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Mine looked pretty much the same after shotcrete (gunite in my case) but it turned out all right. Apparently there's a built-in cover that's removed at plastering. See pics at http://gallery.me.com/kellysean1#100034 My pool has an in-floor system but also two returns for the two skimmers. I'm...

Hey there neighbor! Glad to see I'm not the only Allenite who's taken control of his own pool's destiny. Now if I could get the water temp back below 90...

My builder (Southernwind, in McKinney) did water the gunite for me, but said that if I wanted to supplement, I could and in fact should to give it a better cure. I remember the project manager saying "you can't water it too much." As for acid? No idea. That came after plaster in my case.

Re: Heart of Texas pool build started Glad you decided to STOP going pool-free. And once it's done, be sure to START going trouble-free! Do keep us posted with pics as you progress.

Awesome! Do keep us posted on the progress, the missteps, and the successes.

Beautiful. As my waistline can attest, there's nothing quite like meat smoked low & slow. Woot! Congratulations on a successful party!

Looking great so far! I especially love the natural edge to the coping stone. (My wife insisted on getting bullnose edging on our coping stonework. Blech.)

I keep mine in the range of 3000-3500 ppm.

I'm actually more interested in the brisket. ^_^

Sliced thin, served raw would be a great way to go. Or make a marinade out of soy sauce, mirin, honey, lime juice, wasabi, and crushed ginger. Marinate for an hour in zip-top bag with as much air evacuated as possible. Drain, roll in black sesame seeds, and sear on the highest possible heat...

pH could be a bit lower. My own experience with backswimners matches kimrst's: ever since I started maintaining borates in my pool they nasty little bugs have kept away. Correlation, yes. Causation? Don't know.

Re: Brand new pool - Stonescapes (pebble) finish discolorati That is quite a contrast. Does the floor of the pool match the colored oval? As the owner you are much more likely to notice than your guests—but still, that is quite a contrast.

My builder set up a circular negative-edge spa. When the wind is calm it's like glass—although you wouldn't want to drop your purse on it! Here's a picture: The width of the wall is exactly 12 inches, and the drop is 2.5 inches from outer to inner edge. The full pool, spa, and kitchen...

+1 to the Speedstir. It is outstandingly convenient. And yes, the calcium hardness test would be a huge pain in the booty without it. Get the borates too. I added borax to my pool on a whim and the water feels amazing. But now I have no idea how much I have in there. ^_^

Looks like anodized aluminum. Aluminum is an excellent heat conductor and the anodization process would make it super durable. Certainly lighter than cast iron grates, too. You got me curious now…

I poured a bunch of liquid nitrogen into my pool. It was a cool display! But as for cooling it down, no, not at all. The specific heat of water is really high. It has so much thermal inertia that it'd take enormous amounts of even super cold liquids to make appreciable differences in pool-sized...

I think I count three anxious swimmers in one of those photos. ^_^

Brilliant. Thanks!

Welcome and enjoy the camaraderie and knowledge.

Got a version that doesn't require Micro$oft Word? Say a PDF?

My pool was also shotcrete and had a rather rough appearance: See also: But the finished product seems OK (see the full gallery), though admittedly I'm knocking on wood—now.

Congratulations?!? This guy is nothing but a postwh*re! No, just kidding. Every post I've seen has been cogent, brimming with information, and dead-eye accurate. Heavens forfend he shuffle off this mortal coil, but if he does, I recommend jarring up his brain (in a CYA 60 solution) and wiring...

Welcome friend, neighbor, and fellow newbie. I've pored over hours worth of text here and have built up my confidence and skills and my pool is sparkling clear and my wallet full. ^_^ I hope you will do the same.

My outdoor refrigerator is a Danby DAR482BLS 4.4 Cu ft model with a stainless steel finish. It's more of a small office fridge but it is rated for outdoor use. It does not freeze ice cubes but keeps drinks cold and food in the safe zone under 40°F. Best of all it was about US$250 brand new and...

Oof! Ours are metal and one is in full sun. I'll warn the family. I hope your young one makes a rapid recovery.

Ahh, that explains the rapid relay clicking sounds (and slow response time) when I select a color or mode on my Pentair Mobile Touch remote: the panel is actually turning the power off and on a certain number of times to select the color/mode. Thanks!

Welcome, friend. Prepare for lots of reading and eye-popping insights!

Congratulations! About where on the planet is your new backyard oasis going to be? Looks like a sunny place.

I'm fairly anal retentive, so I was almost tempted to get a digital scale to measure out the powder. That's one way you'd make it a lot more consistent. However, such scales get expensive with microgram precision—which might be required.

Well, it's only five months old, but it's holding up great. No cracking, settling, bulging, or the like. (I did find a tiny prostrate spurge trying to grow out of the sand (where the travertine was cut to accommodate a drain), but it didn't last under my watch. :twisted:)