Looking to buy our first pool.. Wondering about pricing and options..

[tbird2340]

Did a chat with someone on a pool site..

ME: Regarding pumps / filters.. I read that the typical pool places will try and "throw in" a free pump upgrade to say 2hp or what not.. I read that a 24' pool shouldn't have more than a 1 hp pump and that a bigger pump is actually counter productive as it pushes water through the filter too fast.
THEM: Depends on the filter media
ME: Sand i'm going with.
THEM: Sand works better with a fast flow, cartridge and de does not

So is he full of bologna?

[PoolDoc]

He's full of something, but I doubt that it's bologna. Well, I suppose you could call it 'used bologna'.


Excess flow pushes dirt THROUGH sand filters, and washes the sand out of the filter during backwash. Excess flow, and the accompanying high pressure, can break the frames inside DE filters, and damages the cartridge itself in cartridge filters.

Yeah, he's definitely full of it, but 'it' is not anything nearly so nice as bologna.

[tbird2340]

Hahahahha.. One thing to note when helping me choose filter/pump.. I may be adding a heater to the pool down the line.. (few years or so).. Not sure if that will impact the pump choice.

Thanks!

[tbird2340]

One more question.. Went to another pool place today.. We've been looking at pools with the 8" resin ledge.. This place was trying to tell me that resin ledges are bad because they discolor, crack, and even warp (he showed me a picture of a customer's pool where ever piece of ledge was warped).. This kind of freaked me out..

Anyone have any thoughts on that?

Thanks

[pedsrn]

Well, I just made a huge DIY mistake (installed the liner crooked) and as much as I'd like to blame it on the liner being too big, I have no doubt we just installed it crooked...next time, I will pay someone to do it!

ON the pump....

I have a 24x52. The first pump was a 3/4 hp off-brand that was packaged with the pool. I had solar panels and swg inline and it never seemed strong enough. I got about three years out of it before it started screaming at me. When I replaced it last spring, I went with a Hayward 1.5hp and LOVE it. I've not had to replace the sand (haven't changed it in three years actually) and love the return pressure I now get. I've not had the issues ya'll speak of with the larger pump (although I do defer to your greater knowledge). I am not a big back-washer though...only bw after vacuuming, unless I am fighting a bloom. When I do backwash, I usually do it 30-45 sec and I'm done. It's worked very well for me. What I really like is I don't have to run it nearly as long to circulate my chemicals.

Be very careful on your liner with pool package as a lot of them come with thin liners. On the warranty: Do most pool stores cover as a package? Because, when we bought ours, everything was warranted through each manufacturer...separately. And reading the fine print in those, I found them to be pretty worthless.

Bought a liner from linerworld last week...25 year warranty. Reading the warranty, I laughed. Once water is added to pool, seams are no longer warrantied. If seams leak after water added, they blame leaks on faulty installation (thank God our faulty installation didn't cause that!). So, what does their warranty REALLY cover? Nada.

[tbird2340]

I'm leaning towards you with the warranty.. Pretty much all have the "fine print" to get them out of anything and everything..

So here's where I'm at.. I think I would prefer to buy everything seperate, that way I can get all the exact equipment I want, and then pay an installer to do it.. Problem is, I can't find one single pool installer.. All our local pool places you have to buy the pool through them..

So, if I have to do that.. I've narrowed it down to these two:

The Great Escape (More of a national type store):
Quest 24' x 54"
Specs:
Specifications
Massive 8" wide injection-molded resin top ledges, resist bad weather, chlorinated water and constant wear
Decorative 8" Krystal Kote steel uprights and resin foot collars give the Quest strength, support and style
54" high wall finished with Duratex anticorrosion paint protects against humidity and chemicals
Durable resin caps and boots give the Quest strength, support and style
Heavy-duty tracks, over-sized connectors and over-sized fasteners add strength to a pool that will last for summers to come
Oval Yardmore space saving system saves much needed yard space and looks more attractive
20 Gauge blue liner included with pool price with the option to upgrade to a 25 gauge blue or printed liner
Widemouth Thru-wall skimmer and water return fitting included
Wall Color/Design: Champagne/Panorama
Warranty: Manufacturer's 60-year limited warranty
Made in the USA
- See more at: http://www.thepoolfactory.com/quest-...specifications
Pump / FilterHayward 110 SwimPro (Cartridge) with Hayward 2.0HP Pump
Liner - 25 Gauge liner
Extras - Solar Cover, Zodiac Knoticki 2 Pool Cleaner, Maintenance Kit, hoses, yada yada..

Total Price - $3,850 Installed

BY Pools (Local Pool Place)
Distinction 24' x 52"
Specs here: http://www.apollo-pools.com/PDF/pool-distinction_lx.pdf
Pump / FilterHayward S180T 18" Sand Filter and a Hayward 1.0 HP Pump
Liner - 20 Gauge liner
Extras - Solar Cover, Maintenance Kit, hoses, yada yada..

Total Price - $4,050 Installed

So the differences in the above.. The first pool has the resin ledges, the second has steel. The first pool is 54" the second is 52".. The first pool has an automatic pool cleaner, the second does not.. The first has a 25 gauge and the second does not..

So all that to say.. The second is more and seems like I shouldn't go with them for the differences noted above.. Problem is, they are local and I would like to buy off them then more of a "walmart" type store.. Are the differences above that big of a deal??

Any ideas on what to look up other then swimming pool installers in the phone book? I can't believe I can't find one single company!

Thanks

[PoolDoc]

Bought a liner from linerworld last week...25 year warranty. Reading the warranty, I laughed. Once water is added to pool, seams are no longer warrantied. If seams leak after water added, they blame leaks on faulty installation (thank God our faulty installation didn't cause that!). So, what does their warranty REALLY cover? Nada.

Unfortunately, my experience has been that this sort of thing is VERY common. In generally, the longer the warranty, the more likely it it to be bogus.

I should note that, at least in my area, AG pools are considered a service market only for losers (as in, pool guy losers). 'Successful' AG pool guys are builders with an 'in, out, paid, and gone forever' approach. I don't know about other areas of the country, since I don't have many pool guys on this forum, and anyhow, it's not something that they would discuss in front of customers.

But the brutal truth is -- it's HARD to make money doing AG pool service. I won't get into the reasons, but they are quite real.

[tbird2340]

So now another place is in the mix.. I like the pool better.. http://www.shoplitehouse.com/store/p...tridge-Filter/

However, their packages are a 1hp pump and a 100lb sand filter.. And I actually think the package he quoted me was a 50lb sand filter..

Are those big enough for a 24' x 54"?