Category: Pool Experts

When it comes to the selection of an above ground pool the only way for Essex contractor, SPS Swimming Pool and Spa, is Certikin. Longtime fans of the market-leading Certikin wooden pool, SPS found demand soared in 2020 with customers looking for a high-quality product that would have them swimming in their back gardens during lockdown and well beyond.

“The Certikin wooden pool ticks every box for us and our clients,” says Mel Spencer, the director of the family-run business based in Clacton-on-Sea. “Whilst our shop and the maintenance side of our business had to close during last year’s lockdown periods, I’m happy to say we were run off our feet with click and collect orders, and construction and installation continued to keep us busy throughout the spring and summer months. We were inundated with clients looking for a ‘quick fix’ to get them up and swimming in their back gardens. The wooden pool, of course, fits that bill beautifully, with the added bonus that it does not in any way compromise on quality.”

Mel adds: “We install a lot of wooden pools and we always get the sense we are building for the future, it’s a quality product that will stand the test of time. The fact that it has no side buttresses or ugly concreted-in steel supports means that it looks good, but its benefits are not just cosmetic – it is so well braced and robust. You know that the wood won’t warp and will continue to look attractive well into the future. With its ability to be sunk into the ground, it is also super versatile. It’s not the cheapest wooden pool on the market but I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for.

“The Walu Woodstar cover is a wonderful addition as it gives the client a heat retention, winter, summer and safety cover all rolled into one. Leaving aside the fact that it is a stylish and superb quality pool, we like it because it is Certikin. That means we know it’s solid and of sound construction; we have the assurance that we can easily get spares and we can access the whole raft of service and technical back-up that Certikin offers. All in all, it wins out on aesthetics, quality materials and clever design and we recommend it to our clients, time and time again.”

Looking for an outdoor activity to enjoy with their grandchildren in their lockdown bubble, the owners were delighted with the wooden pool which SPS installed with surrounding decking. This not only provides easy access to the pool but, with built-in cupboards, it also provides a useful storage area for inflatables and related paraphernalia.

Tight on space, the owners approached SPS for a cost-effective, speedy solution to get them swimming for summer. Following SPS’s installation of this 6m x 4.2m sunken wooden pool, they reported that they had enjoyed the “most fantastic summer.” Reluctant to give up their daily dips, they are spending the winter taking the plunge in wet suits!

t. 01255 818381 | w. spspoolandspa.com

A family-run business of 39 years standing, Berkshire-based Pools Plus know a thing or two about wet leisure, from design and specification to installation and maintenance. Endorsing the belief that there is nothing more inspiring and enticing than seeing water leisure in action, huge numbers of visitors flock to the vibrant Pools Plus display centre at Dobbies Garden Centre near Twyford, where the Certikin wooden pool has attracted a fan base all of its own.

Serving Berkshire and the surrounding counties for almost four decades it is the word of mouth recommendations that Pools Plus’s owners, Tony and Christine Canueto, are most proud of and which form the backbone of this very successful swimming pool and landscaping business.

As the latest addition to the display centre at Dobbies Garden Centre in Hare Hatch, the Certikin wooden pool is in good company, sitting alongside two inground pools and nine hot tubs, surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and a feature pond complete with 20 tonne rockery and waterfalls.

A planned springtime unveiling of the pool was postponed, due to lockdown, until the end of May but, despite the delay, the demonstration 6m by 4.2m wooden pool earned its living, garnering much interest over the busy summer months and procuring many sales.

A key member of the business, Tony and Christine’s daughter, Francesca Canueto says: “The Certikin wooden pool is an important part of our customer offering. It particularly appeals to the 35 to 45-year age bracket – young families looking to introduce their children to swimming and, at the same time, provide a focus for family entertainment and fun. The wooden pool allows them to do just that without blowing the budget. It provides a fabulous entry to swimming pool ownership. Our demo pool was well-timed as it captured the imagination of those families looking to holiday at home and invest in their gardens during lockdown and beyond.

“Our installation team find its preparation easy and construction straight-forward, taking just three to four days in total. Even those customers that opt for the DIY option say that the manual is simple to follow and trouble-free. We also offer a hybrid deal in which the customer or his tradesman installs and we offer support and advice.

“Aesthetically, the pool looks great and the wood blends naturally into the landscape. Other wooden pools are often much more labour intensive to install requiring deeper concrete bases and the inclusion of metal mesh and supports whereas the build quality of the Certikin pool requires minimal groundwork whilst still providing an immensely sound construction with a finish that is far superior to alternative brands. We treated the wood of the demo pool in early spring and it is still looking fresh eight months later. I’m a great believer that you get what you pay for! Given the beauty of the wooden pool, it almost seems a shame to sink one into the ground but, of course, you can choose to partially or fully install the pool in ground, such is the versatility of the Certikin wooden pool.”

Pools Plus LLP

w. www.poolsplusllp.com | t. 0118 940 4221

Essex-based Centurion Leisure were recently awarded a Bronze at the wet leisure industry’s equivalent of the Oscars – the 2019 British Pool & Hot Tub Awards. The purpose-built pool for the SwimMania swimming school in Laindon, Basildon won Bronze in the much-coveted Special Requirement Pool of the Year category.

George Clifton, Centurion’s MD says: “We were delighted to receive this award. It represents an acknowledgement of our continued commitment to achieving the highest standards of design and construction. We always strive to ensure our clients are thrilled with our work and to receive recognition from our industry peers is particularly gratifying.”

George explains that the pool had some design constraints as it had to fit within the envelope of an existing building. “We were only allowed to excavate down 900mm so had to be mindful of the height out of ground to meet with the client’s water depth requirements. In addition, we had to allow for the minimum area around the pool to comply with Sport England’s criteria.”

The 14m by 4.80m freeboard concrete pool, featuring a constant depth of 1.10m, had to meet the demands of a weekly bathing load of approximately 800 people and operate at 32.5 deg C. This is achieved by the addition of a Calorex Delta 10 3-Phase environmental control unit. This, plus the highly efficient, no-fuss CertiDos dosing system means the pool is very low maintenance.

The key advantage of continuous monitoring and control is simply just that – key water parameters are monitored continuously, 24/7, resulting in improved safety from a residual sanitiser perspective. The focus on safety extended into the plant room at Swim Mania. The CertiDos dosing system is fully contained within a lockable GRP enclosure minimising risk to the operators. The chemical selection and tank and bund arrangement were also carefully considered so as to meet with Health and Safety guidance. The CertiDos team also showed great flexibility and were able to mobilise an engineer to be on-site to install, commission and train all within a tight timeframe.

Centurion selected the two Alpine Plus 1200 diameter filters pre-loaded with OC-1 media to obtain high standards of filtration coupled with the ease of installation with a pre-loaded filter. The feedback of performance from swimming teachers, the owner and the pool’s users has been nothing but positive.

Certikin’s Commercial Manager, Steve Nelson, says: “OC-1 represents the greatest advance in swimming pool filtration in the 21st century. Unlike traditional entrapment methods, British manufactured OC-1 works through settlement and harnesses advances in pump technology and variable speed pumps/controllers. Reduced energy and water consumption (thus less chemicals and heating) coupled with 20 times greater debris collection compared to sand or glass, makes it the filtration of choice. It is light to handle, easy to install, low in maintenance and has a typical payback of just 12 months.”

George adds: “I am very impressed with how OC-1 filtration has transformed the working of this pool. I am amazed at just how efficiently it works and the results it achieves. I think it justifies the title of a revolutionary product.”

More Information

OC-1 Filtration Media

01993 777200 | www.oc1filtrationmedia.com

Centurion Leisure

01708 463090 | info@centurionleisure.co.uk | www.centurionleisure.co.uk

Yes, Certikin’s ground-breaking new filtration media OC-1 has reached Australia where, with its high ratio of pools to population, it has received a great reception.   The highly popular Willoughby Leisure Centre, located on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, is a wonderful example of how OC-1 is revolutionising swimming pool filtration not just here in the UK but all over the world. Read on to discover how it is helping the Centre save more than $14,000 and 1 million litres of water per year.

Opened in 1990, Willoughby’s sporting and recreation facilities are well used, hosting more than 540,000 visitors each year. Last year, work got underway to introduce a number of upgrades with the aim of giving the much-loved centre a make-over and reduce its environmental footprint.

As with any large leisure centre, the Willoughby has a high demand for gas, electricity and water. In order to lose a few tonnes of CO₂from its carbon footprint the Centre is currently undertaking the following sustainability exercises: OC-1 filtration system, efficient lighting, hot water pump, rainwater harvesting, solar heat water, UV water filtration system and co-generation system.

Combined, these energy conservation measures offer a carbon saving of over 900 tonnes of CO₂ – saving enough coal to fill up the centre’s swimming pool.

Certikin is proud that its OC-1 is playing an integral part in the centre’s ecological refurbishment. In the first project of its kind in Australia, Astral Pool (Part of Fluidra with Certikin) supplied the ground-breaking media and engineering contractors Roejen NSW set about its installation.   

The plastic filtration system uses settlement rather than the traditional entrapment method to more efficiently remove micro particles from water. In addition to keeping the heated spa and pool water clean and fresh, the new system provides savings in water, chemicals, heat loss and electricity, resulting in less downtime and an overall improved experience for patrons.

The manager of the Willoughby Leisure Centre reports: “Water quality has improved through a  25% increase in turnover of the pool water, or about 18 extra turnovers each day. Pump speeds were able to be reduced from 50Hz to 42Hz, saving 70,000 kW/hour per annum or about $14,000 a year. Clients are reporting that the water feels better. This is from people who don’t know the filter media has changed!”

Certikin’s OC-1 revolution gathers momentum

Since Certikin announced its worldwide exclusive distributorship of the ground-breaking OC-1 three years ago, the filter media has acquired a growing fan base and is now being used and tested in over 40 countries worldwide where it is fast becoming the filtration media of choice. As the pool market moves increasingly towards energy efficient ‘green’ products, OC-1 fits perfectly into this trend.

Certikin’s British manufactured OC-1 filter media is tearing up the textbook on traditional methods of entrapment filtration. In contrast, OC-1 works through settlement and cleverly harnesses advances in pump technology and variable speed pumps/controllers to make massive energy savings.

By replacing commonly used media (such as sand and glass) with OC-1 it is possible to reduce the head loss in the filtration system; filter with a constant flow (regardless of debris entrapment) and significantly reduce running energy costs whilst still filtering to the equivalent standard as it can be used with a smaller pump or a variable speed pump or controller. OC-1 filtration media is suitable for use on all pools and spas, be they domestic, commercial or hydrotherapy.

It is easy to convert an existing sand filter for use with OC-1 with a simple lateral modification. Further details of the conversion can be found at  www.oc-1filtrationmedia.com

Certikin’s Commercial and International Manager, Steve Nelson says: ‘”OC-1 is a change in mind set. Since the launch of OC-1, we have had superb feedback and have new installations and the upgrading of existing sand filters every week. The advantages for the installers are beginning to be fully appreciated.”

Why OC-1 is the filter of choice

Reduces energy consumption – OC-1 maintains constant flow rates, even when the media becomes dirty. No downtime is required for heating/salt chlorinators/heat pumps going out on low flow. The constant flow means pumps can be run at lower speeds, thus saving energy.

Huge capacity for debris collection – OC-1 offers over 20 times the capacity of sand or glass.

Reduced requirement for backwashing and a more efficient backwash – Reduces water consumption, chemical usage and heating.

Lightweight – Can even be shipped inside a filter, easy to handle and super quick and easy to install.

Less Maintenance – lasts longer than sand, reduces pressure in the system, extending the life of equipment.

Filters to International swimming pool standards.

Suitable for ALL installations – domestic or commercial, outdoor or indoor, new installations or existing filters.

Recyclable at end of product life.

Payback typically 12 months.

Special filters

Two filters, specifically designed to work in perfect harmony with OC-1 media for both domestic and commercial installations, are available. The Commercial version can be supplied complete with the OC-1 media already preloaded and allows quicker installation and avoids having to load sand or glass into the tanks on site.  The Domestic version comes ready for the media to be installed and is easy to ship and quick to install.  The OC-1 Filter range covers all applications from small domestic to the largest commercial installations.

Perfect for Export

“OC-1 is super lightweight – a benefit particularly appreciated by the export market,” says Steve Nelson, Certikin Commercial and International Manager.  “It is now possible to ship filters around the world with the media already inside. This saves transportation costs and also time and effort on site. The benefits of using OC-1 are enormous, it truly is a revolutionary product.”

Join the OC-1 revolution

+44 (0)1993 777200 for your free sample

www.oc-1filtrationmedia.co.uk

This beautiful new pool in Chippenham, Wiltshire, was built from scratch by Cambridgeshire pool specialists, Aqualeaf, using Certikin equipment
from top to bottom. With two young grandchildren, safety was of paramount importance. Fortunately, the multi-tasking Walu safety cover met all the customer’s requirements, including great value for money and stylish good looks.

It was just eight weeks from excavation to the completion of this beautiful new pool. Certikin supplied all the filtration in the plant room including ABS pipe work, all connectors, unions, ball valves and pipe clips, an Aquaspeed circulation pump, a Vision filter with glass media and Rainbow in line chlorine feeder with non-return valve.

Aqualeaf also turned to Certikin to supply a Calorex heat pump for heating the pool in the summer months and a 180 BTU oil fired boiler with outdoor flue for the winter months so that the pool maintains a constant temperature of 30 degrees for the owners to swim in all year round. The pool shell features a Certikin light grey bag liner, plus two LED PU6 lights. All fittings are grey to give a contemporary finish and all pipe work is Quadrapool flexible piping with compression fittings for maximum durability. The pool surround includes a Certikin four tread stainless steel ladder with hinge plate adaption kit so that the customer doesn’t need to remove the ladder each time the pool is covered and uncovered.

Wahey the Walu!

Adorning the pool is a Walu. Aqualeaf Director, Paul Carman says: “Our customer chose the pale grey Walu Starlight manual safety cover, firstly, because there’s two young children in the family and, secondly, because of its contemporary sleek appearance. It comes with the added bonus of requiring no roller on the pool deck. The Walu sits snugly on the poolside rather than floating like a solar blanket, so large debris is kept out of the pool. From a cost point of view, it is considerably cheaper than other automatic safety covers on the market, while also getting rid of the need for both a winter debris and solar/heat retention blanket because the Walu does both jobs!”

Scoring a hit with the customer, Mrs Jones says of the Walu: “We love its appearance and it’s super easy to use.” Turning to the installation she added: “It went very smoothly indeed. Aqualeaf carried out the project to schedule, completing it just in time for an early summer heatwave! Overall, an excellent job.”

Walu: When three becomes one

The hard working Walu offers three covers for the price of one: installing a Walu means you can dispense with a solar bubble cover and reel system, a winter debris cover and all other safety systems as the Walu will do it all for you!

First and foremost, the Walu is a safety cover. Manufactured to the stringent French NF P90-308 safety standard, it comfortably holds the required test weight of 100kg (approx.15.5 stone). In addition, the Walu offers solar and heat retention benefits and acts as a first class winter cover.

The most unique feature of the Walu cover range is its modular design. Unlike other safety covers, where the whole system needs to be replaced if it is damaged, all individual parts on the Walu cover are replaceable. The cover’s panels and anodised aluminium tubes can easily be exchanged on site for new pieces, restoring the cover to its original standard.

Walu covers all bases

The best-selling Walu Evolution is suitable for all pool shapes up to 11m x 5m and the lower profile Walu Starlight for rectangular pools up to 11m by 5m.For in-ground pools, the lighter weight, lower cost Walu-Eco will cover almost any pool up to 10m x 5m.

For in-ground pools, the lighter weight, lower cost Walu-Eco will cover almost any pool up to 10m x 5m.

Shaping for ladders and step sections can be accommodated on all models without any compromise to safety.

For above ground timber pools, the uniqueWalu-Woodstar offers all of the safety and operational features of the in-ground Walu covers, but is specifically modelled to fit the timber frame of an above ground pool.

The Walu range is available in a series of opaque colours which shut out light. This slows down the growth of algae and pathogenic micro-organisms which considerably reduces the need for chemicals.

The Evolution and Starlight also come in asemi-translucent white fabric which offers solargain benefits.

High wind anchor straps are supplied as standard High wind anchor straps are supplied as standard(excluding the Walu-Eco) and the Evolution and Starlight models come with a unique, easy use, quick release system as standard. All fabrics are of a reinforced flexible composite with an anti-abrasion treatment and all fittings are stainless steel.

The Walu is easy to install and operate. It weighs just 1.250 kg per sq metre (1.15kg per sq metre for Eco and Woodstar) and can be rolled by just one person using a 4:1 ratio geared down manual crank (or two people using two cranks for pools sizes over 50 sqm). Covering the pool usually takes less than three minutes and the cover takes up very little space. Alternatively, you can purchase a Walu-Power motorised winding system which makes removing the cover effortless. The Walu-Power is a fully rechargeable system which needs no maintenance and is suitable for all in-ground pool cover sizes.

Aqualeaf Limited | 01223 930291 | aqualeaf.co.uk

Recognising that aside from academic rigor, high quality sports facilities top most parents’ wish list when choosing schools, Bethany School in Goudhurst Kent, recently invested in the installation of an award winning 25m pool. Involving West-Sussex based Fowler Swimming Pools and Reading-based Norwegian Log Buildings, it was no surprise that the impressive £1.35 million project featured a plethora of Certikin equipment.

Illustrating how independent schools have grasped the nettle when recognising the importance of providing top quality sports facilities, is Bethany School in Kent. Set in the stunning Kent Weald countryside, Bethany is a co-educational school for pupils aged 11 to 18. The school, and others like it, serve to increase the great divide between the fee paying and public sector, where sadly more and more swimming pools are closing out of financial exigency.

The school’s brief to the main contractor, Fowler Swimming Pools, was to replace a tired old 1930s outdoor pool and build a high quality, indoor 25m x 11.6m deck level, fully tiled pool with depths of 1m to 1.8m. Fowler and Norwegian Log Buildings designed the complex and were able to achieve planning permission in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Fowler identified and specified the pool’s key ingredients to meet the school’s exacting energy saving requirements.

Tom Holman, MD of Fowlers says: “We had no hesitation in turning to Certikin for the full kit, which included filters, pumps, flow control fittings, pipework, Delta 14 AHU environmental control unit, Certikin DU4 commercial UV and automatic chemical dosing.

“Fowler Swimming Pools has been a Certikin customer for well over 35 years. We like Certikin’s one stop shop facility and, working on a project of this size, we particularly appreciated Steve Nelson and his Commercial team’s technical assistance. Certikin is a reliable and efficient supply chain and its goods are of the highest quality. The company’s excellent after-service back-up is reassuring and it means we buy with total confidence.”

Housed in a bespoke solid log building, built by Reading-based Norwegian Log, with changing rooms and an office, the pool boasts underwater lighting, spectator seating and starting blocks. The install, including external works, access paths and retaining walls, took 16 months to complete.  Despite extremely challenging ground conditions and harsh winter weather, Fowler Swimming Pools delivered the project with minimum disruption to the school.

Tom says: “This was the wettest site we had worked on for a long time. We had to install a new ground drainage system and instead of conventional foundations, had to pile. But once that had been done it was straightforward. The log building and pool definitely have the ‘wow factor’ and will benefit the school and pupils for many years to come.”

Headmaster, Francie Healy says: “We are delighted with our six lane 25m swimming pool; it is a first-class facility and has certainly raised sporting aspirations at Bethany.They did a superb job in very difficult circumstances and we are thrilled with it. The pool has widened our sporting profile, allowing swimming to be part of our sports programme all year round; we are now hosting swimming galas and meets with other schools and the pool is also used as part of the PE curriculum for all year groups, teaching lifesaving and fitness training within the Sports Scholarship programme.”

Pictured at the opening of the school pool is double Olympic Gold medallist, Rebecca Adlington, flanked on the left by MD of Fowler Swimming Pools, Tom Holman and on the right Nick Forrester, MD of Norwegian Log Buildings Ltd.

Fowler Swimming Pools Ltd |  01403 864373 |  fowlerswimmingpools.co.uk

Norwegian Log | 01189 669 236 | norwegianlog.co.uk

 

Opened in 1962, the lido with its stunning views of the Bristol Channel, has afforded families a great day out but, suffering a major water loss in 2016, its operators, the Portishead Pool Community Trust were forced to embark on an emergency refurbishment operation before its life blood seeped away. In a joint project, DG Pools and CP Pools used tried and trusted Certikin equipment to resuscitate the lido’s heart… 

Portishead Pool Community Trust took over the running of the open-air pool in 2009 from North Somerset Council.  There had been a lack of investment in the fabric of the buildings and plant for many years. Cracks in the base of the pool tank and the pipework from ground movement were an issue despite them being patched up a number of times. It was always the plan to do a major refurbishment when sufficient funds were available.

That plan had to be brought forward in 2016 season when it was discovered the lido was leaking badly. Using the combined talents of DG Pool’s Glyn Lucas in commercial filtration and mechanical services and Carl Porter’s knowledge of pool construction, the Trust embarked on upgrading the Lido to bring it up to current industry standards.

Carl set about the design of the pool to ensure that skimmers, sumps and inlets adhered to industry flow rates and velocities. He supervised the installation of a new liner on top of the pool’s old ceramic tiles.  To compliment the modernisation of the pool tank, the plant room was also refurbished.  The sand filters were installed in 1962 so they were replaced with three new filters from Certikin.  The pumps and were old and they struggled to cope with the required flow rates, especially on busy days. The filtration plant was broken up and removed by D G Pools and replaced with the new plant.  All pipework, suction/return fittings and UW lights were supplied by Certikin.

Andy Thatcher of the Portishead Lido Community Trust says: “The job came in on time and on budget and the Trust and pool users are absolutely delighted with the outcome. We would thoroughly recommend CP Pools and DG Pools to anyone contemplating a similar upgrade of their pool and plant facilities.”

Portishead Lido | portisheadopenairpool.org.uk

DG Pools & Leisure Ltd | dg.pools.co.uk

CP Pools | cppools.com