Maybe I was generous. At 10 FPS, inch and a half pipe will do between 60 and 65 GPM. Todays recommended maximum FPS is 10 on the return and 8 on the suction. These numbers are based on safety and friction loss.You can push higher volumes of water through but your friction loss will increase very quickly. A 1.5 HP Super Pump will exceed these velocities. If I was generous, the reduced flow numbers would dictate an even longer run time for his pump, increase his power consumption, shorten his motor life, etc... only adds to the benefit of having the high efficiency motor of an Intelliflo with it's ability to be dialed down to both reduce power consumption and reduce friction loss by running slower.

My husband is a licensed real estate inspector in Texas, and I'm a licensed realtor. My husband chooses to not do pool inspections though. When I'm showing a buyer and we find a house that we're interested in, I always make sure to ask the listing agent when the pool built, and how old the pool equipment is. I want to know if it's still covered under any sort of transferrable warranty. I also ask if the pool has been replastered. Texas is a disclosure state, so I'll also ask if there have been any issues with the pool, such as leaks, etc. I've learned the hard way to ask to see an existing survey, showing the pool positioned on the lot. I've run into title issues when the pool decking has been inside of either utility easements, or builder easements. I always make sure that my buyers order a new survey when there are pools, since old surveys can be used here. I'd look at safety issues as well, such as fencing. Does it meet code for the area that you're looking in?

mike- If you want to go the simple 2 speed approach to save money, I would recommend at least the 1.5HP 2 speed which will be 1/4 HP at low speed and will provide adequate turns on your pool daily for filtration and chlorination. The 1.0HP at low speed is 1/5 HP and will require much longer run times to circulate your pool. With the right valving, the 1.5HP at high speed will be enough for your spa and cleaner. Also, I have seen 1 story solar panels work fine with 2 speed pumps at low speed. I think mas985 was referring to 2 story solar panels and with these elevations, the vacuum levels can reach the design limit of the panels, but even then, there have been folks on this forum that have successfully used 2 speed pumps on low speed for 2 story panels. Like mas985 says, the vacuum breaker has to be positioned at lower elevations and you should consult your solar panel maker for exceptions to their normal application guidelines. Variable speed will also do the job, but as you said, it is more money to begin with and the payoff will depend largely on your local utility rate. If my utility rate was $.30/KWH, I would have chosen a variable speed pump, but at $.07/KWH, the payoff would be over 10 years. All the above assumes no problems with the 2 speed or variable speed over its life. If the variable speed fails, you are likely looking an expensive total pump replacement. From recent posts on this forum, it seems that at least one variable speed manufacturer will not provide separate replacement parts for their variable speed pumps. If the 2 speed fails, you can replace the parts and be back up and running with a nominal expense. Hope this helps!

Dan, you've missed the main point. Waki922 doesn't have the room to rotate and looking for an alternative, so the first step is to destroy Early blight & septoria leaf spot fungus overwintering in residues in his bed. It can be done and with proper housekeeping so he continue to use the bed for Tomatoes or whatever, year after year. Your statement, (In farming, rotation is done on distance scales of thousands of feet. ) doesn't hold water here because this isn't farming, it's home gardening on the micro scale. Rotation is not practical for home gardeners and other more labor intense practices are needed with a different plan then in farming. So knowing what you're up against, and how to fight it gives a plan that works for me. A look at the fungus in question: Alternaria solani - Early blight, and Septoria lycopersici - Septoria leaf spot. Both fungus depend on plants from the Solanum family and no others. Both fungus are unable to crawl, walk or slither from one point to another. They are Immobile and depend on wind, water, or digging to move them. They need a suitable host, a way to get to the host, and the right growing conditions for the condia, (asexual chlamydospore) or spores to infect a plant by killing leaf cell tissue with toxins, and feeding on the dead plant cells. Poaceae (grass family), Liliaceae (lily family) , or any other family of plant will not support these two fungus, only the Solanum family of plants. Killing the overwintering fungus in the ground, where the fungus food (tomato plant) is grown will drastically reduce Condia in the spring. Then with the proper care the plant can then grow to produce a crop. His lawn or lilies won't feed the fungus, and his perennials won't, if they're not a member of the Solanum family. So fungus level will be very low in the surrounding area. WAKI , once you've killed overwintering fungus in the soil you must keep the site clean of plant debris. Roots must be pulled, all leaves and stems must also be removed, you can't leave anything for the fungus to overwinter in. Your little blow torch will not do it. The flamer I gave a link to needs to be used. No, its not illegal (just have a garden hose handy). When done search the area for other solarium family plants growing and flame them also. Then care for your new tomato plants properly with a sound feeding and watering. Plants, just like people, need to maintain a homeostasis balance to produce hormones and steroids for increased resistance to stress/disease. (yes plants use hormones and steroids.) I've experimented with the many disease resistant varieties to date. One was called Iron Lady, a cross of a "triple resistant" Cornell line and a late blight/early blight line from North Carolina State University released around 2012-2013. 50 -60 cents a seed. Guess what? If they're not cared for properly they will wilt. (not from lack of watering but improper feeding) My test plants were neglected to see how resistant they really are, and were ate up with disease in no time. Not far from the Iron lady was a Brandywine heirloom having no resistance, that I cared for properly and had no problems in producing a good yield. Regardless of the conditions plant health is of most importance. (I did spray the brandywine with Copper fungicide.) Dan, my main garden in the back is 65' x 230' and even there I don't rotate. Maybe 20' to 40' one way or another but not 1000's of feet. I'll be moving my potatoes a few hundred feet away to a new plot, not because of wilt but because of wire worms. 5 yrs ago I talked to a couple that planted tomatoes in the same spot for 45 years! Said they always had a good crop and the garden growing conditions were the best I've ever seen. So the need to rotate can be countered with other measures if one takes the time. I must mention Mountain magic tomatoes. One of the hardiest plants I've ever grown. Resists wilts to no end, grows great, high yield (picked almost 100 so far this year and will get another 100+ ) and 99% perfect fruit. They're small about size of a golf ball, about 2 oz. but the Quantity make up for the size. Another expensive seed costing 50 cents each from jung or 90 cents each from gurney's. I have a spot in my side yard facing south I plant show tomatoes in. It is 4' x 24' in size, I've been planting tomatoes in the same spot for about 15 yrs. Grasses, perennials, shrubs and flowers grow all around it, everything except plants from the Solanum family. I keep it clean of all plant debris, pull the roots, flame it and in the spring plant it. I mulch with rye straw, use drip irrigation and feed what they need, when they need it. They are my show off jaw dropper tomato plants and give amazing results well away from my main garden by 450 ft. , No rotation ever and right now there is no wilt on them, or pruning of the bottom leaves. Only sprayed them with copper twice this year when the conditions were right for fungus. If I do see a spot I remove the leave, (remember the spore has to kill the plant tissue before it can feed and reproduce and to spread), and with close attention you can stop the spread easily, if fungus levels are low below.