First Post

So, we wanted a pool.......We started at Wal-Mart.......

I'm into saltwater reefkeeping, so I know about water chemistry. I got to thinking, I wonder if some of the same tricks used in aquaria can be used on a swimming pool (i.e. baking soda to buffer pH), thus, I found poolsolutions.com and poolforum.com.

I'm starting to lean away from the wally world pools, and leaning towards a true above ground pool....

I've gotten a couple of quotes, but haven't gotten details yet. I'll post initial quotes and if you folks don't mind, tell me what you think....

1) 24' x 52" round Doughboy. 1 HP Pump, 16" Sand Filter (Not sure of the brand yet). Comes with ladder, "maintenance" kit, all hoses and fittings, etc. for $1999.

2) 24' x 52" Swim n' Play. Pretty much same kit, pretty much same price.

I'm waiting on detailed quotes for filtration details, but what do you think initially?

Hopefully, I can weasel my way into better pump/filter combinations (per reading on this site).

I saw that it was recommended to use the 1/2 HP Hayward pump with the 22" filter on pool solutions. Does this still hold true?

Learned the hard way in other hobbies to read before I waste money. :)

Probably, but you won't get those models. Ben wrote that years ago.

The trick is that the filter should have a greater capacity than the pump. Then you are OK.

Welcome to the Pool Forum!

While you're doing your research do give some thought to a 2-speed pump. Mine is a Pentair which I run on low for 6 hours during the night, controlled by a hardwired timer. I live in an area where the rates are cheaper by 45% during off hours. Six hours is apparently plenty of time to turn over my pool's volume. How do I know this? My water is clear and crisp and well balanced.

I only turn the pump on high when I vacuum or backwash/rinse.

I have a 19" Hayward sand filter, don't know how to convert that to pounds of sand. It is now in its 5th season with the same sand and is working as well as ever.

Best of luck with your research—sounds like you'll be swimming by mid-summer :)

Thanks.

I found the current models for those items when I was searching earlier today. Most of the numbers are the same, but a few have new versions.

I'll have to look into the multi-speed pumps as well.

The thing that is difficult in factoring pump flow rate vs. filter capacity is factoring in head loss incurred by the pump.

A pump may pump 60 gallons per minute with 0 head loss, but may only pump 20 gallons per minute at 20 feet of head loss. That's the part that confuses me when figuring if a filter has a higher capacity for flow than the pump. I guess to be on the safe side, get a filter than handles more flow than the pump produces at 0 head loss. Just seems like overkill and more expensive.

Thoughts? Is there a good way to calculate headloss to get a better idea?

I did it the dumb way: I got a 200 lb sand filter from Hayward, their smallest 2 speed pump (a 1hp Superpump), described the layout and Hayward said it was fine. And it has been.

I have a 24 ft AG and when I replaced my pump a couple of years ago, I switched from a 1 hp to a 1/2 hp and it has been just fine.