Pump/Filter Sizing Mytery

[kingbud]

hmmm... well first, thanks for weighing in. (They don't offer a Smiley icon with a furrowed brow, do they?)

Yeah, I think 48 should be plenty with the properly sized pump. I hadn't thought about cartridge filters, I will check into that. I have had tunnel vision about DE since that is what I had in my old place, and it did such a good job... I have since learned that my old system was oversized for the pool, I guess that had a lot to do with it. I'm gonna investigate sand as well, since I've learned in this forum that you can enhance with DE.

I never thought about converting a jet to a suction, I think that is a great idea! Thanks! I think the one diagonally across from the skimmer would give the best circulation.

On the subject of vinyl... you gave me a lot of food for thought regarding fit that I hadn't recognized. I had realized how much work would be involved to tapcon or otherwise anchor some kind of rail or hanger for the liner - scaffolding or some kind of bosun chair would definitely be necessary - but there are other problems. Even though the pool is rectangular, there are steps to contend with; there is also about a 8 - 10" shelf that runs all around the pool at the elevation of the shallow end, or 42"+/- below the deck. It is kind of a cool detail, but now I don't know how you could put in a liner that would accomodate that, unless the liner terminated where the bottom starts its slope toward the deep end, leaving the shallow end un-lined... maybe that would work. Another consideration is that the walls have a slight taper going down, maybe 3 or 4 inches in the deep end.

Of course if I did manage to deal with all these issues, then in my scheme to "shrink" the pool by partially filling the deep end I would have to figure out a way to extend the main drain up to the new floor, assuming I could get it opened up and working (one advantage of my day gig is I have free access to master plumbers... )

sigh... I guess I'll just have to deal with the water bill and go ahead and fix the cracks in the concrete - I think I can do that myself. I would grind them out to a uniform width and then -- caulk or grout them back. Would you mind giving your opinion on which method would be better?

Hey man, thanks a lot for your time!


PS: What I meant by "shelf" was that I have vertical side wall 42" tall, then the pool wall cuts in 10 - 12", and then it drops, slightly tapered, to the bottom. So the measurement at the top would be 20' across, and then 42" down, it would measure a little over 18' across. Incidentally the top side walls appear to be some kind of plastic or fiberglass panel with caulked (leaking) seams, and lovely blue patterned glazed tiles topping it off, with a central 4" main tile and 2" border tiles top and bottom. It's really pretty, although it's missing one section and it looks like somebody with a tooth knocked out... I don't know how the top side panels mount or tie in on their bottom edge.... yet