Since you are adding some bicarb while filling , if the pH is 8.2 or higher, add a little acid just prior to the addition of bicarb.
Just learning the chem mgmt here so apologize if this is a silly question, but how much is a “little acid”? I’m guessing your point is see what the pH is and add enough based on pool math and approx gallons to get pH just below 8. Since I’ve got flow rates from both fill hoses running simultaneously (16 GPM) I can estimate gallons based on how long the fill has been going for pool math to give me a decent idea of how much.Since you are adding some bicarb while filling , if the pH is 8.2 or higher, add a little acid just prior to the addition of bicarb.
Good point with unplugging the skimmer. I keep thinking I want stuff done and ready before filling but it’s more like, put hoses in, wait, wait, wait, wait, repeat.I would start with Prep Step 3 and get the hoses filling into the pool.
Once the hoses are running you have plenty of time to unplug the skimmer.
I would not fool with your auto leveler until there is water in the pool. I don’t know how it is setup but I don’t want any water dribbling on your new plaster and staining it. I would leave it for later.
Once I lifted the lid on the leveler and saw the junk in it I immediately grabbed the shop vac. Once I turned on the water line to leveler and saw the junk coming out I’m glad I was 25 feet+ away.Plan on the auto leveler being disgusting. Clean the bucket really well before hand and it might not be a bad idea to turn it on slowly and use a wet dry vac to clean out the nasty before it makes its way into the pool.
Your plan looks good
Be prepared to go through a lot of acid and be mindful that aeration from the water features with a high TA will quickly raise the pH.
After the three weeks of the elevated TA, just target a lower pH (7.5-7.8) and the alkalinity will slowly drop on its own. There’s no reason to do it aggressively.
Congrats!
Not really, but you get to watch the clouds of muck blow into the pool. The suction and return lines usually aren’t too bad since they were already cut and drained for plastering.Is there any good ideas on dealing with whatever comes out? I’m just thinking have the pole and net ready to grab the chunkies and let the filter do the rest.
This looks fantastic!Polish and acid wash done! Funny that the guy couldn't start his weed wacker and he said "I started it first thing in the morning before I left", unhuh .
He went at it for about 5 minutes and I said I smell gas, you've got it flooded. He agreed and decided to wait. I got to see a little of the polishing before having to head down the block for a neighborhood cornhole tournament (we somehow came in second). Anyway, I was keeping a little bit of an eye on things from the camera and came back right when they finished and able to get the hoses in, taped on the deck so they don't get kicked into the pool during one our thousand times going out to look at it.
I started the fill at 1:04PM today and has about 7,000 gallons as of 7:29PM.
My first set of test results right at 5000 gallons (plan to test again around 10,000 gallons)
- pH 8 (guessing it was 8, color was in-between 8.2 and 7.8.)
- CH 300 (is this a testing error? Was thinking it wouldn't change from prior two tests at 275.)
- TA 120
- Temp 69 (took sample from about a foot below water and used an accurate kitchen thermometer right after pulling water from pool)
- This gave me a CSI of 0.49. Felt kinda good with this.
Additions
Attaching some pictures and short videos from plaster yesterday, polishing, and filling.
- Since pH looked to be at 8 I didn't bother with muratic acid before the baking soda.
- I added 5lbs of baking soda. Put in 5 gallon bucket and used wife's hand power mixer to try to get it suspended. Immediately poured it in the deep end and brushed it around a little. Found out it doesn't stay suspended very long as I had quite a bit sitting at the bottom of the bucket. Added more water to the bucket, mixed it some more, walked out to the pool and could see it starting to drop to the bottom of the bucket. Started swirling it around in the bucket and poured it in and brushed some more. Please tell me there is a better way to add baking soda. Also, I brushed the bottom of the deep end where I poured the baking soda for about a minute. Is that necessary and if so should I be brushing it around a little more?
- Added 10 oz HTH Metal, Stain, and Scale Control by pouring it in the deep end in front of one of the hoses. Just let the water flow from the hose push it around.
Pressure washing
Applying second coat of plaster on the wall after scratch coat
Working plaster tight to the tile line.
Down from 7 guys to 4 guys working the plaster, approaching the finish line
Polishing on the baja ledge
Had to chip out a little shotcrete to get the chiller return plug at a lower elevation
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Ready to go, had 7 guys in the pool working the plaster, one was not in picture
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Putting on 1st/scratch coat
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Sponging up water on the baja
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All plaster applied, working it. They used some plastic sheet to keep the water being brushed off the baja from running down that wall. Seemed like a nice practice.
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His second time around the tile line. This time with a towel to wipe of the plaster. Not sure what he used the first time but it seemed to be stiffer than a towel.
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Shallow wall done, starting to pull up the plastic off the travertine.
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While I am generally pleased with their work, I did notice both shallow end corners at the bottom of the wall had a slight grove like the guy pressed a little too hard near the bottom. Picture is standing on the coping looking straight down that corner. Hopefully the plaster isn't too thin here. I brought it to his attention, and he agreed it had a slight grove. He felt it was ok (what else would he say). At the time I noticed it the plaster had already sat a while.
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Day is done and cleaned up and outa there.
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Darker colored plaster circle under skimmer where its return is had lots of hydraulic cement packed in as there was a larger cavity around that return, not sure why it has a larger cavity. Anyway, they said to expect the color difference and it will look like the rest of the plaster after some time, will it?
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That is all for now. Interested in any and all comments.
In between 8.2 and 7.8. Use a thumb from each had to block off above and below what you want to compare. Only look at one at a time and you'll see it's not quite purple enough for 8.2, yet darker than 7.8.pH 8.3 really a guess, what do others see from the picture below?
No biggie. This is the only test you can make up your own drop amount. The color range is the important thing, not the drops or ml. I often have to use 4 drops or even 3 to get back on the right color scale with high FC.If you take a look, it seems like the plastic on the left side actually angles in at the bottom.
For most tests it's one extra drop to prove no further change, then remove the extra drop. You'll have a better feer for it after a while and just know when it's good.I think I read should stop adding when the color doesn't change and use your last drop count of the R-0009.
I'm not saying that PBs inflate the volume to make the astronomical cost seem more reasonable.I have my pool at 15,400 gallons, design was estimated at 20,164 gallons, I've heard that design estimates tend to be overstated, but by nearly 33%, seems ridiculous
If you guess correctly, it'll be a clear 7 after it mixes for 15 mins. Recheck and repeat if necessary. Above range could be higher than it looks and need multiple doses.At least seams similar to last one at between 7.8 and 8.2 so I split the baby and went with 8.0. Thoughts?)
Did pH again with 4 drops. Looks much more like 8.2. Am I honing in. Curious why the need to deviate from the test instructions. I might be sorry I asked, but curious nonetheless. Also, it seems odd to me that when you look near the bottom of the vial the color looks different, maybe more transparent since the plastic angles in (narrows towards the bottom).If you guess correctly, it'll be a clear 7 after it mixes for 15 mins. Recheck and repeat if necessary. Above range could be higher than it looks and need multiple doses.
Also, it looks too red to me. Try 4 drops and see if the color lines up better.
Thanks for the reassurance!Those spider cracks are normal shrinkage and nothing to worry about.