuses. They should have a plan to hand to the plumber. This way you can see what the layout will be and how everything is plumbed as a system.

 

[Jaffles]

That jumping rock sounds fun! I would've loved it when I was younger .

Let me ask, my PB has mentioned a min of 8' is required for diving but see that you guys have been doing it just fine with 6.5'? Is the 8' just an overly cautious type of 'better on the safe side' recommendation? Were you guys doing head first dives are just jumping off the rock? I was going back and forth with bumping the deep end to 8' as the PB mentioned that they wouldn't charge for that but to this point have just kept it at the 7' original recommendation without too much consideration as we didn't go with a diving board or anything like that to this point. However I am now thinking about potentially adding a rock, etc. but want to make sure they are safe in doing so.

Thanks

The rock is on the side of the pool with a beach adjacent it. So no head first diving, just bomb dives and back flips, that type of jumping. The pool is 19.6ft wide where the rock is. You may also need a seat - ledge near by so the kids can climb out of the pool near by. Opposed to them scull dragging themselves out, or having go to the shallow end, or running half way around the pool to have another jump. The rock on the side also does not interfere with a pool blankets operation.

As an observation, my pool is 29.5ft long, 4ft deep at the shallow end which about 12ft in length before it starts sloping for around 8ft down to the 6.5ft deep end for another 10ft. If I dive off my decking at the shallow end, which is .5ft above water's surface, I find I have a natural projectory about 1ft above the pools floor which I follow to the end of the pool easily.

I think if I were planing on diving (not jumping) off a rock I'd be looking at 8' deep. This would also means however the rock would be at the end of the pool, so that 8ft deep section may have to extend for 20' out before sloping to the shallow. Pending dive style of course. That's one heck of a deep end that may not get used for much else, keeping in mind most pool use is usually in the shallow to mid depths.

If you put a rock on the side, for me I'd be happy with the original 7ft. 8ft if perhaps best safety for safeties sake, but its also more water, energy, and chemicals.

 

[sarahgelatinano]

Holy moly, this is beautiful!

I'm in MoCo and I'm curious how you got those designs from companies without paying?

2019 Pre-covid we had 3 companies come out and none of them would even put anything in paper until we paid them a 1g "design fee", all quotes were just verbal " meh your looking at blank amount". I thought things would have changed for the worst since covid!

What FG companies did you look into? That's what I think we are ultimately interested in.

 

[nabeel76]

Holy moly, this is beautiful!

I'm in MoCo and I'm curious how you got those designs from companies without paying?

2019 Pre-covid we had 3 companies come out and none of them would even put anything in paper until we paid them a 1g "design fee", all quotes were just verbal " meh your looking at blank amount". I thought things would have changed for the worst since covid!

What FG companies did you look into? That's what I think we are ultimately interested in.

We had quite a few PB's come out and look at what we were doing. The majority didn't give us more than a verbal "what are you looking for, how about this, or that" type of design guidance and then pretty much used the verbally agreed upon size and details to give an estimate of what it would cost and a couple that wanted to get paid for any type of design. I'll direct message you the specifics.

 

[lbrody]

We had quite a few PB's come out and look at what we were doing. The majority didn't give us more than a verbal "what are you looking for, how about this, or that" type of design guidance and then pretty much used the verbally agreed upon size and details to give an estimate of what it would cost and a couple that wanted to get paid for any type of design. I'll direct message you the specifics.

I can't figure out how to PM you on this forum. Maybe I'm too new of a member, but I would really appreciate messaging you for details. I'm also in FFX, VA and in the process for a build. Are you able to PM me? Thank you