Ocean water
Using ocean water within the lagoon was another challenge on the project.
“To begin with, saltwater corrodes everything,” explains Alvarez, who has been in the aquatics industry for more than 20 years and has designed and built several hotel and residential pool and water feature projects. “From hinges and rails to pump room equipment, even wood is adversely affected by saline water.”
A lot of learning and adjusting was involved when the pump room design was conceptualized, especially as it had to be able to deal with the harsh saltwater; a maintenance and cleaning program was also devised for the lagoon.
“We couldn’t use the same type of pump room equipment on this project that we would typically use with a standard, non-saltwater pool,” says Alvarez. “We paid strict attention to selecting the correct mix of equipment that, not only would work in this situation, but would also have readily available parts in the area for future repairs and maintenance. Cabo San Lucas is almost like an island and is far from large distribution centres; therefore, we had to be sure we chose equipment that could easily be serviced with warranties.”
Water chemistry
The water chemistry of the ocean saltwater in the lagoon was another concern because the water had to be replaced entirely every 72 hours. As a result, it was difficult to balance the water because its pH levels were extremely high due to its alkalinity.
“With pH levels at 8 to 8.2, the sanitizers can become ineffective, so we decided to install two large specialized ultraviolet (UV) units that were 305 mm (12 in.) in diameter,” explains Alvarez.
The UV units have been highly effective at enhancing the power of the chemicals in the water, especially if there are longer stretches of time between the replacements of the water. It is also helpful during the rainy season.
“Our monsoons are like multiple small hurricanes,” says Alvarez. “Further, the winds introduce large amounts of dirt, sand, and rainwater that quickly alter the chemical balance of the pool water.”
Sand
When the lagoon first opened, the sand entering the reservoir was a serious challenge.
“Sometimes, we had to bring in an army of workers to help drain the pool, manually clean up all the sand in the vessel, and refill it with water from the ocean in less than 12 hours.”
This was a common scenario after rainstorms. Eventually, the pool builder introduced robotic cleaners into the lagoon vessel to reduce the amount of manual cleaning labour.
“Automatic pool cleaners were an excellent addition, but we soon realized we constantly had to replace equipment parts because the ocean saltwater corroded the metal components of the cleaners,” explains Alvarez.
Cool project–sounds incredibly challenging. Thanks for sharing!