Simplifying a Problematic In-Floor Pool Cleaning System in Buderim
CASE STUDYIn Floor Pool Cleaning System Problems in Buderim
After several pool companies had been unable to resolve the recurring problems, Clarity traced the faults through the timer, plumbing, circulation and cleaning system—and found a simpler way forward.
LOCATION
Buderim
In floor system overhaul
SERVICEA few weeks
TIMEFRAMESimpler, reliable one-pump setup
OUTCOMEThe Problem
This was not a straightforward green-pool clean-up. The pool sat beneath established vegetation and received a heavy daily load of leaves. Its in-floor cleaning system used pop-up jets intended to move debris towards a central drain, but the overall setup was not coping. The homeowner had already asked several pool companies for help. The pool remained difficult to manage, the cleaning system was unreliable and the equipment was expensive to run. When Matt began investigating, he found several problems interacting with each other rather than one isolated fault.
Diagnosing the system
The first issue was the chlorinator's mechanical timer. Its battery backup had failed, so power interruptions caused the settings to fall out of sequence. The timer was also sticking, which meant the system did not always start when it should. Clarity replaced it with a reliable digital timer with battery backup so the filtration system could operate consistently each day. The in-floor cleaning system presented a more complicated problem. There was no pre-filter to capture the property's large volume of leaves before they reached the pump. Debris travelled directly into the pump basket, which could become blocked within a day. The resulting restriction contributed to the original pump overheating and failing. Clarity replaced the failed pump with a Neptune NPP1500, then continued tracing how water moved through the pool.
A simpler solution
A feature wall with fountains was taking too much water from the return side of the system. The valve controlling the fountains had gradually been buried under soil, making it difficult to find and adjust. Matt located and uncovered the valve, then reduced the fountain flow. This produced a gentler water feature, directed more return flow back into the pool and reduced unnecessary water loss from the forceful spray. Further investigation found that the pool's second pump was drawing water from the skimmer and returning it through the in-floor jets without passing it through fine filtration. Fine debris could therefore return to the cleaning jets and contribute to further blockages.
Improving circulation
Continuing to repair the complicated in-floor system would not have addressed how poorly it suited this heavily leaf-affected property. With the homeowner's approval, Clarity disabled the floor-jet cleaning system and removed the second pump from operation. The pool was reconfigured around one conventional filtration circuit. Water was drawn through the skimmer box, passed through the existing sand filter and returned through the normal pool outlets. A small amount of return water continued to supply the feature-wall fountains. Clarity also supplied and installed a Pentair Prowler 920 robotic cleaner. Unlike the original arrangement, the robot collected debris independently instead of sending the property's heavy leaf load through the pool's pump and filter. It also gave the homeowner direct control over day-to-day cleaning.
The Result
The simplified arrangement was easier to operate and removed the need to run two pool pumps. Matt estimated that the new setup reduced the pool-related power bill by approximately half, which the homeowner later confirmed. The digital timer allowed filtration to start reliably, while the one-pump circuit provided a clearer and more conventional filtration path. The robotic cleaner was better matched to the quantity of leaves entering the pool. Most importantly, the homeowner once again had a pool that the family could use without the repeated blockages and uncertainty caused by the previous system.
BEFORE
AFTER“Matt took the time to problem solve and came up with a solid solution.”
Buderim homeowner, five-star Google review
Project details
Location: Buderim, Sunshine Coast
Property type: Residential property
Pool environment: Established vegetation with a heavy leaf load
Original system: Two pump in floor cleaning system with pop up jets
Work completed: Digital timer and pump replacement, circulation changes, in floor system disabled and robotic cleaner installed
New equipment: Neptune NPP1500 pump and Pentair Prowler 920 robotic cleaner
Outcome: Simpler one pump filtration system with substantially lower running costs
Services Used
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Regular Pool Servicing
Keep your pool clean, balanced and healthy with reliable ongoing servicing.
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Equipment Repairs
Diagnose and repair pool equipment problems to keep your system running properly.
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Green Pool Recovery
Turn your green or cloudy pool clear again with professional pool recovery.
Is your pool system complicated, unreliable or expensive to run?
Clarity Pool Services diagnoses pumps, filters, chlorinators, cleaners and circulation problems across the Sunshine Coast. We will explain what is going wrong and recommend a practical repair or replacement—not more equipment than your pool needs.