First Pool for Us - Townsville, Australia

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R

rob12345

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Sep 15, 2015
11
Australia
30 lineal metre pool, Zodiac Tri XO Magnesium Chloride Chlorinator (can be changed with push of a button to sodium chloride) - this first post is copied from a local forum, so it covers a week or so of work

Approx 11.5m long and betweem 4 and 6m wide

Before



So with the dig date not to far away, i have been flat out locating our main bore water line, as well as irrigation solenoid cables that i stupidly ran massive distances, instead of actual poly pipe many years ago. The ground got soaked overnight, so digging wasn't too bad, so with all that out of the road (moved across to right of pic, along garden bed), it will be covered with fill later




Been a massive couple of days. First job was to ditch the old bore pump shed, as this is where the pump and filter for the pool will be going as well - we will pour a new slab and build a nicer looking shed over it all. A LOT of irrigation cables, water pipes (bore, town water and rainwater), plus power (Tariff 11, T31 and T33) to all get set up before the slab is poured



Old shed, upended to left, bore casing with pump removed in centre of pic


Part of the fun was pulling up all the irrigation solenoid cables - put down about 9 years ago, and lots more tree roots to contend with now!





The pool builder turned up at 6am, and we decided the final shape and location in the next 15 mins, then the digger started hooking in





End of Day 1



We also, dug a trench dwon the far side of the pool to run an external power point, as well as water for a poolside shower. While getting the digger to trench with his 300mm bucket was quick and nice and easy to lie pipe in a wide trench...there is a heap of dirt to push back in!


Anyway, we are happy with how it looks now, here is a timelapse vid of the dig - pretty awesome at the end where they are starting to steel it all


https://youtu.be/cLtklCF62dg




Well, got home from being away, with a whopping big lump of concrete in the backyard!


Here is the before shot of the old bore site, with the new one having the previously mentioned 3 x power tariffs, 3 x water sources, plus a heap of irrigation control cables and pool plumbing and lights





This is a shot of it all steeled up, - end of day 3 of construction





Start of day 4, they were into it








The pool builder is a top bloke, and thinks its hilarious our 5 yr old wanting to get amongst it - here Lewis is getting the tick of approval!







Finished product looking towards shallow end





I will get a shot of the other end over the next few days.


Just been watering the concrete down and will be another week or two before the pebbles go on

Started framing the new shed up, as well as running power for the various tariffs. Its going to be a lot tidier than the old tin shed that used to cover the bore


 
Good to see an Oz build. They are few and far between.
Looks like it will be a cracker once it's done.
Can't beat the climate on Townsville.
That shady spot you have will be perfect to float with a tinnie ot two.
So what is the depth range? Looks sports pool style.
 
A bit of progress happening at the moment.


First thing though, it finally dawned on me that we had a skate bowl in our backyard...pity i can't skate!





I also got a bobcat in and got the site all levelled. Built up soil on one side where gardens will be eastablished, and left ground level intact where we will put an exposed ag concrete path.


The guys came out yesterday to pebble the steps. I personally didn't like the sandstone look that many people put on steps, so the builder said he always wanted to try steps with a lot more glass than normal. So we mixed the aqua and dark blue glass, along with some black and gold pebbles.





This is then towelled on:





Allowed to start to go off, then the top layer of mortar is sprayed off with water. On the right is the pebbles starting to show through, left is yet to be sprayed





Finished result - not that it really sparkles with water present, looks a little duller without water.


Also, the builder had installed rocks around the deep end, and part way up one side - i only wanted these on the side where gardens will be present, so it doesn't look like rocks just piled on top of the pool edge





A shot looking back from the deep end





Today i hope to get a decent chunk of the shed built, and get the electrical sorted, and the fencing guy is starting as well
 

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Its been a while between updates as i haven't stopped for the last week with work and getting the pool finalised!


This was the start of pebbling the bottom half with a mix of white pebbles and blue glass beads





This was done in the morning, then acid washed that arvo, and start to fill straight away - was great coming home ona Friday arvo and jumping in a (very shallow) pool for the first time with the kids





Due to the fact we have 25mm line from the street, it took around 15 hrs to fill, a bit quicker than i originally had though. Total volume is 60 000L.


This shot was taken mid saturday morning, exactly 3 weeks after the dig





So we got amongst it for a swim, then put all the start up chemicals in and let it circulate for a few days.


Then pulled all the fence down, and boxed up for concrete around part of the pool





Ran a few more power lines before we poured it, then got a couple of mates around to get concreting





For those that haven't seen exposed aggregate done before, it is pretty awesome. After it is finished, spray with sugar and water (sugar is a concrete retardant), then hose off the top later of cement to reveal the aggregate.


This shot shows the process part way through





And, to the stage we are now





Enjoyed finally going for a swim myself after the kids have been in it all week.


And the night shot





Looks amazing at night, with the lights reflecting off the trees around it.


So still tossing up with robot pool cleaners, need to install the shower once the concrete goes off a bit more, as well as start on the gardens around the pool.


Also am about 3/4 done on the new pump shed, so will update some pics later of the other bits.
 
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