Sorry I can't help you with the cement questions, I know less than nothing about that. I have an 18 x 36 IG vinyl pool, and I have a 1 hp, single speed pump with a sand filter. It does just fine. I also have no main drain--I have one skimmer about midway down one side, and two return jets, one at each end of the same side the skimmer is on, and the way my jets are turned makes "stuff" in the pool flow toward the skimmer. Works just fine.

I also have a Polaris 380 that we are very pleased with. Requires an extra booster pump to run, don't know about the price because it was added in with the package when we had the pool built.



Janet