Things I'd not want in my pool?

- DE filter (yuck, messy, REALLY bad for dogs)
- ozonator/nature II (why do you want silver in your pool? Get a SWG and be done with it).

No spa?

Thanks for the feedback. Since I have no clue what I need in the way of a filter, what do you recommend as an alternative to the DE filter and what makes it bad? If it matters, I don't have dogs.

So ditching the ozonator/nature II and just going with a SWG is all I need to do? Is there a particular model I should request?

No spa... my wife and I never really liked them. Not really in the budget anyway.

Cartridge filters is what most builders around here (Dallas) are using. My parents have a DE filter and its just a pain in the butt. Messy, dangerous... it does filter really well, but IMO not worth the effort.

Ozone/Nature II really only kill a couple of the (really) bad things. They don't produce enough chlorine to keep a pool sanitary. You're either going to have to use some sort of chlorine dispenser or a salt water generator (SWG -- salt water pool). The benefits of the salt system are easier on clothes, eyes, no chlorine smell, simpler maintenance, lower operating costs (chemicals, etc.). The potential downsides are rock structure issues (so don't use a soft rock)... SWG all the way for me. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Not sure where you're at (Texas somewhere I'm assuming). In our middle-upper middle class neighborhood you can get away without a spa, but it's typically expected. Our neighbors built a pool a couple years ago and didn't put one in (budget and "don't want one") and now they're getting bids to put one in (sad to look at the water for 4-5 months and know you can't get in).

Also, 500sf of decking is small (we have ~720 and I think its small once you put a table and few chairs out. Given the size of your space (simply from the pool size) you should have more room... a plan would be helpful to know.