The $300 Jacuzzi...

[The Cell]

This thread is about the 300 Gallon Jacuzzi above or below ground, with jets and dual filtration systems one with a skimmer opening.


Honestly, the $300 includes the tub, the 2 filters and a wooden deck, and the shower, and the Filter pump timer (but not the 12v shower pump, that's extra). That is just the start, You obviously can tally up some real cost if you stray to far from the "Keep It Simple Stupid" spending habits. I would like a water fountain of some sort to feed the filtered bunghole water, back into the pool, rather than a jet on the side. So for a nice patio effect with pavers and two really nice wood decks.


So as far as real cost YMMV.....









cell mgmt.

[The Cell]

I started on this design after checking out alternative water units for out here in the desert (pools, commercial Jacuzzis, a home-assembly units, and various others, until all of that lead up to me designing a hybrid, easy to build, super inexpensive, easy to build multiples, fast efficiently, all units/and parts are cheap and readily available, including all filters, chemicals, and replacement parts for maintenance, it is also easily adaptable to off-grid use, and last forever.

Just got the 2 tubs that will be used as hot tub/dipping pools in the Pyramid and at golf hole #2, I am experimenting with the pump and filter systems from inexpensive, above ground pools. I am using two different ones, one that skims the top of the water and filters it, and one that pulls its water from the bottom drain (the bunghole) provided on the unit. It's gonna take some modifications of course like grinding or cutting off the boss around the bunghole on the inside. making two round 3" holes one for the directional jet coming from the skimmer filter and the other from the output of the filter being fed from the bunghole drain. A 12v pump pulling water from the lower filtered output provided on the bottom with a water-hose thread fitting. will provide water to a shower with a hand held spray wand that will drain it's water back into the skimmer drain to be re-filtered and cleaned. They will be below ground with 2'x2' brick or paving stone edging around the tub, with a 2' wide ring of the smaller black smooth pebbles as a secondary path around the pavers, with a sturdy two seater wood bench that I will build.



Parts


The Tub Unit:

Rubbermaid's Farm Tough Stock Tank fights dents, cracks, rust and leaks. This is truly an innovative tank, different from any other on the market. Molded from a single piece of structural-foam so there are no seams to split. In fact, one of the toughest tanks you can find anywhere. It resists denting even when faced with cold weather, high winds and ill-tempered animals. It's unique construction helps prevent typical problems of rust and corrosion. Rubbermaid's 300 gallon Stock Tank. Built tough for superior performance and long-lasting durability in all kinds of weather extremes.This is a superior stock tank!!


Shipping Weight: 142.00 pounds
Shipping size: 25"high x 63 1/4"long x 69" wide


Price: $150 - $215
Price depends on how hard you look, and how good you're negation skills are I got my local so it was cheaper and no shipping charges.


The Filter Units:
(one each)

Skimmer Unit:

Item Description

Universal Pool Pump Filter System Type III for Summer Escapes Quick Set Pools, Hard Side Pools and other above ground swimming pools including Intex, Aqua Leisure, Sand N Sun, Bestway and other above ground pools
Features Include:

* General Foam, Summer Escapes FS1000 filter pump system
* Approximately 1000 gallons per hour filtering capacity
* Can be configured to be used in 3 different configurations, free standing with over the wall return, free standing with through the wall return and wall mounted with over the wall return
* Includes removable base for use as free standing filter pump system
* Can be used with Intex Wet Set, Easy Set, Frame Set, Sand N Sun, Prompt Set and Aqua Leisure pools that have 1-1/4" clamp on hose connections
* Features unique built in chlorinator when used with genuine Summer Escapes Type C filter cartridges
* Includes 1 each 1-1/2" x 3 ft hose, 1 each 1-1/2" x 6 ft hose, all hose connection clamps, 2 each 1-1/2" x 1-1/4" sleeve insert hose adapters, and 1 each hose hanger for over the wall set up
* Also includes fittings and strainer when used in through the wall configurations
* Filter pump comes with 1 each ready to use Type C cartridge filter
* Includes air release valve on top of unit
* Can be used on above ground pools that use 1-1/2" or 1-1/4" diameter filter pump connection hoses
* 110 - 120 Volt, UL approved pump motor
* 180 Day Manufacturer's Warranty




(FS1000) Cartridge Filter System
Part #: 096-050439
Assembled Filter #1 thru #26
Price: $80


Bunghole Filter Unit:

Item Description

Summer Escapes 800 gallon per hour filter pump with skimmer for Sand N Sun and Summer Escapes pools manufactured by General Foam
Features Include

* Original Summer Escapes Model SFS-800 filter pump assembly
* 800 gallons per hour approximate pump flow rate
* Can be used on all Summer Escapes and Sand N Sun pools by General Foam that use skimmer type filter pumps
* Built-in pool water chlorinator when used with genuine Summer Escapes Type C filter cartridges
* Skimmer pool cleaning action. Water passes over skimmer with floating debris and passes through enclosed removable leaf and debris basket before passing through filter cartridge
* Return hose features adjustable water return nozzle for optimal water circulation in your pool
* Filter pump includes vacuum adapter plate which can be used with traditional pool vacuum systems where dirty water is passed through swimming pool filter pump system before being returned to pool
* Skimmer filter pump includes all necessary hook up hardware including return hose, through wall fittings, gaskets, debris basket, weir, clamps and ready to use filter cartridge
* 110-120 Volt, UL Listed, Double Insulated and Grounded Filter Pump Motor

RP800 - Complete Filtering System
Part #: 096-050547
Assembled Filter #1 thru #26
Price: $80



$80.00

To Order:

on-line:
www.genfoam.com/
[e-mail]

phone:
800-813-0206

mail:
General Foam Plastics Corp.
Attn: Parts Dept
3321 E. Princess Anne Rd.
Norfolk, Va 23502

Source # 2:
(and much cheaper)
www.brandsonsale.com/summer-escapes-pool-pumps.html


The Filter Unit Timer:

A wind up 15 minute SPST (Standard Light Switch Replacement) Timer (cost $16)



The Shower Unit:

12v Pump -
a 4"x4"x*' post (cost $10)
A garden shower wand (cost $7)
Drainpan ($5)
Small pebble Rocks (3 bags @ $5 bag)
Drain & tubing ($5)
Roll of Plumbers Tape ($3)
asst. screws
1-3/4" Wood Screws

The Decking

16 2x4x8'
18 Cement 12"x12" Flag Stones

Tools:

Drill
3/4" bit
Phillips head bit
1/4" bit

Jig Saw
w/blade

Screwdrivers:
Phillipshead
Slothead



Total:



Next we start construction.







cell mgmt.

[The Cell]

After finding the location you must decide do you want it, on or off the Grid, above or below ground




1. Assemble Pool


2. Prep The Location


3.


4.


5.


6. Filling the Pool, Testing the Water, Chemically Balancing the Water.



Random Pix, Not in order yet...

Jump in, and enjoy, don't forget to post a pic of you're creation here....





cell mgmt.

[The Cell]

Well, I ordered the water from a local person, who has a large 3,000 gal truck that was not available at the moment (no insurance cert.) and a 500 gal. truck that was. It was Sat. he would be busy, but was open for Sun, but I was not. Looking at the calender, I would be back in LA Monday, prepping a Camera truck for a Thursday Shoot, and would not be back till Tue. Besides I need to do a few modifications before I did the final install on it, and I also decided I am going to take some of the filter parts with me to figure out a new connection, so I told him to wait till I got back to the ranch and I would call him and set a time.

The hole was dug and so I dropped the tub down into it to do the preliminary check of the fit, and finalize the clearances, and to do the final hook-ups to the shower, and lock all the pipes on with the screw collars provided with the unit. I decided to leave it in the ground, to keep it away from the casual thief's eyes because empty, and sitting above ground, makes it too easy a target. I call him Mon. morning, and check to make sure he still wants to do it. He says yes, and I say I am going to try to get back at least by 2 pm tomorrow (Tue), I would give him a call when I get there, and I had also figured I'd only needed 400 gal (300 for the pool and (2) 50 Gal barrels on standby, to compensate for evaporation.

So, Tue, business didn't wrap until about 3pm, and I figure I would just make the waterdrop for that Wed afternoon instead, that would give me time to complete the modifications. All that was left was to cut another 3" circle in the plug side to accomodate the straight through jet, supplied with the filter, I originally was going to have the bunghole filter output go into a fountain that would feed back into the pool, but decided to keep it simple instead, clean-up the clearance around the edges, drop the whole tub another 1" and add a little more slant to make it drain better.

About 3:15 I get a call from the guy who tells me he just came from out to my place, and since he did not see me there he so he decided to just tried to fill up tub. He says to me, "Did you know your skimmer is leaking like a sive?" As a matter of fact I did. with the adaption of going from a thin walled pool to a 5/8" thick blown plastic requires the 1/2" Simmer mounting screws to be replaced with 3/4" stainless to accomodate the thickness these were on my Homedepot list to bring with me, in the meantime I used some wood screws temporarily to hold the filter on while I check the depth and clearances and to reveal if any further modifications needed to be done. Since I would be pulling it off to replace the the screws before I filled it, I left the exterior rubber gasket off, but it was no biggy, it wouldn't affect the test. So after cutting all the lumber for the surrounding decking and the wood grate and catch basin for the shower, and lay it all in place and set the 8 paving stones I had bought for the rounded edges, that turned out to be barely enough for one side. So all in all I had temporarily put everything together to see what the final look would be, if it looked like it did in my head, and it did. It looked awesome, the decks still needed to be longer now they are 6' but they needed to be 8', clearance for the pipes of the new jet about to be cut into the tub, and a little more clearance in general around the tub. And finally pick up two 6'x 3' pieces of plywood cut from (2) 4 x 8 sheet of plywood that connected together with a piano hinge to make a foldable top.

So Wed afternoon as I roll into Mojave, the wind is gusting 50 mph, and I start having a bad feeling, not too mention I realized Mon night that I had forgot to put the litter-box in the RV with the cat. As I was Driving up to the ranch in Cantil another 35 miles, I could see that the wind had literally ripped the shade canopy completely off the RV and drapped it over the top (my fault I thought I was coming back that night so I left it up). The Pyramid is laying on it's side and one of the leaves has been ripped off and blown completely across the street. As I walk over to the tub, it is 2/3rd's full of thick brown mud soup, and the filters are up to half their height covered in mud. Later I find that tub #2 from all the way out at the other hole, has blown 1000 yards across the road as well.










So here I sit, getting ready to go, and get started, and see what kind of real damage control has to be done, and to start to bail the mud out and clean the tub so I can pull it out and do the mods.


Other results of the test, I needed another load of the (10) paving stones, and the pea gravel that I will use to fill the cracks in-between them with and a 1 foot ring around the outside of the paving stones. Even though the smooth small black gravel rocks feel great on the feet it is mostly just for looks. I want to get one of my artist friends to paint the picture on the cover, of people seemingly looking through an opening, gazing down from above, so it looks really cool when you see it from the deck above.





the mgmt.


p.s. - the cat held everything for the whole day and a half that was the best news of all.

[The Cell]

Here is the "Pyramid Replacement Operation" it was done by Nick






Nick, passed by and saw the wind had toppled the pyramid and decided to lend a hand in uprighting it...
















Thanks Nic...... uhhhh it's crooked



the mgmt.

[The Cell]

Here are some of the latest and greatest up to date pics...














I have the shower deck finished and all the plumbing run all that is needed is to pour the sack of quartz rock in the drainpan and buy and hook up the 12v pump and it's mostly finished.

I have looked into 12v water heaters made for portable camp showers they cost about $125.







the mgmt.

[Marcelo]

Wow, this is an awesome project. Unfortunately I can't see the pictures.

Do you know if there's anyway I can see them?

[The Cell]

I'll see if I can repost them on my Photobucket page...


the mgmt.