New Member/New Pool need advice on what Pool system i should choose

[ballyscanlon]

hi.

i am a new forum member. in the next month my pool contractor till be completing our 20x40 inground concrete pool with a pebbletec sheen finish.

i started this project wanting a salt water pool. having had discussions with the pool contractor recently, he is suggesting (not forcing me) to get a mineral ionizer system instead of a salt water system. the systems he would install/suggest are the following:

salt water: Autopilot by aquacal
mineral ionizer: Nature 2 and The frog (he indicated he'd install any ionizer system i wanted.

i plan to service the pool myself (if not initially, as soon as i get the hang of it). the contractor will show me what to do.

he's arguments for ionizer are the following:

the salt system is $2600, the ionizer $900 (per his quotes).

the ionizer is easier to run/maintain, is cheaper also to run.

any thoughts by anyone with experience would be greatly appreciated.

thank you

john

[Denniswiseman]

Teapot may join in as he has some good ideas about filtration and sanitation which at this stage is worth knowing
I don't have a saltwater pool but reading other posts i believe the consensus of opinion is to go for a SWCG
All the SWCG running costs are to get the pool up to about 3000ppm of salt (very cheap) I can't comment on the electricity use
With a SWCG get one that is twice the ouput stated for your pool so that it isn't runing 24/7 at 100%

[Teapot]

I would absolutely not fit an ioniser to a pool with a plaster/quarts/pebbletec finish.
Ionisers add copper, copper silver ions to the water. In a vinyl, polyester pool staining can occur if the pH is not tightly controlled, in a plaster/quartz/pebbletec pool the water pH maybe spot on but the very nature of that finish means the walls can have a potentially higher pH especially after brushing as part of normal cleaning. If the wall pH is anywhere near pH 8.2 or above the copper, copper silver can come out of solution and stain the walls.

This is not likely to happen immediately but after a couple of seasons, (think outside of the waranty) then you'll have a big expensive problem. Don't do it!

Looking after your pool is easy with just chlorine from direct addition or via a chlorinator if you learn the basics from us and buy a decent test kit. Just to be clear, BUY A DECENT TEST KIT.

Whilst you are on-line let us know what size pump and filter the pool builder is giving you.