Thank you all for everything I know about how to keep my pool in perfect condition!
My pool was built around 1979, and based on the condition of the plaster when I moved into my house, I estimate it is now about fifteen years old (plain white marcite). It is still in good condition, just some minor staining and roughness and a ding here and there from a long history of maintenance errors. The configuration had obviously changed along the way, as the bottom drain and one of the four returns are unused, but the circulation is excellent with its one skimmer and a suction-side robot patrolling the bottom.
I had the tile blasted with kieserite a few years ago when I also had the caulking at the top touched up, still looks great. I replaced the single-speed pump with a VS but retained the 100-sq foot cartridge filter, which works very well but needs cleaning about every six weeks, so I'd like to upgrade to 150 or 200. I replaced the 500W pool light myself with an LED model but the niche is bare concrete and though it takes a top screw, there is no bottom tab so the light floats out a bit at the bottom. I've seen a two-part stainless steel ring with top screw and bottom tab (about $50) that could be fitted in to "fix" it in place, but I'd rather have it done the right way.
A few years ago I started noticing small black spots, starting with a persisent dime-sized bit on the deep-end seat that doesn't scrape off with a fingernail for diagnosis and doesn't respond to chlorine or ascorbic acid or vigorous brushing. Don't know if it's from rebar or a metal deposit or a particularly hardened bit of black algae, but barely conspicuous grain-sized spots growing around the rest of the pool seem to indicate black algae. The pool still looks great unless you look at it as closely as I do, but I'd rather take care of it with a full off-season replaster than with weeks of hard brushing at 30 ppm chlorine when I'd rather be swimming, and use the opportunity to do some other minor upgrades, like a proper niche and plastering over the main drain and unused return.
So here is what I think I need to have done (I'm pretty sure I can upsize the filter myself):
Via PM if needed, any up-to-date advice on contractors serving Tucson known to do good work at a fair price and/or any I should avoid? I'd want to start on it after October and have it all done by April.
My pool was built around 1979, and based on the condition of the plaster when I moved into my house, I estimate it is now about fifteen years old (plain white marcite). It is still in good condition, just some minor staining and roughness and a ding here and there from a long history of maintenance errors. The configuration had obviously changed along the way, as the bottom drain and one of the four returns are unused, but the circulation is excellent with its one skimmer and a suction-side robot patrolling the bottom.
I had the tile blasted with kieserite a few years ago when I also had the caulking at the top touched up, still looks great. I replaced the single-speed pump with a VS but retained the 100-sq foot cartridge filter, which works very well but needs cleaning about every six weeks, so I'd like to upgrade to 150 or 200. I replaced the 500W pool light myself with an LED model but the niche is bare concrete and though it takes a top screw, there is no bottom tab so the light floats out a bit at the bottom. I've seen a two-part stainless steel ring with top screw and bottom tab (about $50) that could be fitted in to "fix" it in place, but I'd rather have it done the right way.
A few years ago I started noticing small black spots, starting with a persisent dime-sized bit on the deep-end seat that doesn't scrape off with a fingernail for diagnosis and doesn't respond to chlorine or ascorbic acid or vigorous brushing. Don't know if it's from rebar or a metal deposit or a particularly hardened bit of black algae, but barely conspicuous grain-sized spots growing around the rest of the pool seem to indicate black algae. The pool still looks great unless you look at it as closely as I do, but I'd rather take care of it with a full off-season replaster than with weeks of hard brushing at 30 ppm chlorine when I'd rather be swimming, and use the opportunity to do some other minor upgrades, like a proper niche and plastering over the main drain and unused return.
So here is what I think I need to have done (I'm pretty sure I can upsize the filter myself):
- Chip out and replace plaster, possibly with quartz or pebblesheen or other product, retaining the existing tile
- Install a proper niche and re-install the pool light
- Get rid of the main drain and unused return
Via PM if needed, any up-to-date advice on contractors serving Tucson known to do good work at a fair price and/or any I should avoid? I'd want to start on it after October and have it all done by April.
Perhaps my opinion is clouded by the fact that I had to search all over creation and eventually do some modification/ fabrication to find the proper O-Ring and float valve to get my main drain back in operation, so now I am playing with "pot odds" 
