I do a lot of smaller black pipe and also a commercial solar panel system see images here: http://www.detroitgrillking.com/pool/ These images and the info I posted is now outdated as I have upgraded to a professional solar system, called Enersol that I bought in Canada. ( I live in Canada ), the panels push about 20 times the amount of my small black hose system you see here, but I still use these at the moment to really get the full benefit out of my land. I bought 6 professional panels ( each one is 40 sq feet ) but I only have space for 4 of them which is quite depressing. Anyway I hope to get the others hooked up later this summer if I build a small roof over part of my deck. By the way, the 4 panels I have running are 4x10 feet each, and I built them onto a mini false roof which is located behind my pool at the end of my property. you may see an image here: http://www.detroitgrillking.com/pool2004/ Mark.

Scott, what if the temp outside is 40 degrees and she wants the spa to reach 100 degrees? My understanding from my PB is that the heat pump only increases your temp relative to the outside temp (maybe 40degrees more). now she is stuck at 80 degree. I am getting a gas heater because I want to get in the hot tub in the cold winter nights and relax. If it is 40 degree outside, I don't want that tub to be below my body temp because I will feel cold. I want it 100 degrees and I know a gas heater can do that. What I think watermom wants to do is extend her swim season in Connecticut where the swim season is relatively short. that would be pretty expensive using a gas heater although it can do it easily and quickly. I am thinking about getting both since I want to extend my swim season in April and October but want the advantage of a hot tub in the winter. Is that overkill? I am holding off on the heatpump until after our first swim season to see how much we want to use the pool during these two months. Have you or any of the other pool builders done pools with both? would you recommend this or is it a waste of money? Watermom, I live in North Carolina. The gas heater is for both my spa and pool. this is my first pool so I am learning just like you are. I plan on using my gas heater for times we want to swim and if I find we are using it more than 1-2 times a month for the pool, than I will add the heatpump. my set up is ready for the heatpump to be added.

Visited Pool town yesterday. They recommend an IBEX support system for pool vinyl pool installation. They have a special polymer coated one for use with salt pools. The fall season special puts me at ~$30K with salt water, increased pumps, lighting, resort steps, 3' architectural crete plus an additional poured area 8'x10', colored with overlay coping, Octal pool circulation sysem (8 returns, underwater circulation). Question, how strongly do you feel about the heater in NJ climate? IN other words do you find yourself using it often? I don't for see me and the Missy swimming on cooler days. The kids perhaps but they don't mind a cold pool. They will deduct $3k for the heater and $1200 to run gas which amounts to a lot of money. Not including the utility costs. Or, is it like buying a car without the AC? My 2 neighbors with heaters never use them. One is broke and the other is too cheap he says. Also, do you believe in the salt water system? Lastly, architecturally stamped concrete or take the credit and do paver stones. We just installed a 1,000 sq ft techo bloc patio with builtins, fire table, sitting walls and light piers. This would cost more to do around a pool and I don't mind the look of the color poured textured crete. My concern is the upkeep and risk to cracking. They say the IBEX system will minimize risk due to the anchor system under ground providing some additional stability at surface. Is that nonsense? Would you instead take the credit and up-spend on the paver. My concern is more about the risk of cracking in this climate and not the look. I don't need matchy looks.

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for your feedback. I didn't post ALL of the info from pool and spa forum as the posts were very lengthy and I didn't want to bore anyone! Having said that, we opted to withdraw our application for the variance. We decided to down-size the project so we wouldn't need a variance. We have been approved for the build (both pool and enclosure) but not the swim lesson business yet. For those of you who did not read the posts on pool and spa, the lessons I would teach are private and would occur when my neighbors are all at work. Our neighborhood already has several home-based businesses: a day care, a successful Amway business, a window replacement business, a handyman business and a home alarm business. I may not have described clearly enough where the project will be located on our property; the pool will be in our back yard but not directly behind the house; off to the left. I agree w/ you all; a pool does not belong in the front yard!! When we started to get serious about the project we spoke individually w/ each neighbor. NONE of them appeared to have a problem w/ any aspect of the project. It wasn't until we asked the town for a variance (we asked for 10' of the 40' setback) that the truth came out. The real estate agent next door was the first person I spoke w/ and he was very excited for us. He said it would be great and asked if he could be the first one in! That is why we were shocked at the outcry when the variance request letters went out.(Told you the story was long! Thanks for sticking it out) As far as having a pool, ours would be the 4th in the neighborhood but the only 'indoor" one. Would you be shocked to learn that the real estate agent is always across the street in the summer as a guest of one of the pool owners? Says it's great as he doesn't have to join the local pool club... ! Anyway, thanks for all of your input; I appreciate the feedback! joanneswimsct