mommyto2boys: Hello from MD, new pool build

[mommyto2boys]

Hi All,

I am new to the board. We are in the middle of our build here in MD (we are between Baltimore and DC). Started in Sept and they are supposed to come back out tomorrow (not holding my breath) to begin spring work. Here are my specs:

1000 sq. ft, free form gunite construction
50 sq. ft hot tub 7'D raised 18" with stone wall (real stone,, not veneer), 2 spillways 12 jets (or hot pool as my 3 y/o calls it)
3'-9' water depth
rectangular flagstone
1300 sq. ft exposed aggregate patio w/expansion foam
All Building permits
3 cyclac vari-flow skimmers
Gravel bottom, Structural steel reinforcing with #3 93/8"0 Steel skeleton tied on 12" centers both ways with continuous 4 bar beam using #4 (1/2" steel)
Gunite to be a minimum of 6" in floor and vertical walls, 8" cover and 14" bond beam
Notched beam construction
Polaris 3900 sport
tanning ledge w/2 bubblers
Pentair Intellitouch I9
3 benches (2 on each side of deep end and 1 under spa spillover)
Choice of Pentair Triton II Sand, Quad D.E., or Clean and Clear Plus Cartridge (we chose cartridge)
6" tile line and accent tile (LUV tile-BIC-NERO)
Trucked in pool water
BioGuard Chemicals
Hose bib
White plaster standard (Pebble Fina and diamondbrite $9K, Tec 11K)
Loop Loc custom cover
8' SR Smith Diving board Supreme stand w/ frontier III board
SR Smith Basketball hoop installed in concrete
2 intelliBrite color changing lights in pool, 2 on bench under spas shining up into spillover and 1 in spa (5 lights total)
Pentair 60 Salt system IntelliChlor
Pentair 400,000 BTU Propane heater
32' Dolphin water slide in medium gray
Pennsylvania steppers (stones) for steps to get to top of slide
Elegant Aluminum 5' Fence-aprox 240 lin. ft
3 Blue Crab Mosaics PM-CRAB 9" x 6" (one for each bench), PORC-BT10 10"x 10" Turtles x 3 for tanning ledge
5'D, 3'D opening 18" raised propane fire pit (stone will match that of spa)

I am looking forward to learning as much as I can about caring for my pool. I heard about this site from a member who also visits GardenWeb and who has been a huge help to so many people over there.

Thanks.....Megan

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

 

[chem geek]

1000 sq. ft, free form gunite construction
50 sq. ft hot tub 7'D raised 18" with stone wall (real stone,, not veneer), 2 spillways 12 jets (or hot pool as my 3 y/o calls it)
3'-9' water depth
:
Pentair Intellitouch I9
:
Choice of Pentair Triton II Sand, Quad D.E., or Clean and Clear Plus Cartridge (we chose cartridge)
:
BioGuard Chemicals
:
Pentair 60 Salt system IntelliChlor
:
Pentair 400,000 BTU Propane heater

Welcome to TFP!

With 1000 square feet of pool surface and 3'-9' depth, that's quite a large pool. If average depth were 5' (somewhat more shallow end), then that's 37,400 gallons.

I have a Pentair IntelliTouch and it should let you control much of your system. You didn't list the pump you were getting. Is it a Pentair Intelliflo VF? I suspect you might also have a separate pump for your spa jets.

I have a cartridge filter as well, but the key is to get it oversized so that you do not need to clean it very often as that can be a pain (some people prefer smaller cartridges that are easier to clean, but they need to deal with them monthly). I have a 340 square foot 4-cart filter for my 16,000 gallon pool and I only clean it once a year. The pressure doesn't rise at all during that time, but I have an electric safety cover that keeps the pool from getting too dirty. What size Clean & Clear did you get (CCP240, CCP320, CCP420, CCP520)?

You won't have much use for the BioGuard chemicals. You can buy Muriatic Acid at hardware/big-box stores and with a saltwater chlorine generator (IntelliChlor) it is unlikely that you will need any sort of pH Up product (and could use 20 Mule Team Borax for that instead). You won't need algaecides, clarifiers, etc. if you properly maintain your Free Chlorine (FC) level appropriate for your Cyanuric Acid (CYA) level.

I suggest you start by reading the Pool School, especially Water Balance for SWGs. The use of 50 ppm Borates can help keep the pH under control, reduce scaling in the salt cell, and inhibit algae growth, but with your size pool it would be an expensive first dose (but then any initial startup chemicals will be more expensive given the size of the pool).

Congratulations on getting a new pool and spa!

Richard

 

[mommyto2boys]

Hi Richard,

I don't know the size of the cartridge filter but the PB said that we should only have to clean it once, at most, twice a year after the first year. The first year it may not need cleaned at all he said. The deep end is larger and we have a tanning shelf in the shallow end which also reduces its size. In Dec. they filled the pool about 1/2 way with water and it took 24K gallons, so we will be pushing 50K gallons. Something was not plugged properly and all the water drained out. They came and fixed it and all the water that we have received from snow or rain is still in there so it is obviously fixed.

We are getting the IntelliFlo VF. We do have a separate pump for the spa. I would love an electric safety cover, especially with 2 kids but they are very expensive. Our start up chem's are part of the package. They also do the first closing and first opening as part of the package. I will have them service it, but not every week. I need to check out their service plans but I am thinking maybe once a month I will have them come out and do the rest myself. I do dread having to brush it 3 times a day for the first week and 2 times a day the second week. My husband will be doing ATLEAST one brushing a day.

Megan

 

[Melt In The Sun]

My husband will be doing ATLEAST one brushing a day.

 

[zea3]

I would think you would have to clean the cartridge more often with new plaster. I have seen several posts about plaster dust clogging the cartridges and the need for more frequent cleaning until the plaster cures.