Pumps
In Arizona it is a law that the primary pool filtration pump is a variable speed pump. Because they make so much more sense to use, we at Desert Tropics have been installing them for years prior to the AZ mandate.
Variable speed pumps allow you to adjust the rotational speed of the pump and the resulting flow rate, enabling it to be “tuned” to the application, as compared to the older style pumps limitations of being either ON or OFF. There are also design efficiencies built into the newer variable speed pumps that give them the added advantage of using less power to operate, and to also run cooler, all of these things help to extend the life of the pump.
Filtration Equipment
There are 3 basic type of filters for pool systems. Sand, Cartridge, and DE. The major considerations when making this decision are, backwashing, filter particle size, and maintenance. In many situations, the cartridge filter is going to make the most sense, however there are times where either sand or D.E. is a better choice.
There are also other types of equipment that can be included that aid filtration by catching larger debris before it ever reaches the filter. This helps to extend the useful filtration life of filters, increasing the time between cleaning cycles.
Sanitizing Equipment
Sanitizing pool water is traditionally and reliably accomplished by using chlorine and maintaining a consistent chlorine level in the pool water. The chlorine level should be monitored on a regular basis to ensure that level is maintained. There are several ways to establish the chlorine level, the simplest method is by using a floater (blue & white) or using an erosion feeder where the chlorine tablets are placed in the flow of filtered water going back to pool, or some type of automatic chlorine feeder system. Each has its own set of pros’ and cons associated with it.
There are also chlorine generating systems, the most common being “Salt systems”. These systems generate chlorine from a pre-established level of common high purity salt dissolved into the pools water. With these systems you do not need to purchase chlorine, or continually add salt, but it does require periodic maintenance, again they have their own set of pros’ and con’s associated with their use.
There are also other systems that can be used to supplement the residual chlorine requirements, and in some cases minimize the required level of chlorine residual. These systems include Ozone, which injects ozone molecules into the filtration stream which will oxidize (burn up) impurities and contaminants in the flow of water. There are also UV (Ultraviolet) systems that use UV light to oxidize the impurities that flow thru the light chamber. Both Ozone and UV only operate when the filtration pump is running.
There is another type of sanitizing system that has been around for years in many forms, which erode copper and or silver from electrodes into the flow of filtered water. Again, each of these systems has its own set of pro’s and con’s.
At Desert Tropics, our nearly three decades of swimming pool experience has allowed us to examine the many available options and enabling us to determine what we have found to be best options for different pool situations, and we use only systems with proven track records that we are confident will work well together.
Pool Automation Systems
Swimming pool automation systems are not new, in fact they have been around in simpler forms since the 80’s. Today’s systems are able to not only control filter pump cycles, but select pool light colors, monitor chlorine generation and control chemical feeders, select the best heater source options, allow complete control from your smart phone, and a lot more depending on your pool/spa configuration.
Heating Options
There are several methods used for heating your pool and are selected by how you plan to heat it. If you are planning to heat your pool for weeks or months at a time, then you should be considering either using a heat pump, and/or solar panels, due to their energy efficiency. But if heating for only a couple of days at a time, then a gas heater is normally your best option, since it’s able to put much more heat into the water in a shorter period. Also using a thermal blanket to supplement any of the heating options will allow you to retain more of the heat and help keep your energy bill down.
