Our First Pool

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Chris
Our neighbor and good friend is a GC and has already done alot of remodeling/updating for us. The PB is an old family friend of his. We trust our neighbor and he is picky about who he works with.

Neto
The steps were actually my request as I love the look. The spacing of the steps will be built according to local codes.
I had to have my floating steps!!

RoyR
The 3d program defaults negative edge to that steep slope. I asked the PB to make it as straight as he could while maintaining proper overflow operation. I think it will only have a slight slope. The water features will be on a separate pump. I dont know how often we would run those. Maybe only when we are using the pool or entertaining outside? Never owned a pool before so I cant really answer my own question. Someone else mentioned PH and recommended the intelliPH. I know that having many folks in the house drives my reef aquarium ph down so maybe similar effect (but instead of increased co2 from breathing - increased o2 from the aeration.

We recently remodeled and went with a bit more modern look. We thought this would match well with the look. The large tile wall with sheer was to break up the plain fence line in the yard. We dont have much view.
Maybe I can post current view of back yard.
 
No problem, as long as you know what you are getting into - I like working on my pool, so I don't mind the extra work / time it takes to keep it looking good.....that said, you don't want this, see picture attached....

Few things to consider:

1. Need to be able to control the flow to each water feature (plumbing will get complicated - use the Pentair automation to control on/off valves where possible).
2. Keep the water balanced, order the TF100 when you get close to fill - need to know the chemistry of the fill water, and take a meter reading before, so you know how much water is in your pool.
3. Waterproofing of the SPA wall - inside / outside is very important.
4. Infinity edge tiles on the top should go over the wall edge (use epoxy grout).
5. All the places not able to be reached by the robot will have to be vacuumed / brushed by you - make sure you can reach it.
6. …..this is making me tired already! :)
 

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Is that calcium buildup? I wonder if that material lends itself to more accumulation because of the porosity. Maybe this is why the spa overflow has to have a negative edge? To keep them wet? The back sheer wall wont run as often as the spa overflowing (daily) i will have to keep up on that more often I am thinking.

VERY GOOD POINT on the meter!!! Would be good to know actual amount. Im going to lookup the TF100. I already had the posts Kim sent regarding pool plaster finish up and skimming through them. Thanks
 
kimkats said:
You did an AWESOME job making it up! The photo bomb doggy is the icing on the cake!! LOL

Please tell my you have somewhere for all of the pretty, green grass to go live a new life!!!

Kim:kim:
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Kim thats an optical illusion
Its actually 83% weeds.

We cannot build on the back 7.5ft but will plant some landscaping back there to coincide with the design. The extreme sides will still have grass.
 
How popularor rather said reliable are the intelliflow pumps?
Looks like the design uses 2 of these.
One for circulation with ability to divert and isolate the spa.
The second one for water features.
 
Got our plans yesterday and permit process has begun. Just need to tweak a few things on the plans but looks like we are moving forward.

I think we will opt for 2 intelliflo vsf pumps.
He was going to install a smaller variable speed pump for circulation and spa and a fixed speed for water features. I told the PB that with 12 jets in the spa we wanted good flow though them all. Can always run it at slower speeds to economize the electrical draw. For the water feature I thought having identical pumps may come in handy if one day our main pump fails, I can move the 2nd pump over and pool continues to stay clean while we resolve the problem.

I dont know maybe I am overthinking this.

Automation will be Intellicenter and I noticed pentair has a newer style valve with led indicators. Are these an improvement?
My PB is more familiar with the older one touch (or something like that) and older valves.

Looks like pentair led bubblers (forgot name), pentair led deck laminar jets, and not sure about the 8ft sheer.

We are starting to look at finish options, colors, and tiles. We will match the new deck with existing shell stone tile on concrete. He had some samples from Florida Stucco (reserve finish or pearl) and some samples from SGM (diamond brilliance and river rok) I dont know anyone around me with a pebbletec (or similar) pool. Couldnt even find much info for pebbletec in Miami locations.
 

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after reading through other build threads I have questions I will ask the PB. He has planned to use 2 intelliflo vsf pumps (one for circulation and spa jets - the other for water features) but only one of these runs through the filter (and I am guessing heater). Does the water running to the water features need its own filter? or is the strainer basket sufficient to keep debris out of the bubblers/sheer/laminar jets. AND will running the pump that feeds the spa jets through the heat pump reduce performance?
We really wanted to be able to run the water features while using the spa - and also not rob heated water when heating the spa.
A third pump would probably be the best option but another large expense on top of the 2 pumps we already have planned.
 
Kim, two filter cartridges? Could get a little large and unsightly on the side of the house? Are inline filters/strainers available?
 
12 jets in the spa is too much for one pump, unless you are going to run that pump at 3400rpm (lots of power) - I'd split the spa jet plumbing in two - run 1/2 (x6) on the circulation pump, and get another pump for the other 1/2 (x6).

Then I'd install a third, smaller (depends on the flow requirements) variable speed for the water features (they don't have to go through the filter). You won't be running the water features all the time (pH rise), and this will give you a much better functioning system.

PS. Most of the time, it will only be you two in the SPA - there is no need to run all 12 jets at that time - decide carefully which jets you want to pair, consider where / what view you want to look at...
 
RoyR said:
12 jets in the spa is too much for one pump, unless you are going to run that pump at 3400rpm (lots of power) - I'd split the spa jet plumbing in two - run 1/2 (x6) on the circulation pump, and get another pump for the other 1/2 (x6).

Then I'd install a third, smaller (depends on the flow requirements) variable speed for the water features (they don't have to go through the filter). You won't be running the water features all the time (pH rise), and this will give you a much better functioning system.

PS. Most of the time, it will only be you two in the SPA - there is no need to run all 12 jets at that time - decide carefully which jets you want to pair, consider where / what view you want to look at...
Click to expand...

Roy isnt the new pentair intellifloxf vs pump powerful enough to run those jets when in spa mode? I had asked for 2 of the same pump (same VS pump for water features) firstly because I could adjust speed depending on what features were running (i was reading through intellicenter manual that I could set groups of features and set pump speeds) and second in case my main pump failed, I could switch the feature pump over and my pool wouldnt turn green while I waited to repair/replace damaged pump. Was trying to avoid running a 3rd pump. PB says he runs a bypass for jets to not run them through heater and I guess he just runs the normal (floor) returns through the heater. I do want to be able to just heat the spa in the winter and yet still run water features if we want to without losing heated water to them. I dont know much about pool plumbing so I figure the more I educate myself the better I can verify whats being done is as efficient as possible.
 
I have the exact same setup - my "SPA Jets", second pump, just circulates 1/2 of the 12 jets in the SPA (does not go through the heater). The circulation pump is used for the pool, and the SPA (+ heater) other 6 jets. When in SPA mode, the pool does not get circulated. Switching those two loops, will require more plumbing / valves. Yes, you may get away with running the XF pump, in a single SPA configuration, but I assume it will be high RPM. I run my SPA pump at 2400 RPM and have plenty of power in the jets.

The tool 4" lines on the left is for my waterfall....this was before the pump was installed....don't have a new picture here.
 

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Thats what I was figuring, just run high rpm when using the spa which would only be for short periods of time. If he could run the lines for spa bypassing the heater maybe I can have him throw 2 runs to reduce pressure loss and just run the spa floor returns through the heater ( or maybe both pool/spa regular returns and still be able to isolate with auto valve ).
If I add another pump, the side of my house is going to look like a water park control room!! And my OCD brain will want to see another intellifloXF which will cost another pretty penny. Oh soo many decisions!

I am also looking at pool lights. PB likes to use several smaller lights like the globrite or now the newer microbrite. I need to look into what will look best.

Thanks for your input
 
Roy without a VS pump what controls how much flow runs to the feature when not running them all together? Say for instance we wish to just run bubblers without sheer and deck jets? I thought that was the plus of the VS pump.
And that it serves as a spare pump if/when main pump fails.
 

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