Hi all,
We are nearing the time we purchase our DIY pool kit. I have very much enjoyed learning all the ins and outs during the design process but I am in need of some clarity
around plumbing and filtering. On one hand, picking a skimmer seems like an insignificant choice but I would really like to minimize any headaches in the future and make this as painless of an experience as possible for my family. It seems like some of these little things don't matter in 5 years but added up can make a big difference in 20-30 years.
My understanding is that you want to design your filtration system with the ability to turnover the pool 2 times in 24 hours minimum for a residential setup and ideally 4 times in 24 hours (commercial minimum). You don't run the pump at 100% all the time but "over engineering" the plumbing allows you to leverage the capabilities of an expensive variable speed pump, add efficiency and reduce overall cost over the lifetime of the pool ownership.
Math:
20x40 rectangle 8' deep 3'10" shallow
35,000 gallons of water x 4 turns = 140,000 gallons/day = 5,900 gallons/hour = 98 gallons/minute
Pipe sizing table (APSP-7) for 98GPM+:
6fps flow on the suction side MAX = 3" pipe equivalent
8fps flow on the return side MAX = 2.5" pipe equivalent
Equivalent Pipe/Fitting table to get appropriate number of returns and suction runs:
3x 2" suction side home runs (2 home runs is shy of a 3" equivalent pipe)
4x 1.5" returns
Questions:
1. How's my math?
2. Should I purchase 3 Aqua Genies or 2 standard skimmers + floor drains? - I have read many discussions around floor drains vs no floor drains and other posts about the AGs and here is what I can deduce:
Floor drains pros: won't run pump dry if pool drops below skimmer level, eliminates cold water pocket in deep end, can easily sweep dirt into the drains, can drain pool without separate pump
Floor drains cons: another thing to install, another place prone to leak, hard to service, pool circulation can be designed to eliminate the need for floor drains, increased risk (very low risk) of something/someone getting caught, a bit more time to clean around/sweep around, robot vac may have issues with the domes, not as "clean" of a look on the floor
Aqua Genie pros: easier to plumb, circulates the water very efficiently, no holes in the floor
Aqua Genie cons: some older posts in TFP about problems winterizing (we are in Wisconsin) and the doors or seals cracking or the screws on the return screw holes stripping, but haven't really seen anything more recent; if the water level dips below skimmer you can burn out your pump
Thanks for sticking with me lol and appreciate any wisdom you have.
We are nearing the time we purchase our DIY pool kit. I have very much enjoyed learning all the ins and outs during the design process but I am in need of some clarity
around plumbing and filtering. On one hand, picking a skimmer seems like an insignificant choice but I would really like to minimize any headaches in the future and make this as painless of an experience as possible for my family. It seems like some of these little things don't matter in 5 years but added up can make a big difference in 20-30 years.My understanding is that you want to design your filtration system with the ability to turnover the pool 2 times in 24 hours minimum for a residential setup and ideally 4 times in 24 hours (commercial minimum). You don't run the pump at 100% all the time but "over engineering" the plumbing allows you to leverage the capabilities of an expensive variable speed pump, add efficiency and reduce overall cost over the lifetime of the pool ownership.
Math:
20x40 rectangle 8' deep 3'10" shallow
35,000 gallons of water x 4 turns = 140,000 gallons/day = 5,900 gallons/hour = 98 gallons/minute
Pipe sizing table (APSP-7) for 98GPM+:
6fps flow on the suction side MAX = 3" pipe equivalent
8fps flow on the return side MAX = 2.5" pipe equivalent
Equivalent Pipe/Fitting table to get appropriate number of returns and suction runs:
3x 2" suction side home runs (2 home runs is shy of a 3" equivalent pipe)
4x 1.5" returns
Questions:
1. How's my math?
2. Should I purchase 3 Aqua Genies or 2 standard skimmers + floor drains? - I have read many discussions around floor drains vs no floor drains and other posts about the AGs and here is what I can deduce:
Floor drains pros: won't run pump dry if pool drops below skimmer level, eliminates cold water pocket in deep end, can easily sweep dirt into the drains, can drain pool without separate pump
Floor drains cons: another thing to install, another place prone to leak, hard to service, pool circulation can be designed to eliminate the need for floor drains, increased risk (very low risk) of something/someone getting caught, a bit more time to clean around/sweep around, robot vac may have issues with the domes, not as "clean" of a look on the floor
Aqua Genie pros: easier to plumb, circulates the water very efficiently, no holes in the floor
Aqua Genie cons: some older posts in TFP about problems winterizing (we are in Wisconsin) and the doors or seals cracking or the screws on the return screw holes stripping, but haven't really seen anything more recent; if the water level dips below skimmer you can burn out your pump
Thanks for sticking with me lol
and appreciate any wisdom you have.