16 July 2024 Finishing Up my OB Pool

[setsailsoon]

Just know that tannins can stain the plaster surface especially given how high the pH is at the surface due to the calcium hydroxide present. You’ll want to wait the full 3-day break in period without adding any chlorine (I pretty sure it’s 3 unless the NPC has changed its guidelines) and then, as soon as those three days are up you’ll want to bring the FC up to 3ppm. I suggest floating trichlor tabs after adding liquid chlorine as it will take time for the CYA to come up and you need the stabilizer anyway. Floating the tabs will ensure a slow source of available chlorine. You can add the sequestering agent at that point too. Don’t worry about the phosphonates in the sequestering agent, they’re not a big deal now.

Here's today's well water sample taken a few minutes ago:

FC 0
CC 0
pH 7.8
TA 270
CH 200
CYA 0
CSI .48

I think the sample must have off gassed a little because previous pH test was 8.2 a few weeks ago.

Chris

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Here's today's well water sample taken a few minutes ago:

FC 0
CC 0
pH 7.8
TA 270
CH 200
CYA 0
CSI .48

I think the sample must have off gassed a little because previous pH test was 8.2 a few weeks ago.

Chris

It’s fine. Just be sure to have lots of acid on hand so you can keep the pH in check. A floater with trichlor tabs helps a little in that regard because it’s an acidic chlorine source.

 

[onBalance]

Sorry, I miss-typed about your water fill source.
In my opinion with what the pH, TA, and CH of your well water is, that should work out very well. Obviously, it will take some time to eventually lower the TA. You'll be swimming soon!

 

[setsailsoon]

Finally some color!

It’s fine. Just be sure to have lots of acid on hand so you can keep the pH in check. A floater with trichlor tabs helps a little in that regard because it’s an acidic chlorine source.

Will do, thanks for your help... it's sort of all over but the crying.

 

[setsailsoon]

Is it tomorrow yet??? Now remember to check the bags to make sure they have YOUR color! Where you here for the mixed up colors? Our TFP person ordered and paid for MAJOR upgrades to his plaster..................he got home to a plain, Jane WHITE plaster.........while down the road they came home to HIS blinged out plaster He got a full chip and redo while the other guy got a blinged out pool!

Now remember do NOT stop the flow of water (saying it for any others that might not have heard any of this before).

Put socks on the ends of the hose and maybe have many extras the change them out due to your well water. The socks will protect the new plaster and help filter the water. Put the end of the hose at the lower part of the pool so the flow will not mess up the new plaster.

Thanks Kim, I just checked every single bag to be sure!

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Wow. They hand mix and trowel it … no pump truck??

 

[setsailsoon]

It’s fine. Just be sure to have lots of acid on hand so you can keep the pH in check. A floater with trichlor tabs helps a little in that regard because it’s an acidic chlorine source.

Just to confirm I should start to fill with water as soon as it's dry.

Wow. They hand mix and trowel it … no pump truck??

All by hand!

 

[setsailsoon]

What's the best way to tell if it's ready for water? And I'll start with tabs as soon as we have a couple feet for the floaters. OK?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

@onBalance is the man for that question. He suggests waiting a lot longer than most plaster applicators would …

 

[setsailsoon]

These guys are working fast! First wall has the finish troweling started already! I had them do a toothpick test before finish troweling started. Not too thick and not too thin!

 

[onBalance]

I suggest you try convincing the plasterers to wait a few hours before filling with water.
If they usually start filling immediately, try to have them wait even 30 minutes. The longer the better up to six hours. High humidity is good for plaster.
Remember, the bottom of the pool is usually done last and needs some time to properly hydrate and harden like the rest of the pool above. Unfortunately, the bottom is first to be submerged in water.
I would like to know how long from start to finish it takes the plasterers to do the job.

 

[setsailsoon]

Lesson learned... check every wall penetration fitting. Ended up short 4 std 1 1/2" wall fittings. Mad dash to local distributor while they prepped the others helped us stay on schedule. Lucky for me they weren't out. We've got a LOT of fittings. 7 returns (4 floor returns for the wall). 3 Bubblers, 10 spa jets, 7 led lights, suction cleaner...

 

[onBalance]

What kind of plaster finish are you having? Sorry I haven't read your entire thread!
Are the plaster applicators planning to wash or acid rinse the finish prior to filling?

 

[setsailsoon]

I suggest you try convincing the plasterers to wait a few hours before filling with water.
If they usually start filling immediately, try to have them wait even 30 minutes. The longer the better up to six hours. High humidity is good for plaster.
Remember, the bottom of the pool is usually done last and needs some time to properly hydrate and harden like the rest of the pool above. Unfortunately, the bottom is first to be submerged in water.
I would like to know how long from start to finish it takes the plasterers to do the job.

Very helpful, I'll make them wait. It's going to take over a day to fill up should I spray it down periodically? I can rig up my irrigation watering system I used to keep the concrete wet for 30 days.

 

[setsailsoon]

What kind of plaster finish are you having? Sorry I haven't read your entire thread!
Are the plaster applicators planning to wash or acid rinse the finish prior to filling?

It's a long, long thread that goes back to the house construction. It's Florida Stucco Gem color is Azure.

 

[setsailsoon]

What kind of plaster finish are you having? Sorry I haven't read your entire thread!
Are the plaster applicators planning to wash or acid rinse the finish prior to filling?

Acid rinse.

 

[onBalance]

I am sorry that I am just giving you this, but here is a very recent article that was written by a friend of mine, an experienced plaster contractor.

Gentle Solutions (Rejecting the Use of Muriatic Acid on Fresh Plaster) - Water Shapes

Using acid on newly installed cementitious surfaces is a bad idea, says plaster expert and teacher Jon Temple. Here he explains his approach to using milder solutions removing mineral residue on exposed aggregate surfaces as a way to avoid common problems and defects.

watershapes.com

Do not spray down the plaster while filling. The high humidity will be good for the plaster surface while filling.

 

[setsailsoon]

I am sorry that I am just giving you this, but here is a very recent article that was written by a friend of mine, an experienced plaster contractor.

Gentle Solutions (Rejecting the Use of Muriatic Acid on Fresh Plaster) - Water Shapes

Using acid on newly installed cementitious surfaces is a bad idea, says plaster expert and teacher Jon Temple. Here he explains his approach to using milder solutions removing mineral residue on exposed aggregate surfaces as a way to avoid common problems and defects.

watershapes.com

Do not spray down the plaster while filling. The high humidity will be good for the plaster surface while filling.

Wow, that all make sense and I believe I happen to have citric on hand. Let me see what I can do. So we expose the pebbles with a pressure wand, right?

 

[onBalance]

I am assuming that your finish is either quartz or pebble. Either one should be gently washed to expose the aggregate.
Not high pressure, but rather low pressure. The plaster cement is relatively soft. Hard enough to walk on but not using high pressure washing. Simply washing is best. Using a strong acid solution is also over-doing it. If acid is all they will use, then convince them to dilute the acid a lot with water. As a general rule, whatever they say, cut it in half. At least. It doesn't take acid to dissolve fresh (less than a day) plaster cement..... just water.

 

[setsailsoon]

I am assuming that your finish is either quartz or pebble. Either one should be gently washed to expose the aggregate.
Not high pressure, but rather low pressure. The plaster cement is relatively soft. Hard enough to walk on but not using high pressure washing. Simply washing is best. Using a strong acid solution is also over-doing it. If acid is all they will use, then convince them to dilute the acid a lot with water. As a general rule, whatever they say, cut it in half. At least. It doesn't take acid to dissolve fresh (less than a day) plaster cement..... just water.

I don't have any citric acid but I spoke with the plaster lead guy. They only use dilute and probably best I can do is get it most dilute I can talk him into...