mudn...yes..ours is a PV3 system. There are 3 different heads that can be installed in each opening in the pool floor (small, medium and large). The only differnce in each head is the opening, all other dimensions of the head are identical. The small heads (small openings) are for steps and other more complicated features under water. These areas are engineered to have a higher concentration of heads to get the hard to clean nooks and cranny's present in these more complex features. The smaller heads have a lighter jet action and are also good for placement near the perimeter of the pool in shallow water to prevent splashing when the head is blasting right at the perimeter of the pool. The larger heads (larger holes) are for cleaning larger areas and allow more water to exit and creates a stronger jet. These are typically found in the deeper ends of the pool where there are large flat surfaces to clean. The medium heads are for heads near the perimeter of the pool in deeper water and for areas of the pool that may have more curvature and slopes. Paramount will get a design of your pool from your PB. They will then engineer the floor cleaning system by specifying location and size of each head in each zone. There's typically 6 zones in their design and this is determined by the 6 port valve that comes with the Paramount system. More zones are possible by placing more than one multi-port valve in the system. This is usually for larger pools and most pools only have one multi-port valve and it will be 6 zones. Paramount will look at the shape of the pool floor and shapes of the perimeter as well as depths, steps, beaches, tanning ledges and determine the proper location for each head in each zone. They will also specify the size of head for each location. This is all on one print and I would ask you PB for this print once it is complete. After the rough plumbing is complete, I verified each head location with a tape measure and had their locations changed accordingly on a few heads. After gunite, I then inspected each head location and looked at how it would be projecting it's jet to see if it would reach the places it was intended knowing what size each head was to be in the end. This was an important inspection because we had a step added near our beach during gunite that was not on the original plan. We also added a grotto bench in front of our waterfall which was not on the original plan. Both of these additions required a change to the specified head locations and sizes. The modified plan was sent to Paramount and they recommended new head locations based on the new features that were added. This involved chiseling out channels in two areas of the gunite and adding a few more head to reach these new places. Morale of the story, if you make any changes during gunite, which I understand is pretty common, make sure Paramount has an opportunity to review the changes and make the necessary updates to their engineered system. This will require a litte extra work with chiseling and such, but the end result will be a floor system that performs as it was designed. Finally, during start-up, the start-up person will be the one who installs the heads into each opening by swimming to each opening in the pool floor. Make sure you have the blue print with you at this time. This is when the right head size gets placed into the proper location. My start-up guy said he has been doing it so long he can tell which size goes in each hole just by looking at it. He was surprised by some of the sizes that were called out on the print when I was telling him which size went in each hole. After all that, adjust the pressure being delivered to the cleaning zones to about 18-22 psi recommended by Paramount(some zones will be different than others because of different size holes in each of the heads of that zone). There is a gage at the top of the multi-port valve to tell what the pressure is. I had a bypass valve installed upstream of the multi-port valve to allow the pressure to be adjusted for optimum performance and efficiency. The MDX drain will be plumbed in parallel with the skimmer and SDX drain. You will be able to balance the flow between skimmer and drains by closing or opening the port in the skimmer. Closing the skimmer port will cause more suction at the drains and less flow at the skimmer. After a few weeks you will find a sweet spot allowing the skimmer to do its job as well as the main drain suction to be adequate to suck in debris that is passing near it. I run our system at high speed (18-22 psi at the multi-port valve) for 2 hours per day to ensure each head has made a complete revolution with proper jet action to do its cleaning job. This also provides good skimming action. The rest of the day is spent at low speed cycling the heads and delivering clean, chlorinated and sometimes heated pool water to the floor of the pool. Well that was a long explanation..maybe too long...but wanted to share my experience with installation and setup of the Paramount PV3 system for those who may be considering one. We've been happy with it's performance and haven't had any problems or maintence items for 4 swim seasons now. It just does it job without being seen. The appearance of the pool is always clean without unsightly hoses and cleaners in the pool. Everyone always comments "How do you keep your pool so clean" Hope this helps!

Hi - I have a SWG and have a stacked flagstone weeping wall, as well as a stacked flagstone spa spillover and neither have shown any signs of erosion, corrosion, or pitting despite water running continuously over these things 6 hours each day. I've had the pool since August of 2006. I have done quite a bit of research on this topic, and much of what's out there is very anecdotal, even the stories written about in the link that kurtv provided. However, given my research and personal experience with these things, this is what I know: - many people forget that chlorine is just as much a corrosive as salt is! In fact, what makes salt (NaCl from High School Chemistry) corrosive is the Cl (Chlorine) part of the molecule. - many SWG owners are under the impression that having a SWG means no longer having to watch their water. I hear so many SWG owners say that their pool is so great and worry-free that all they have to do is dump a bag of salt in once or twice a season! If you don't watch your water, it could turn into a really corrosive agent! - another thing to watch out for - stabilizer (CYA or cyanuric acid) levels. Stabilizer is required in outdoor chlorine (yes, salt pools ARE chlorine pools as well) pools because it helps reduce the breakdown of chlorine via the sun's UV rays. But more importantly, one side-effect of not having enough stabilizer is that it magnifies the corrosive effects of chlorine! For example, with little or no stabilizer, chlorine at normal levels (4-5 ppm) actually becomes a 30x STRONGER disinfectant AND oxidizer! Now guess where the corrosion comes from? Having said all this, my conclusion? Enjoy your SWG, but PLEASE watch your water! Having a SWG doesn't mean you don't have to watch your water, but in fact the opposite. I test my Cl and pH levels every 2 days, and test TA, CH, and CYA levels weekly. I know people who take their water to Leslie's for testing only every month or so!

I am not expert what-so-ever(just finished the gunite phase of our build) so take this with a grain of salt. If it were up to me, I would dump the EasyTouch ICP and use that money to upgrade to the IntelliBrite light. You already have the EasyTouch Wireless Controller listed, I don't know why you would need both. I would also add a booster pump so you can run water features with the spa going. Not sure about the skimmers, seems like you would want two but I am not an expert.

The equipment is similar to ours too! I like the design, especially the beach entry off to the side there. I do have a few suggestions.... 1) The lights should be put so that they face away from the house completely. I would move them all down to the bottom of the picture. Even the spa light should be down below. We stayed with a friend whose light was off to the side like yours and I was annoyed all night at the thing shining in my face, even though it was not directly pointed at the house. 2) I would keep the spa round. I am not sure why you made the little "nipple" entry but I think for simplicity of the plan, keep it round. 3) Consider making the spa spillway to the pool the whole side instead of just a small part. Right now, it looks like only part of it will be the spillway. Ask them to use a larger part of the curve of the spa for the water to flow over. Then it can be seen from more parts of the yard too. Good luck! I can't wait to start. Maybe we will build them around the same time. We are signing contracts this week or next! Then off to the HOA and the city for permits. Hope to break ground in late Oct. Katherine