Desjoyaux Pools Quote - DIFFERENT PLUMBING SYSTEM - HELP!

[waste]

Michelle (my belle ) from what I've read, you were going with a 'more traditional' type pool; polymere or steel. Why the change? (last I read, you were wondering the differences between Kafka, Ft. Whyne, etc) As the link you posted isn't working, I'll withhold proffering my opinion, til you get a good link going. -

[larry2338]

Found their website, try this link http://www.desjoyauxusa.com/

[waste]

Larry, thanks for the link!
Michelle, I'm not going to slam something from a quick read of the specs, however - I can see problems arising from the 'all-in-one - under-the-deck' unit (accesibility comes to mind) (i'm also doubtful about the alleged benifits),. The same holds true for the 'concrete reinforced polymere walls' , unless they are installing footing tubes under them, I fear that they won't hold up to the pressure of thousands of gallons of water. The process sounds new - do you want to be a guinee pig for this type of experiment? Maybe I'm just conservative but, I would go with a more 'tried and true' pool. Again, just my $.02.

[michelle73]

Dear "Waste" (and all others)

Sorry about the link - I left off the / at the end of the URL. You are right - we are also looking at the Ft. Wayne Elite and Kafko pools (we also met with Pacific, Prestige and Regatta ) but in our thread, no one gave us any feedback that they had heard of these companies so we thought maybe we would see if you had all heard of this one. (If you have thoughts on the others, please let us know.)

Desjoyux seems to be very big overseas and from what we could tell in some of our reading, the main drain is not really neeed, it's the jets and the skimmer that do all the work - so this system seemed interesting.

The desjoyux pool walls will have sit on a ribbon of concrete and then have a 2.5' ribbon of concrete poured all the way around the walls that goes up 6"; same as the other installers have quoted. And this compnay uses rebar, wrie mesh, and fiber in all their concrete. They also back-fill with gravel. One company wants to backfill with dirt, because they say gravel holds water, can damage the piping, and pokes into the polymer walls. They pour a small amount of dirt, comact it with pressure and water, then fill more dirt, repeat comapcting, fill, repeat....then they lay the deck on top.

The desjoyux pool had a unique concept becuse there is no plumbing - and they say their pump (at low speed) pulls only 2.9 amps and has 120 GPM pull and at high speed pulls 180 GMP at only 7.8 amp draw. Doesn't a noral pump pull about 80 GPM?

Interesting concept....as for accessabitlity, the cover in the pool deck opens to the whole unit. To winterize your pool, you pull out the pump and store it in the garage or shed. That's it. And to clean the filter you pull the filter membranes out and spray with a hose (no backwashing ever) and you have to replace the membranes about every 3 to 5 years.

Thoughts?

[waterbear]

I just looked at the website and their filtration system reminds me of a hang on tank filter for an aquarium. (It more than reminds me of one....it looks almost like several I have seen and owned!) Any serious aquarist will tell you that these type of filters are not the most effecient in the world and I would think the same would apply to a pool. Even in a fish tank the most effecient filtration is achieved by a filter with a surface skimmer on one side and a return on the other side of the tank ( and also possibly a deep suction inlet in conjuction with the skimmer) Polyester filter bags will work very much like a cartridge filter(since they are made of the same material) and have exactly the same lifespan and cleaning procedure but since the surface area is much smaller they will most likely require much more frequent cleaning. My main concern would be about the circulation in the pool. These types of 'unitized' filters provide very poor circulation on aquariums and usually require either airstones or powerhead pumps in the tank to increase the circualtion of the water. I don't think you will be adding air bubblers or submersible pumps to your pool to increase the circulation so I would have concerns about this.

As far as main drains go....there are several companies that build conventional residential pools without main drains where zoning codes permit. There is a controvery as to whether they are needed or not and there is a definite safety concern with their use in residential pools. However, from everything I have read on the subject the jury is still out on whether eliminating them is a good idea or not.
Just my 2 cents.

[waste]

Michelle, I answered another of your posts before this one (yesterday), here's the link http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=5330, it covers some of the stuff also being discussed here.

[adesalvo]

Michelle,

I have this pool. It was installed in May 2001. The discussions about the wall strength/maindrain have not been a concern in my experience. I am in Ohio and have clay soil that does not drain well. I have a "footer" drain around the pool with a sump. This has been trouble free.

THe AFT unit is neat, quiet and mostly problem free. As I live in Ohio, I have plumbing to the heater. This year, I developed a leak in my pipe to the heater. If you do not need a heater, then you will never have to worry about a pipe leak.

My water quality is perfect. I have never had an algae bloom and my pool clears in two days after opening. The filter bags need changed daily during opening week and then weekly during the year. I just wash them in the washing machine, or you can hose them off. This is pool season number five and I have 3 pairs of bags and they have held up well and never replaced.

One potential problem with the pool is flooding of the AFT. If your installer has been putting in this pool for sometime, then they should be aware of this issue. Make sure that you have the proper drainage lines from the AFT. Further, I would inspect them very carefully during installation and note their location in case you need to snake them in the future. Also, put a small screen over the opening to the drain so that dirt, twirly birds and the like don't get a chance to clog the lines.

Closing the pool is a snap as no water is drained and just the pump and pipes are removed.

Make sure that they put a timer on your electrical suppy. You can cycle 6 hours off and on. Only run the pump on low. I only use high to vacuum, but I only do that in the spring. I use an Aquabot for the remainder of the year.

My pool is the Figi model and 25,000 gallons with a very very very high bathing load. I have three boys and all their friends...my pool is always clear...i just use my share of bleach

A big plus of the pool is that I can point the return line up, turn on high and shoot a very large fountain of water to lower my alkalinity using the technique that is well described on this site.

The only issue that I have is that this pool is owned by a French company that opened a plant is the states (georgia I think...you can google it) that was closed last year. As a result, some dealers are no longer installing the pool. Parts are not much of a concern, once you have the pool, the other stuff is small stuff and there still are some US suppliers for parts...the parts that would be needed are bags, the rings that hold the bags (my kids have broken) and pump. The pump bearings can be repacked by any pump repair shop.

When I look at traditional pools, main drain, 3 returns, two skimmers...that is a lot of pipe that can leak...read some of the threads on trying to find leaks and god forbid...repairing a main drain leak...you will never have to worry about that...

Tony

[michelle73]

Dear Tony,

Thank you SO MUCH for your response. Your concern about the company closing is ironic. According to Jo Cohen, our proposed builder and owner of JoCo Pools you are correct, the main vender closed shop - however he bought out the exclusive rights to the compnay for the U.S. and is the National Vender for this pool - if any other pool company wants to purchase and install a pool - they MUST go through him AND they must be TRAINED by him. He says he will also pull their franchise license if they do not meet his inspection and installation criteria. They guy lives in a town next to us, so he's "local" for us. So, we are comfortable in knowing that the person putting in our pool is kind of the "top guy".

We have references here in town that say they love their pool - but I have never heard of it and as a life-guard in my teenage years, I have never seen anything like it. We would very much like to hear why you chose them over a "traditional" pool company and any "tricks" you have for maintiaing the pool. Also, we have his bid - which seems exactly in line with all other companies.

No worries about your deck? The footings, etc.? Sounds like the one jet does the job of filtering the system? We would really like to speak more in depth if you are OK with that; this is a big purchase and we want to make sure we are doing the right thing.

Thanks again!