WOW! Lovely. I cannot wait to see how everything turns out. Why did you decide on VF pump for the pool and VS for the spa? We are getting very similar equipment otherwise so I am just wondering.

Also, we upsized our piping to 3" per many recs on this board and some of our PBs.

Keep the pix coming! Kay

Looks nice! Where in Central Florida are you?

sdkath:

The VF is more expensive and actually has a max flow that is 30 GPM lower than that of the VS for some reason. With 18 jets this could have been a problem. As there is no filter on the spa and it runs for realtively short periods of time there was no need for the VF. Some folks questioned the use of the variable speed for a SPA but I want the adjustability.

As to my suction side piping, it is 3" from both skimmers and the canister on the pool and 4" on the spa.

Scrapula:

The building is in Chuluota, Florida, which is northeast of Orlando.

Days 1&2 layout
Days 3&4 the dig
Days 5&6 drains & steel

This pictures are from the middle of Day 6
Drains and floor plumbing is in. Steel is nearing completion. Tomorrow the spa gets plumbed, light niches will be placed and the skimmers will be placed.

Hi Chulaman,

You seem certainly capable of managing this rather extensive pool project. Congratulations on getting things underway. You probably have it designed better (and for less) than would be in a standard pool package. For instance, I was wondering about the number of drains you have in your pool and spa. Why 4? How did you decide on the number and how are they going to be plumbed? My proposal is for a 800 sq. foot pool has one MDX and one SDX with a third SRVS device. I am not sure what number of drains or type in the spa would be used? Same as the pool even though now only 50 square feet in order to meet proposed and current safety standards? Also, what is AquaPerl and could it be used in any DE filter as a replacement media? Why are you choosing to use this product instead of DE?

Don't forget to post your Midnight Blue water color pictures. This color is starting to be more popular on this site, but unfortunately I haven't seen it on a pool in person. Again, congratulations on a great pool plan and here's hoping the build goes smoothly.

Njfolks,

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I actually hired an engineer to design the hydraulic system of my pool, i.e., size the pipes, pumps, drains, and determine placement of skimmers, returns, drains, etc.

Regarding the pool drains. The Intelliflo VF is rated at "up to 130 GPM". One MDX drain is rated at 90 GPM, requiring two. Each of the required MDX drains requires a secondary drain to prevent suction entrapment. I did not want to put SDX drains in the pool wall, hence, my two secondary drains are MDX drains, bringing the grand total to 4. The four drains are all plumbed via 2.5" pipe to 3" WYEs to a paramount debris canister, which has two a 2.5" inlet and two 2" outlets. The 2" outlets are WYEd together to a 3" line back to the pump. I have a VAC-ALERT SVRS at the pump.

My pool also meets the new ANSI/APSP -7 anti-entrapment standards, which are not official yet in Florida. Under those rules I would not need the SVRS, but unfortunately I must meet current code at significant expense.

See: http://apsp.org/clientresources/documents/ANSI-APSP-7_Fact_Sheet.pdf

There are other discussions about AquaPerl on this site but see the link below.

I will post more pictures soon. I am taking a bit of a break from the pool...the plumber is off hunting and comes back Monday to hopefully finish the spa pre-plumb

Here is a link that might be useful: aquaperl

Here is the next batch of pictures from Day 7. Steel was finished up except for minor tweaks, the light niches and skimmers were put in place and the spa pre-plumb was started. All took a break until tomorrow.

For those that wish to see the whole job. See the album link below

Here is a link that might be useful: Chulaman's Pool Album

Hi Chulaman--

Keep us updated on your progress. Thanks for the link on Aquaperl. I had been hesitant to go with a DE filter, but this alternative media addresses the concerns I had and even appears to offer other advantages over regular DE media. This is something I probably might have overlooked and switched to a cartridge instead. Is there a micron rating for the Aquaperl and is it better than the rating for regular DE? If I go with all Jandy equipment they do not have an equivalent to the Pentair's Quad DE, so I will probably just go with the largest DE filter I guess. But, it looks like the Aqualperl may offer advantages with cleaning as well so that will help I hope. I am still looking into plumbing options for my build, so thanks again for all the details you have shared thus far.

Hi Chulaman
I love the clean look of your design! We have a vinyl rect 20X38 so I'm partial to straight lines! Your pool is HUGE!! Congrats!
joanneswimsct

Chulaman,

Looks real good so far... and big!! We're neighbors... we're in Geneva. Like joanneswimsct, we're fans of straight lines, and so we went rectangular too.

Looking forward to more pics.

-Gorilla

THE SPA PRE_PLUMB IS DONE!
I finally took pictures of progress from the day before Thanksgiving. The spa pre-plumb was finished. The upper loop has 10 jets: 4 seats with 1 each and two seats with 3 each, the lower loop has 8 jets, 2 seats with 2 calf and two foot jets each.

Fitting 18 jets with 2 water loops and two air loops in a 7' square spa using only sweeps, Wyes and 45s is a challange.

I finished up myself by putting in the spa side remote conduit and sunshelf returns myself to stay on schedule for inspections on Monday.

HERE IS THE SPA DESIGN:

AND A COUPLE VIEW OF THE PLUMBING:

There are lots of pressure test rigs for all the the pre-plumbing. 5 for the spa: spillway returns, drains, upper jet loop, lower jet loop & fountain line and 5 for the pool: pipes under sunshelf, bubblers, 2 skimmers, sunshelf returns and the drains.

Of course, better than the pool is the resultant mountain:

Hopefully gunite this week!

Here is a link that might be useful: My Pool Album

I finally have gunite. The first day the started setting up @ 7AM and did not leave until after 7PM. The second day the worked on the spa and sun-shelf. Tomorrow they tear the forms out. The plumber comes back Monday.

We also finally picked water line tile:

The spillway wall is 42" high by 7' wide and we think we need some kind of accent. We are considering this but would love some ideas:
{{!gwi}}

This is what we will accent the steps with:

{{!gwi}}

I didn't see what filter or pool and spa heaters/chiller you chose.

Since you're getting Intellitouch, are you getting Screen Logic too?

Do your local codes require the SRVS?

poolguynj:

The filter is a Pentair Quad DE-100

The heat pump is a Pentair Master Temp propane 400K BTU

I am not getting screen logic. I will use the Mobile Toucj and I have purchase the iLink that I may eventually tie into my Crestron system which has 3 small touchscreens in my house.

Local codes here do require SVRS until March 1, 2009, when they will not be required if you have dual main drains.

Well, it has been a long time since I posted progress. I had to fire the pool plumber and hire a new one, but the end is now in site and there has been lots if progress on other elements. Waterline tile and pool coping are done, the terrace and garden walls and fire pit and nearing completion and the weather is getting warmer.

If you ever wanted to know how much space you eat up when you use large pipes and valves & sweep fittings for efficiency look at these shots:

All I can say on that plumbing is WOW!

Im not even sure WOW expresses my thoughts.
Did your plumber think you were nuts when you told him your plan.
All and all its impressive.

I have never seen a spa made from block? Does Gunite go over this?
Is your plumbing being housed?

Devildog1989: Thanks

just-a-pb: I got what I expected from several plumber I considered, from "I never do it that way" to "Let me redesign your entire system with 4 inefficient single speed pumps and pipes that are too small"

ncrealestategut: The spa is gunite which is 11 3/8" @ the beam and 14 3/4" @ the dam wall. The spa rim 42" abovethe pool rim and about 8" above grade @ the upper deck. It will be surrounded in brick except for the tile at the spillway wall, making the exposed walls 16" thick and it will have an 18" double bullnose coping. The block you see is the retaining wall for the terrace level. I am not sure what you mean by "is the plumbing being housed"

Here is a picture during construction:

Not quite a compliment, just wow!

Devildog1989: Sorry to misconstrue your remark!

What size was the rebar? Looks like its #4 with a 12" On Center grid.

How many salt cells? If it's only one, I'd say it's just barely adequate if it a 40K cell. If it's larger, ever mind. I seem to remember AutoPilot's units can put out more chlorine than most other cells.

Does the VF take one of the loops i the spa? And the VS gets the other loop?

This question is based on the the above questions answers being YES. Does the AutoPilot cell reduce it's output in spa mode?

In the last picture, is the man shoveling out rebounded gunite? It looks very dry.

The previous picture showed 3 valves that look like splice valves but aren't what I am used to seeing. Who makes them?

Is the fire pit getting a gas line?

Is blue glue code? I like using clear glue when working above ground. I'm surprised the plumber didn't use rags to wipe off excess.

How much friction loss do you think you saved by using the sweep 90s?

Given the amount of space they take, would you use sweep 90s again?

Did you have a bypass installed for the heater? Your pump can push more water than it can handle. In spa mode,, I would expect the VF to be running at capacity give the number of jets you have.

Best Regards;

Scott

PoolguyNJ...Lots of questions. I will do my best. My answers are in blue

What size was the rebar? Looks like its #4 with a 12" On Center grid.

I honestly do not recall, but I had engineering and it met code.

How many salt cells? If it's only one, I'd say it's just barely adequate if it a 40K cell. If it's larger, ever mind. I seem to remember AutoPilot's units can put out more chlorine than most other cells.

I have a Pool Pilot Total Control System with a CC-15 commercial cell and an acid feed tank

Does the VF take one of the loops i the spa? And the VS gets the other loop?

No, the VS+SVRS does both spa loops

This question is based on the the above questions answers being YES. Does the AutoPilot cell reduce it's output in spa mode?

In the last picture, is the man shoveling out rebounded gunite? It looks very dry.

Its not rebound but the scrapings from leveling the seats & walls

The previous picture showed 3 valves that look like splice valves but aren't what I am used to seeing. Who makes them?

They are waterway valves (P/N 600-2370) that I am using to adjust the sunshelf bubblers

Is the fire pit getting a gas line? NO

Is blue glue code? I like using clear glue when working above ground. I'm surprised the plumber didn't use rags to wipe off excess.

The Inspectors did not seem to care what color glue was used. I asked, and yes clear glue and clear primer would also have been ok above ground.

How much friction loss do you think you saved by using the sweep 90s?

The best info I found suggested a 35% reduction in fitting head and a 10.4% reduction in system head, but the study used Long Sweep 90s that had much shorter radii than what I used, so who knows.

Given the amount of space they take, would you use sweep 90s again?

Well, there will never be an again for me (I hope), but the use of large pipes, large valves, and straight pipe between valves and fittings seemed to take more space than the actual sweeps. As I live on 6 acres, space was not that big of an issue

Did you have a bypass installed for the heater? Your pump can push more water than it can handle. YES, there is a 3-WAY Jandy Valve (in the picture above the heater) that I will adjust to handle bypass. The bypass flow and heater output combine @ a 3" Wye fitting before the jet control valves In spa mode,, I would expect the VF to be running at capacity give the number of jets you have. It is the VS+SVRS for the spa. The valves are set up so I could use either upper (10) or lower jets (8) or both, and Yes, I expect to fully crank the pump if using both, hence, the use of sweeps, etc to get the last bit of performance as the VS tops off at 160GPM with no head. I also do not intend to often have all of the jets full open

It was been a while since I posted but here are recent pictures. The Travertine pool deck and brick spa deck and walkways are done. The brick walls and fire pit are nearing completion and the pool electric is about 1/2 done.