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Pillar guide · 10 articles

Pool Hydraulics: Turnover, TDH, and Keeping Water Moving

Every chemistry problem, cloudy pool, and equipment failure eventually traces back to flow. If water isn't moving through the filter and chemical feeders at the right rate, nothing else works. This pillar is the hydraulic foundation.

Pool Hydraulics & Circulation — ambient photo

Every chemistry problem, cloudy pool, and equipment failure eventually traces back to flow. If water isn't moving at the right rate through the filter and chemical feeders, nothing else in the pool operates correctly. This pillar is the hydraulic foundation.

The turnover math

Turnover rate (hrs) = Pool volume (gal) ÷ (Flow rate gpm × 60)

Code-required turnovers by pool type (minimum):

  • Residential pools: 6–8 hours
  • Public/commercial pools: 6 hours
  • Wading pools: 1–2 hours
  • Spas: 30 minutes
  • Splash pads: 30 minutes or less

Four turnovers filters approximately 98% of the water. More than that is diminishing returns. Fewer than that is a water-quality bomb waiting to detonate.

What operators actually need to know

  • How to measure actual flow vs. designed flow
  • Total dynamic head and pump curves
  • How to spot and stop cavitation before it destroys an impeller
  • VGB Act compliance and dual-drain configurations
  • Surface-water removal and why skimmers/gutters do 80% of the cleaning

Guides in this pillar

All guides in this pillar

6 min read
Pool Turnover Rate

How to calculate turnover, the code-required targets for pools and spas, and why 4 turnovers gives you 98% filtered water.

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7 min read
TDH, Pump Curves, and Cavitation

The hydraulic math behind selecting, operating, and troubleshooting a pool pump — including how to spot and stop cavitation.

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7 min read
Suction Entrapment & VGB Compliance

Five entrapment types, VGB-compliant drain covers, dual-drain and SVRS requirements, and the 5-to-7-year replacement cycle.

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5 min read
Skimmers, Gutters, and Surface Water Removal

80% of pool contamination floats. How skimmers and perimeter gutters remove it, sizing guidance, and dye-testing your circulation.

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7 min read
Pipe Materials and Fittings (PVC, CPVC, Corrosion-Resistant)

Schedule 40 vs. 80, CPVC on hot lines, UV protection, freeze slope, and the fittings rules you should never break.

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6 min read
Valve Types and Operations (Gate, Ball, Check, Butterfly)

Four valve families, when to reach for each, and the pump-off rules that prevent blown seals and gaskets.

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6 min read
Multi-Port Valves and Filter Configurations

What each position does, why you should never skip Rinse, and why the pump must be off before the handle moves.

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6 min read
System Layout and Flow Dynamics

Why two identical pools behave differently — and how to find and fix dead zones with dye tests and inlet angle.

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7 min read
Pressure Testing and Air Lock Prevention

Air vs. hydrostatic tests, safe pressures for suction and return lines, and how to read the gauge behavior.

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7 min read
Tiled and Negative Edge Pools

How negative-edge pools actually work, the three-pump system, and why all-tile interiors change nothing hydraulically.

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