Fiberglass Swim Spa

[wanttoswim]

I just had my swim spa installed and thought I'd give a few pointers to those interested in this item. I bought this from Alaglass in SC because they are close to where I live. Everything was done on time. However, even though I thought I had researched everything, I was very surprised with what I received. This is a 2,000 gallon tub with a gas heater. I had not anticipated how big all the pumps, heater and other stuff were. The pool was installed beside the house, almost in the front yard, but a privacy fence is planned and it should have looked nice. But they installed all the equipment in the front yard! I thought it would go in the back under the deck, but they said it had to be higher than the pool for the Badu jets to work well. I don't know if that is true. They wanted the jets piped direct perpendicular to the pool. If I had known that, I could have had the pool turned around! Everything was included in the price except the gas hook-up. I didn't think that would cost much as we already have a line in the house close to the pool. Well, the bid is $450! I thought maybe $200. So I have the added cost of that plus about $300 or more of building an additional fence to hide the equipment. Then there is the yard cleanup. I don't know what that will cost as I haven't even begun to think of a landscaper to clean up the mess that was left by the tractor tires, even though they were rubber. By the way, the gas man said that I would probably have to pay $200 or more in winter months to heat these 2,000 gallons. I had been told by at least 3 different spa dealers that average cost of running a swim spa would be about $35 a month. When I called my salesman today he said the $35 doesn't include heat! What is a spa without heat!

In addition to this, the jets on the spa part only feel like a garden hose. They are not therapy at all. So some things are nice and some aren't. These are the unmentioned things you need to consider before you buy. I am still glad I got a swim spa, but I may have picked a different one if I had known all this stuff. I did go to see this but unfortunately, no dealers of any brands could give me names of clients who had bought and the factory model held water but they didn't have heater on or anything I could check out except to just visually see it.

I would insert a picture but I couldn't get it to paste in.

Hope this has been helpful to someone.

[telstar]

I just had my swim spa installed and thought I'd give a few pointers to those interested in this item. I bought this from Alaglass in SC because they are close to where I live. Everything was done on time. However, even though I thought I had researched everything, I was very surprised with what I received. This is a 2,000 gallon tub with a gas heater. I had not anticipated how big all the pumps, heater and other stuff were. The pool was installed beside the house, almost in the front yard, but a privacy fence is planned and it should have looked nice. But they installed all the equipment in the front yard! I thought it would go in the back under the deck, but they said it had to be higher than the pool for the Badu jets to work well. I don't know if that is true. They wanted the jets piped direct perpendicular to the pool. If I had known that, I could have had the pool turned around! Everything was included in the price except the gas hook-up. I didn't think that would cost much as we already have a line in the house close to the pool. Well, the bid is $450! I thought maybe $200. So I have the added cost of that plus about $300 or more of building an additional fence to hide the equipment. Then there is the yard cleanup. I don't know what that will cost as I haven't even begun to think of a landscaper to clean up the mess that was left by the tractor tires, even though they were rubber. By the way, the gas man said that I would probably have to pay $200 or more in winter months to heat these 2,000 gallons. I had been told by at least 3 different spa dealers that average cost of running a swim spa would be about $35 a month. When I called my salesman today he said the $35 doesn't include heat! What is a spa without heat!

In addition to this, the jets on the spa part only feel like a garden hose. They are not therapy at all. So some things are nice and some aren't. These are the unmentioned things you need to consider before you buy. I am still glad I got a swim spa, but I may have picked a different one if I had known all this stuff. I did go to see this but unfortunately, no dealers of any brands could give me names of clients who had bought and the factory model held water but they didn't have heater on or anything I could check out except to just visually see it.

I would insert a picture but I couldn't get it to paste in.

Hope this has been helpful to someone.

I understand your pool concerns, especially with regard to the gas heating system. I can understand why one might have chosen this type of heater, as it does have its advantages in that it will heat in just about any condition. Although an LP Gas heater is not the most cost effieciant way of heating a pool of that

nature.

Had anyone mentioned to you with regard to a swimming pool heat pump? Your posting mentions someone had given you a figure of about $35 a month on the cold months. I heat pools in Florida that are 3 to four times the gallonage that you had given me for about 35 to 45 dollars a month. I will admit, in areas where it snows or where the ambient temperature is around 30 degrees it will not work because it pulls heat from the surrounding air. I do not imagine South Carolina having cold spells lasting excessively long. It's just that it seems as though you had taken my advice in regard to purchasing that pool so I hope that you will take what I tell you for what its offering.

I do not know why they put the pool equipment where they did. Like I say you are there, you can see what they did and why. I wouldn't even venture a guess as to why someone does certain things. If the Badu jet that you have is the one I remember it alone has either a 3 hp or a 5 hp motor to work just it. It should push you across the pool if you let it. With regard to the other jets , It depends on pump sizing and how many jets are running on one pump.

I hope that I have been useful to you in my postings. I am not a ALaglass dealer, however, I am glad that you bought something that may provide years of enjoyment to you.

[swatts1]

I would like more infomation about this problem. I am purchasing a Rio Swim Spa. It holds just over 3,000 gallons of water. It will be installed 12.5' off the ground and the mechanics will be on a platform even with the bottom of the pool. The pool will be recessed into the main deck of our house. I don't see how the swim spa pump would be higher than the water level. Will I have a problem? I'm going to call the pool installer and the manufacterer first thing Monday morning to check.

[wanttoswim]

I understand your pool concerns, especially with regard to the gas heating system. I can understand why one might have chosen this type of heater, as it does have its advantages in that it will heat in just about any condition. Although an LP Gas heater is not the most cost effieciant way of heating a pool of that

nature.

Had anyone mentioned to you with regard to a swimming pool heat pump? Your posting mentions someone had given you a figure of about $35 a month on the cold months. I heat pools in Florida that are 3 to four times the gallonage that you had given me for about 35 to 45 dollars a month. I will admit, in areas where it snows or where the ambient temperature is around 30 degrees it will not work because it pulls heat from the surrounding air. I do not imagine South Carolina having cold spells lasting excessively long. It's just that it seems as though you had taken my advice in regard to purchasing that pool so I hope that you will take what I tell you for what its offering.

I do not know why they put the pool equipment where they did. Like I say you are there, you can see what they did and why. I wouldn't even venture a guess as to why someone does certain things. If the Badu jet that you have is the one I remember it alone has either a 3 hp or a 5 hp motor to work just it. It should push you across the pool if you let it. With regard to the other jets , It depends on pump sizing and how many jets are running on one pump.

I hope that I have been useful to you in my postings. I am not a ALaglass dealer, however, I am glad that you bought something that may provide years of enjoyment to you.

[wanttoswim]

I understand your pool concerns, especially with regard to the gas heating system. I can understand why one might have chosen this type of heater, as it does have its advantages in that it will heat in just about any condition. Although an LP Gas heater is not the most cost effieciant way of heating a pool of that

nature.

Had anyone mentioned to you with regard to a swimming pool heat pump? Your posting mentions someone had given you a figure of about $35 a month on the cold months. I heat pools in Florida that are 3 to four times the gallonage that you had given me for about 35 to 45 dollars a month. I will admit, in areas where it snows or where the ambient temperature is around 30 degrees it will not work because it pulls heat from the surrounding air. I do not imagine South Carolina having cold spells lasting excessively long. It's just that it seems as though you had taken my advice in regard to purchasing that pool so I hope that you will take what I tell you for what its offering.

I do not know why they put the pool equipment where they did. Like I say you are there, you can see what they did and why. I wouldn't even venture a guess as to why someone does certain things. If the Badu jet that you have is the one I remember it alone has either a 3 hp or a 5 hp motor to work just it. It should push you across the pool if you let it. With regard to the other jets , It depends on pump sizing and how many jets are running on one pump.

I hope that I have been useful to you in my postings. I am not a ALaglass dealer, however, I am glad that you bought something that may provide years of enjoyment to you.

The installer said that water weighs 8 pounds per gallon and that with my lot on a slope it would have to pump much harder to get the water up a 3 foot grade. Also, by the time I noticed what he was doing, he had already dug more hole for the pipes to go into the pool. Then he made a ledge at least a foot higher than the top of the pool and set 3 plastic pads on it and the equipment on the pads. Aside from that, I did not realize that I would have to "interact" with this equipment on a daily basis to turn stuff on and off, like the fiber optic light and check filters. It would have been awkward for me to get to this stuff all the time in the spot I had planned them. But if I had known ahead of time, i.e., salesman sitting down with me to discuss options here, we could have come up with a better place, if it is untrue that it wouldn't work very good to have the Badu pump go about 12 feet and make 2 turns. This may have been the only place to effectively place the equipment. My point is to others that they may be able to do a better job than I did in the planning of the pool placement.

The heater came with the pool. I don't know if this particular company even offered a heat pump. Pools that did offer one charged about $2000 extra for it. I used to heat my house with a heat pump and we were always cold, so we got a wood stove to supplement. Now we heat with gas and use the wood stove to save on the gas bill!

Thanks for your info. Hope my info is helpful to others to think it out better than I did.

[telstar]

I would like more infomation about this problem. I am purchasing a Rio Swim Spa. It holds just over 3,000 gallons of water. It will be installed 12.5' off the ground and the mechanics will be on a platform even with the bottom of the pool. The pool will be recessed into the main deck of our house. I don't see how the swim spa pump would be higher than the water level. Will I have a problem? I'm going to call the pool installer and the manufacterer first thing Monday morning to check.

Installing pool/spa equipment below grade will require shut off valves that can be turned in order to

allow servicability of equipment without the pool draining.

In florida where I am from it is very common to see a pool with solar panels for example

where the circulating pump is pushing a vertical column of water 10 to 12 feet straight up to the roof of a house to where the panels are located. A pumps ability to do such depends on the head pressure of the pump.

[auburn_girl]

This is a very interesting thread also because I am doing a DIY fiberglass swimspa with a Badu Swim jet II system in a 18" fiberglass CPC pool. CURRENTLY I was planning to place my 4hp pump about 30ft and 3 ft below grade with 4" butterfly valves on the pressure and suction lines as well as a 4" check-valve inline. But what has me concern is the description you had that it was not significant current from the jets and you are at grade and close to your pool. You are talking about the Badu Jets aren't you? Did you get the PB back to fix the Badu problem and what did they say was wrong? Also, how loud is this pump to you? Is it load and uncomfortable to be in the general area or not? Can you carry-on a normal conversation without raising your voice when it's on? Sorry for all the questions but there are not a lot of folks with your exsperence yet that I have come across. Thanks so much,