Just purchased an old house and have to resurface the pool and replace all equipment. No need for a heater in Texas. My pool is 14,000 gallons, 6 feet at the deepest, no spa or waterfalls (yet, on the waterfall).

As I upgraded everything in my house to make it energy-efficient, thus reduce my electric bills (reduced by $100 a month so far, TYJ!), I am considering the Jandy Versa Plumb system which is supposed to improve the hydraulic system's efficiency. Am I choosing the right equipment?

- 1 HP stealth pump single speed

- 1 NeverLube 3-way 2-inch valve

- 1 Sweep elbow

- 1 DEV-48 Filter (DE 48sf)

- I plan to use a green product called "ZeoFiber Cellulose" instead of DE powder. Will this eliminate the use of a separation tank? City requirement in Arlington if you use DE powder!

- 1 DEV 2-in-1 NeverLube Backwash Valve

- Nature2 Express to reduce the use of chemicals

As for the resurfacing, I am choosing Stonescapes mini-pebbles Tropics Blue. This color so that my pool won't look too light or too dark. Mini-pebbles because I am 60 yrs old and don't want to have to deal with re-surfacing when I get older and can't afford it. Stonescapes because that's what my great Dallas pool resurfacing company offers and because it should reduce my need for chemicals and the use of my equipment, as algae doesn't stick as much as with a plaster finish.

Any comments on any of these choices? Have you used the Stonescapes mini-pebbles in Tropics blue? Do you like it (not too light, not too dark?) There are older blogs about this resurfacing material but I wonder how it's holding up after a year or more. Do you own the Jandy equipment? Have you had it for a while? Do you like it?

Finally, we live in Arlington, TX. My husband has been using a trick my brother from Switzerland has taught him to reduce his use of chemicals. And boy, has it worked!!! You take a thin tubbing of copper. You coil it in the form of the shell of a snail. You place it inside your skimmers and place a couple of 3" tablet under it and that's it. My question, though is this: is it adding too much copper in the water? The pool water has been crystal clear for 2 years and we are turning the pump for only 3-4 hrs a day, that's it! Although it works great, I wonder if it accelerated the "downfall" of my old plaster?!

Thank you for any and all of your suggestions/comments/ opinions.