Hi Poconos, thanks for the reply.

Like you, I come from the "bigger is better" school for most things, and when asked, our Pool Builder said that he used 2 1/2" pipe.

Now, if you've ever siphoned gas out of a car, you probably realized that "too big" is much worse than "not big enough" unless you can get enough suction........ (insert veiled double-entendre here....lol)

Is there a book on pool hydraulics or some way to get a little smarter on the subject without building a few hundred pools?

Since our pool project is slightly UPhill from the house, I'm pretty anxious to get it right the first time on drainage and plumbing issues.

Thanks again.