The Mess Is Now Plastered!

[phonedave]

So if you can be assured that they actually deliver what they say they deliver (5000 gals per truck, or whatever), then you can use the meter trick.

Right before you take over the filling, find your house's water meter and take a pic of the reading. Start your fill hose(s). When the water level gets halfway up the skimmer opening, stop the fill and go out and read the meter again. The difference between the two numbers plus the trucked-in amount will be your water volume. If they're close, and you're close, you should get a pretty decent number, probably way better than the PB's estimate.

You can get a bit closer if you minimize water use in the house while the hose is on: turn off landscape irrigation, minimize showers and flushes, postpone laundry, etc.

If they want some water in the pool before they dump the truck's water, or if you use the hose between trucks, however, then you just keep track of the meter readings and hose use. You're not supposed to let the water level sit in one spot for any length of time during the fill. It can create a permanent ring-stain at the point you paused the fill. So you might want to have the hose running between trucks. However it happens, just track the meter while the fill hose is running and then add it all together when the pool finishes filling.

This might be the only opportunity to do this, because you may never have the pool completely empty again.

Or just buy a hose end water meter for $20

Yeah, your house meter can do the job, but for $20 you can see the amount of water your hose is putting out at a glance and not have to worry about irrigation systems to toilets or anything else.

 

[Dirk]

Or just buy a hose end water meter for $20

Yeah, your house meter can do the job, but for $20 you can see the amount of water your hose is putting out at a glance and not have to worry about irrigation systems to toilets or anything else.

Absolutely true, and I did mine similarly. I used a high quality meter at the end of the hose. But that was before I learned filling a pool as fast as possible is best, and filling it at a steady pace is also beneficial. So the more hoses the better, especially when trucked water is in the mix. Every outdoor hose bib you got, if you can manage it. So that's where the house meter might be a better deal. I could argue accuracy too, but even if I could prove a city's meter is better for accuracy than an end-of-hoser, it doesn't really matter. Just about any way you meter it, flushes and all, will be better than the PB's guess (which is usually all they provide). So do whatever works best for you.

 

[ald2002]

PebbleSheen application today - Blue Surf. Tomorrow acid wash and fill. We are near the finish line.

 

[kimkats]

OH YEAH!!!!

Now run out there and put some socks on the end of the hose. This helps filter the water and keeps the metal off the new plaster.

Make sure the end of the hose is put right by the main drain.

Once the water starts flowing do NOT allow it to stop. If it stops it could cause a ring in the plaster.

Kim

 

[ald2002]

OH YEAH!!!!

Now run out there and put some socks on the end of the hose. This helps filter the water and keeps the metal off the new plaster.

Make sure the end of the hose is put right by the main drain.

Once the water starts flowing do NOT allow it to stop. If it stops it could cause a ring in the plaster.

Kim

Thanks! I had no idea about the socks. Dumb questions. A regular sock tied around the end of the hose? Will this impact the water flow? My pool will start to fill with my hose until the water truck arrives then my hose will finish the job.

 

[kimkats]

Not dumb at all! Yes regular sock around the end of the hose. It should not impact the water flow much at all if any. You could duct tape it to keep it on.

 

[ald2002]

Not dumb at all! Yes regular sock around the end of the hose. It should not impact the water flow much at all if any. You could duct tape it to keep it on.

Thank you so much! Its dark now so I’ll do this on the morning. Not sure if I have duct tape and won’t get to the store in time. How about a rubber band to keep it on?

 

[mguzzy]

Thank you so much! Its dark now so I’ll do this on the morning. Not sure if I have duct tape and won’t get to the store in time. How about a rubber band to keep it on?

NOT IN THE MORNING NOW!
The whole point of getting a sock on the hose is so it won't mess up the plaster! If you wait until morning it will likely be too late. Rubber bands will work great!

 

[Dirk]

Zip ties work well. Or string wrapped a few times around. If you're going to try the meter trick, make sure the plaster crew is on board. They'll start the fill immediately after they're done, whether you're watching them or not. Congrat's on the plaster!!

 

[Dirk]

Here's another tip. After the trucks and crews are gone, you'll be left to monitor the fill. I used a ruler hung over the side to calculate about what time the fill was going to be done. Middle of the night, of course. So I had to wake myself up a few times to make sure I turned the hose off in time.

You'll want to fill the pool to halfway up the skimmer opening (or wherever your PB said to, but generally that's halfway up). Place one or two pieces of good tape to mark that level. It won't make sense now, when it's all dry, but as soon as water starts filling the skimmer, you'll lose track of halfway, especially at night. The water will refract light and distort what you're looking at, so what looks to be halfway won't be. The tape will be your easy-to-see guide.

 

[kimkats]

A rubber band will work just fine. Just make sure it is good and tight.

 

[ald2002]

NOT IN THE MORNING NOW!
The whole point of getting a sock on the hose is so it won't mess up the plaster! If you wait until morning it will likely be too late. Rubber bands will work great!

I couldn’t go out last night - I am a single mom. My pool is not filling. The crew has to acid wash so I have time.

 

[ald2002]

A rubber band will work just fine. Just make sure it is good and tight.

Thank you! Sock on hose and secured with rubber band- check!

 

[mguzzy]

I couldn’t go out last night - I am a single mom. My pool is not filling. The crew has to acid wash so I have time.

Ok.. whew.. i was afraid they finished plastering, threw the hose in and then left.. yes you got time, there is one more step for your plaster

 

[ald2002]

Ok.. whew.. i was afraid they finished plastering, threw the hose in and then left.. yes you got time, there is one more step for your plaster

Oh no and THANK YOU for looking out for my plaster and my pool. I appreciate you. Have a great day.

 

[ald2002]

Ok.. whew.. i was afraid they finished plastering, threw the hose in and then left.. yes you got time, there is one more step for your plaster

@mguzzy @kimkats the pool is filling with my hose until the water tank arrives. Thanks for your help!

 

[spd500]

How exciting! We watched ours fill all day and into the night when they finally finished our plaster. Now you have lots of brushing in your future, and getting the water balanced. I would not rely solely on the builder to balance and maintain the water, our builder has only been here once since our pool was filled over a week ago and the water needed to be adjusted every day.

 

[ald2002]

How exciting! We watched ours fill all day and into the night when they finally finished our plaster. Now you have lots of brushing in your future, and getting the water balanced. I would not rely solely on the builder to balance and maintain the water, our builder has only been here once since our pool was filled over a week ago and the water needed to be adjusted every day.

Agree 100%! PB will start the equipment tomorrow and start the chemicals.

 

[Dirk]

Truck show up yet? We need video of that!!

 

[ald2002]

Truck show up yet? We need video of that!!

Truck show up yet? We need video of that!!

Work got in the way today so I was only able to get a shot from upstairs.