New Pool Build in SoCal

[victorramses3]

Hello!

I found this forum and wanted to post a couple pictures of the pool build we just started.

The pool will be salt water, 17x36 with a 12x6 wading area (approximately 26,000 gallons), no water features, and all Pentair equipment.

I'm looking forward to learning more about maintaining this pool myself and just overall general upkeep.

 

[Texas Splash]

Outstanding! Welcome to TFP!

 

[HermanTX]

I found this forum and wanted to post a couple pictures of the pool build we just started.

The pool will be salt water, 17x36 with a 12x6 wading area (approximately 26,000 gallons), no water features, and all Pentair equipment.

I'm looking forward to learning more about maintaining this pool myself and just overall general upkeep.

Welcome to TFP.
It is a great forum of pool owners with many experts on various processes in construction, maintenance, water balancing, equipment & plumbing, and everything in between.

Suggest you review - Pool Care Basics and also consider purchasing one of the recommended test kits - Test Kits Compared

Since you are pre-gunite - now is the time to verify that you have the proper dimensions for your pool. The gunite should be at least 3 inches on each side of the rebar frame so take that into consideration when measuring.
Also, check your plumbing when that is installed, and they should have it pressure testing when they shoot the gunite to ensure there is no damage to the plumbing that penetrates the walls or the floor.

Here are several articles written for new construction
How to Select Pool Equipment

How to select pool equipment - Further Reading

Construction Tips & Best Practices

Construction Best Practices - Further Reading

Watering New Gunite & Concrete

Watering New Gunite and Concrete - Further Reading

Pool Start-Up Guidelines

Plaster Start-Up Guides - Further Reading

 

[victorramses3]

Welcome to TFP.
It is a great forum of pool owners with many experts on various processes in construction, maintenance, water balancing, equipment & plumbing, and everything in between.

Suggest you review - Pool Care Basics and also consider purchasing one of the recommended test kits - Test Kits Compared

Since you are pre-gunite - now is the time to verify that you have the proper dimensions for your pool. The gunite should be at least 3 inches on each side of the rebar frame so take that into consideration when measuring.
Also, check your plumbing when that is installed, and they should have it pressure testing when they shoot the gunite to ensure there is no damage to the plumbing that penetrates the walls or the floor.

Here are several articles written for new construction
How to Select Pool Equipment

How to select pool equipment - Further Reading

Construction Tips & Best Practices

Construction Best Practices - Further Reading

Watering New Gunite & Concrete

Watering New Gunite and Concrete - Further Reading

Pool Start-Up Guidelines

Plaster Start-Up Guides - Further Reading

Thanks for all the info! I will be combing through all that information shortly.

I am familiar with maintaining pools as I used to work for our city parks department many many years ago and I was my main job to clean and maintain most of the public pools in our parks (one of the reasons I didn't want a pool but my wife and kids won that battle), but I definitely need to read up on it since it's been so long since I did that.

 

[HermanTX]

I used to work for our city parks department many many years ago and I was my main job to clean and maintain most of the public pools in our parks

Residential pools are different from public pools in how they may chlorinate them, or the levels required. Just read up on specifics for the TFP methodology.

 

[Newdude]

but I definitely need to read up on it since it's been so long since I did that.

It's best to just start from scratch. 'The industry' and the government guidelines for commercial pools are stuck in the 80s. Imagine going to the Doctor like it was 1986? We have members that weren't even born then.

Anywho, we evolved with the times, based in science and tweaked by over 1/3 million members over 15 years. We've got it down pretty good. And on the cheap.

Feast your eyes : How Clear is TFP Clear?

And please forgive my terrible manners. Welcome to TFP !!!!

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

To check depth of the water (pool with no raised bond beam) run a string across the top of the bender board and subtract 9”.
If at all possible be on site during this process, numerous questions will come up at this time and it’s best that you have the opportunity to request what is best for you.
Lots of things to know about like all seats/steps cut to a 45 at the edge for better plaster application, hydration afterwards is also important.

 

[victorramses3]

It's best to just start from scratch. 'The industry' and the government guidelines for commercial pools are stuck in the 80s. Imagine going to the Doctor like it was 1986? We have members that weren't even born then.

Anywho, we evolved with the times, based in science and tweaked by over 1/3 million members over 15 years. We've got it down pretty good. And on the cheap.

Feast your eyes : How Clear is TFP Clear?

And please forgive my terrible manners. Welcome to TFP !!!!

Haha no worries!

In all honesty I didn’t deal too much with Pool chemistry. Everything was automated and the equipment was all magnitudes bigger than any residential pool stuff.

I am most definitely approaching this a newb. It’s a lot but looking forward to learning!

 

[victorramses3]

Quick update.....

Gunite is in. The crew showed up while I was at work and it was done by the time I got home. With work I wouldn't have been able to be there while it was getting done but a little notice would've been good. Although, it is on me since I let the builder know he could access my backyard whenever he needed to get anything done.

Here's some pictures of the progress.

 

[victorramses3]

The tile was installed today. One thing I noticed is that the tile isn’t even with the gunite in some spot. I didn’t get a good picture of it but it’s a quarter inch high in some spots. Is this something I should worry about? Will it crack when the coping is poured?

Also, can I keep watering the gunite even though the tile was just installed?

Thanks!

 

[guinness]

The pool will be salt water, 17x36 with a 12x6 wading area (approximately 26,000 gallons), no water features, and all Pentair equipment.

Are you getting any automation or just a Pentair pump and filter?

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Seven straight days of constant hydration for the shell. Then once a day hydration till plaster, you should end up with a foot or so of water in the bottom of the pool at time of plaster.
Pool was out of level when Shotcrete was applied, the tile crew made it level and you shouldn’t have any problems.

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Am I missing something, I don’t see any plumbing or lights in the Shotcrete shell or in any of the previous pictures? I only see one hole in the second step.

 

[gingrbredman]

Am I missing something, I don’t see any plumbing or lights in the Shotcrete shell or in any of the previous pictures? I only see one hole in the second step.

Good eye, didn't even notice that. Where are the returns or lights gonna go?

 

[victorramses3]

Are you getting any automation or just a Pentair pump and filter?

Just a pentair DE filter, pentair pump, and pentair swg. I wish I could afford the automation right now but it's a little more than I am willing to spend on it right now.

 

[victorramses3]

Seven straight days of constant hydration for the shell. Then once a day hydration till plaster, you should end up with a foot or so of water in the bottom of the pool at time of plaster.
Pool was out of level when Shotcrete was applied, the tile crew made it level and you shouldn’t have any problems.

Good to hear! Thanks for the explanation.

 

[victorramses3]

Am I missing something, I don’t see any plumbing or lights in the Shotcrete shell or in any of the previous pictures? I only see one hole in the second step.

I asked my pool builder the same thing. I was under the impression that the plumbing and at least the light fixtures would be installed before the gunite went in, but my pool builder said that since they're going to be digging out a couple feet of the expansive clay soil around the pool and backfilling it with better fill dirt that they are going to come back and just drill the gunite to install the returns and lights. I would assume that drilling after the gunite vs before would be more work but a couple of my neighbors used this same company for their pools and after talking to them they explained that they drilled everything out for them too.

Oh and that one hole there is for the umbrella.

 

[guinness]

Just a pentair DE filter, pentair pump, and pentair swg. I wish I could afford the automation right now but it's a little more than I am willing to spend on it right now.

Since you only have a pool w/ no water features you could probably get the entry level IntelliConnect for around $430 and that will allow you to control your IntelliChlor and pump. Ideally you would want to pair that with an Intelliflo pump. You get two relays which could be used for pool lights. Below is an old review but it gives you an idea of the capabilities.

IntelliConnect Review

I'm a new pool owner that has the IntelliConnect System from Pentair installed. I was not able to find much on this site regarding the IntelliConnect product, so I wanted to share my experience so far. IntelliConnect Install Guide [ Link ] IntelliConnect App User Guide [ Link ] IntelliConnect...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[victorramses3]

Since you only have a pool w/ no water features you could probably get the entry level IntelliConnect for around $430 and that will allow you to control your IntelliChlor and pump. Ideally you would want to pair that with an Intelliflo pump. You get two relays which could be used for pool lights. Below is an old review but it gives you an idea of the capabilities.

IntelliConnect Review

I'm a new pool owner that has the IntelliConnect System from Pentair installed. I was not able to find much on this site regarding the IntelliConnect product, so I wanted to share my experience so far. IntelliConnect Install Guide [ Link ] IntelliConnect App User Guide [ Link ] IntelliConnect...

www.troublefreepool.com

Would I be able to add that at a later date or would I have to add it now? This pool has stretched the budget if I can add it down the road that would be ideal.

 

[guinness]

I can be added later. However it would be easier to get the electrician to hook it up when doing all the other wiring. Think about where you would place the IntelliConnect near the equipment pad as that might be a good location to put the switch for the pool lights. You will also need power for the IntelliConnect.

BTW what model of Pentair pump are you getting? Did you size your IntelliChlor as 2x the size of your pool? Also be aware of pool light choice.

Pentair Lights - Globrite or Microbrite

PB is going to add 2 Globrite lights in the pool, 1 in the spa. I have had results in globrite vs microbrite. Which one is recommended? And why?

www.troublefreepool.com