FL Gem French Silver Plaster & Salt Pool Start-up ?

[sevendaysoff]

Hello,
new member to the forum, hope to gain some insight and eventually be able to offer some help .

Our pool is almost done, we went with Florida Stucco Florida Gem French Silver. I was wondering if anyone had any pictures of what their water looks like with this or a similar finish? The pool co. just finished plaster yesterday, pool looked like a light blue/grey paint. I called the pool Co. and the owner was not in, so I called FL Stucco and the rep told me that the pool probably hadnt been exposed. They havent put water in it either yet, which the FL Stucco rep told me they should do by today. I'm still awaiting the call back from the pool co.

Also, we went w/ an aquarite Cl generator system. I was wondering how the startup procedure went with this type system? Will the pool company dump regular Cl in the pool first and then let the generator take over from there? Or is the generator fairly quick at generating free Cl?

sorry for the newbie questions, if anyone else went with french silver and has pics of their pool please post! thanks!

 

[Guest]

Is it filling/full? Maybe they are coming back today to expose it, or maybe they are doing an in pool acid wash. Unless they told you it was done, I'd wait until you hear back as they may just not have finished the process yet.

Do not introduce salt for at least 30 days (and I prefer 60 days) to the pool. Maintain it with liquid while the plaster cures out, and then you can add the salt and get the generator going. I'd really like to see you go the full 60 days. You'll have this pool for a long time so go slow and take care of it; it will take care of you!

Congrats on the new pool

 

[sevendaysoff]

hey bruce!
thanks for your advice. What I have been told is that the pool is plastered and they are coming back today to expose the aggregate and start the fill. I posted the pics in the build thread.

After everything is done they have a "pool school" where they come startup everything and go through the basic processes of maintenance with us. You're advising that if they want to start up the generator then to not allow it right? This is a very reputable company, do you think they will already know this process or is this an inside pro-secret thing? I was just wondering about the initial startup, because I didnt think the generator would be able to get the FC range up to spec in time without manually adding liquid cl. now i see its a bad idea to put salt in until the plaster has cured all together, right?

 

[Guest]

Sounds like you are going to be in good shape, and should be wet for Labor Day

Looks like you have it down on the salt, and I'm sure your builder knows as well (better safe than sorry, though, right?!). Plaster technically takes 28 days to "cure", so that is where the 30 days comes in, and 60 is just a little extra insurance. 30 days before salt is the minimum, and 60 is better!

I'll have to go look for your build page! Sounds like you are going to be having a great weekend!!!

 

[sevendaysoff]

definitely better safe than sorry! i have found so many plaster horror stories just trying to find pics of my finish! I really hope everything comes out good. I was worried when I saw they had plastered it, it didnt look anything like the finish, and they werent filling it with water. Got some relief when I called FL Stucco they said as long as they get it exposed and water in it within the next couple of days no worries.

thanks again for your help!

 

[lborne]

We used Florida Stucco Gem Sky Blue. They applied the plaster and acid washed it right after. Then they began filling it. Once they start to fill, don't stop because it could leave a ring.

It looks really good, but there are some areas of streaking due to not all the pebbles being exposed. I ended up wet acid washing some areas myself to remove the streaking.

I added salt after 45 days, IIRC. Get some liquid chlorine or bleach to use for the next couple months. Its also good to keep some on hand for when you have large swim loads, tons of rain, or the electricity goes out like during a hurricane. The SWG just can't bring it back up fast enough.

 

[sevendaysoff]

hey iborne, thanks for your insight! got a pic of your pool? That color looked really nice I was wondering how it would turn out too. The pool co said it was a 'brighter' blue than we were trying to achieve.

 

[lborne]

I wanted Hawaiian, but was told that was too blue. The Sky Blue has mostly blue chips, but also browns, tan and black that we liked.

Here is a close up taken underwater from a previous thread when I had some terrible repair made.

want-a-good-laugh-t23935.html

And here are some shots not so close up so you get the overall look.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Bornefamily ... struction#

 

[sevendaysoff]

iborne your pool looks great, sorry about that crappy repair, that is completely unacceptable imo! I can wait for a quality repair, the fact that you had to wait and get that crappy repair is ridiculous. looks like a 3 year old tried to patch some drywall.

the pool is up! if anyone is searching for french silver like i was, heres a pic for you:

bruce, if you dont mind i posted in the build thread about the company's equipment guying telling me that "they say to wait 30 days, and you dont want to start a pool with salt, we never do. but we usually only wait 5-7 days max before startng up the generator on every pool we do. i'd like some advice on how to approach this. im calling the stucco manufacturer first thing tuesday AM to get their opinion.

 

[Guest]

The pool looks great!!! Very nice

They can start the generator with or without salt, although I don't see the reasoning. If there is no salt it obviously will not generate any chlorine though. Since the finish is such that it has been acid washed and then cleaned, there is little chance of plaster dust build up in the cell (I always install the cell bypass pipe until I add the salt, at which time I thread in the cell also. Again, better safe than sorry.) so I don't see any downside other than a cell cycling on and off and doing nothing!

Wait 30 days (minimum) for salt. You have the rest of the time you own the pool ahead of you, and the 30 days will pass anyway! It will be worth the wait on your finish. You'll just have to trust me on this one

Congrats again on a beautiful pool

 

[Flance]

iborne your pool looks great, sorry about that crappy repair, that is completely unacceptable imo! I can wait for a quality repair, the fact that you had to wait and get that crappy repair is ridiculous. looks like a 3 year old tried to patch some drywall.

the pool is up! if anyone is searching for french silver like i was, heres a pic for you:

bruce, if you dont mind i posted in the build thread about the company's equipment guying telling me that "they say to wait 30 days, and you dont want to start a pool with salt, we never do. but we usually only wait 5-7 days max before startng up the generator on every pool we do. i'd like some advice on how to approach this. im calling the stucco manufacturer first thing tuesday AM to get their opinion.

Hi. Not sure if you're still on here or not, but am considering your plaster color and the picture isn't coming through anymore. Would you mind reposting so I could see?


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