First-pool noob

[davidkillion]

Hello Everyone,

I'm a first pool newbie. We're in Discovery Bay, CA and contracted Premier Pools in Antioch to do the work. Dan Grady was great to work with and we would give them an A- on the entire job. Minor issues, all to be expected - but in the end they made everything right.

We went with white plaster, salt water, all Jandy equipment, and solar heating. Stamped concrete cantilever edge with no band looks amazing (picture is before sealing which happens in a couple weeks). Did some black moss rock in water and some on-beam, 12" raised beam with ledger stone for a planter, and a 2-ton rock waterfall. Currently the waterfall looks unnatural, so I have some work to do with landscaping to make it fit in better - but I want to think about it a bit.

Pictures below are before the red/black lava rock (and more black moss rock boulders) are delivered this weekend for the perimeter landscaping. Also, the fence is being stained a redwood color.

My mind is open, and I look forward to learning about how to manage this new labor of love in my back yard. I love discussion forums - I find them to be very effective ways to learn the practical means of solving real world problems!

 

[nedchavez]

That looks so nice!

 

[pwrstrk]

Welcome to TFP !

Very nice looking pool !!

Spend a little time in pool school, oval button top right corner. Lots of good info there.

Any questions ask away.

 

[Patrick_B]

My mind is open, and I look forward to learning about how to manage this new labor of love in my back yard. I love discussion forums - I find them to be very effective ways to learn the practical means of solving real world problems!

They are indeed. I love them for that reason too. Chances are, there is someone who already had and solved the problem and forums are so good like that. Or you can just talk with others who are interested in the same things to trade experiences and ideas with.

Besides...where else are you going to find another nerd to talk shop on pools with?

Welcome to TFP David! That is a beautiful pool you have there.

 

[davidkillion]

Thanks everyone, spending time in Pool School and looking forward to getting fluent at testing.

 

[Patrick_B]

Thanks everyone, spending time in Pool School and looking forward to getting fluent at testing.

Do you have a good kit yet? If not, the TF-100 is the way to go. It has more of the reagents you will use the most of.

 

[davidkillion]

I'm currently in Africa until the 25th. The wife is going to pool school with the builder; I'm anxious to hear what she gets told. I have told her not to buy a test kit from them unless absolutely necessary to maintain the pool until I get home. The idea is that I am going to let them setup the pool initially while I am gone and let her maintain it as recommended by the builder. Then I will test immediately when I get home to see where we are.

Do I buy the test kits from here? http://tftestkits.net/TFTestkits-TF-100-p4.html
Should I get the Salt and Borates tests too?
Can I do BBB with a SWG pool right from the start?

 

[Charlie_R]

Yes, you can buy from http://tftestkits.net

Best to get the TF-100 with the XL option, along with the speedstir.

Start your pool as a BBB, and when you have it stabilized, then switch to the SWG.

 

[davidkillion]

Start your pool as a BBB, and when you have it stabilized, then switch to the SWG.

Thanks! Although I don't know if I am going to have that luxury because the builder is going to get the SWG going while I am out of country.

 

[Charlie_R]

You can always shut it off for a week or two.

My personal opinion is that you will learn your pool more thoroughly as a manually dosed pool, and then you know what to expect should something go south.

The SWG is (again, my opinion) a convenience item, that can in most cases reduces what little workload your pool is to you.