Maine, Sharkline Matrix 24' Install

[tjroux]

So the time has come. After 10 months of research, planning, bargaining and price comparison.... THE TIME HAS COME!
Schedule:

Friday 5/3- 0:dark30 -Father in law comes over with Bucket loader and transit to start site work ( 18 inch variance between one side of pool to the other, we will decide if we are digging out all 18 inches or taking some dirt from one side and putting on the other ( compacting with the pool installer/contractor's equipment the following day. It was he PB's recommendation to build up no more than 6 inches on one side to the other, wetting and compacting.

Saturday 5/4 - 0:dark30 PB comes over, finish site prep, lay down sand and pavers for up rights. Instead of paying him 1500$ to do ALL of the work and hire his own helper, we are paying him 800$ total cost ( plus 300$ for water truck ) and I am working with him on install. Water truck comes around 1pm or so, then setup pump with Zeo sand ( local pool store swears buy it, gave me a discount cost me the same as regular pool sand )

Sunday 5/5 - whenever i wake up - Might start laying out the deck, test water and figure out what we need to add for chemicals, i have a few bags of shock left over from last year so will be putting that in to clean the water the pool truck is bringing ( probably from our local stream or lake )

Anything else yall can think of? I will be updating this tread as much as I can the next few days.

I borrowed a webcam from work, going to set it up to take a picture ever minute or so and put together in a slide show for yall.

 

[tjroux]

This is how we start ( back yard is a mess )

 

[cramar]

Do you have a proper test kit?

 

[tjroux]

I've read it 100 times on the forums... and I never think "gee, i should order one of those"... i will be soon, i got a cheapy with the pool kit.

 

[tjroux]

Day one complete. Level ground. Pool builder came tonight and was very impressed with my father in laws and I work. When we finished was within 2 inches of level. Pub stopped by and finished that. Compactor in the am and sand arrives at 530 am sharp. I do have video I will edit down and post here. All plumbers crack and bush ******* with be deities out. Hooray.

 

[pwrstrk]

Nice job. Keep us posted !!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Sorry if I'm brief.

 

[Yukon Jack]

Looks like a great project - will enjoy watching the build.

 

[tjroux]

Updates:
Pool is 90% complete. all that is left is the pump, some minor landscaping and a deck. 75% of the way full of water ( will finish in the AM ) Here are the pics ( time lapse video to come when I get some time maybe next week to edit it down.

 

[tjroux]

a few more my wife had.

 

[linen]

Looks like you did a great job tjroux

Will you still post that slideshow?

 

[Casey]

Did you uses pavers? Looks good!

 

[tjroux]

Yeah. Just gotta edit it down. FYI no concrete blocks under verticals. No joke that sand compacted as hard as concrete. No foot prints

 

[tjroux]

Pb is gonna grab some water a d help me get started. Will be reading pool school tonight and tmw.

 

[Casey]

I understand you saying the sand compacted but how long do you think that sand will stay compacted with splash out and weather around the outside of the pool? What about future liner failure due to holes and such inside the pool? Is the warrenty going to cover the pool without the use of pavers? Many members here suggest the need for pavers even on INTEX style pools which are not as strong as metal sided perminant fixures such as Sharkline pools and other big name brand products.

I have a Venture waiting for install in my garage and the manual I requested specifically calls for pavers. I really don't want to see your investment collapse. I believe you missed a very important step in pool construction.

 

[tjroux]

Pool installer told me he never had an issue. Even told him I'd go buy the pavers. This was sand burried under clay. Theres a lot of clay here as well. He's guaranteeing his install seen a few he has done all over Maine and 10 years later are still up and running.

 

[Casey]

Well that's good he's garrenteeing the install. I would have insisted but that's just me!

 

[tjroux]

Casey, I attempted to insist but he said "i've installed over a hundred pools, and not a single one with pavers... all are still standing to this day" he does this on the weekends for a local pool company...
I'll give him the benefit of the doubt

Update:
PB came back today to finish the pump and go over a few things. Installed the ZeoSand as well, back washed... shocked the pool.... Pumps been running for about 3 hrs now and the water is almost clear ( compared to the green/brown swamp water that was delivered yesterday )

 

[Casey]

The pool looks great! I'm just kinda shocked he does it that way.

 

[tjroux]

I was too... The sand was amazing as far as compacting goes... we hit it with that compactor all the way around several times ( more so on the edges ) you walk on it after and it was solid like concrete... We packed some sand around the out side and graded away from the pool down hill... will hit with landscape fabric one morning this week and start putting 1-2 inches of crushed rock around the pool 1-2 ft out, then brick outline... then gras/sod

 

[tjroux]

Ran pump on high all night, water looks crystal clear. Turned it to low for the rest of today and tomorrow. Wife is taking a sample to the local pool store for testing. Reading pool school today and taking their reading and going from there.