Fiberglass install started - NJ in the winter

[stephywephy88]

As if pool construction isn't stressful enough, I was just informed that access to my backyard will terminate in about 6 weeks (change of owners). We still need to trench for electrical (waiting on delayed Pentair wifi unit to arrive), pour concrete, and grade in that time. No problem, right!? PB is aware and confident we'll get it done! Fingers crossed for my already problematic blood pressure in these next 6 weeks with rain 4 out of the next 7 days

 

[kimkats]

OH NO! Here is hoping it goes fast and gets done BEFORE you lose the access!

 

[stephywephy88]

We have electricity! The “free” 8streme robot that came with our pool package is doing a great job sucking up tons of leaves that collected over the past 2 months (autocover still pending). Pool is surrounded by very tall oaks just off the right side of the photo, so that’s no easy feat

 

[kimkats]

LOVE the colored lights!!

 

[stephywephy88]

Question for our electrical/automation experts. IntelliConnect is hooked up. I have 1 relay doing pool lights, one relay unused. I’m considering connecting a low voltage transformer in relay 2 for landscape lights (these 2 relays put out 120v).

I also see this leftmost 15a breaker in the off position. Does this look like an unused breaker that could be used to run a new circuit one day (say, run an outlet to a future shed?). No spa or heater, but perhaps a heater in the future. TIA!

 

[ajw22]

I also see this leftmost 15a breaker in the off position. Does this look like an unused breaker that could be used to run a new circuit one day (say, run an outlet to a future shed?).

You need to remove the front panel and see if there are wires connected to that CB before you declare it unused.

 

[stephywephy88]

I forgot that CB is for the autocover (not yet installed). But we have concrete and did some grading today! We have some decent slopes to the right and rear of the pool and I'm a little overwhelmed about how to landscape. We avoided an expensive retaining wall though and beat the clock on the neighbor making settlement on the open lot next door and not being able to get large equipment in anymore Plus, our pump stopped priming today after the PB backwashed and thanks to some TFP quick reading, I was able to figure out there was an air leak and/or clog in the pump basket and we got it going again!

 

[kimkats]

I see mondo grass in your future! VERY easy to maintain and pretty to look at. There is even black mondo grass that I LOVE! It holds the dirt in place and fills in more and more each year.

 

[bmoreswim]

That looks great! I too agree with the mondo grass suggestion, or liriope which is very similar with a variety like Big Blue, which also spreads to fill. Another liriope that is a bit prettier is variegated lirope, though that doesn't spread so much as the clumps just get larger in diameter. Here a link to my pool which shows Big Blue liriope on the right (downhill) side. Big Blue liriope

I'd give your crape myrtle (or whatever the small tree is on that side) maybe a 50/50 shot at making it with the additional soil place on it's root system. But there wasn't another choice besides moving it.

I tend to prefer waves of planting versus individual things, though not exclusively. That can be something you consider as you make your design plans. Also, the younger kids are, the more likely they are to be trouncing through the landscaping to retrieve their toys, so resiliency can play a factor in selection as well. I chose to plant things that bloom mostly in the late spring or summer timeframe, to focus the good looks when we are there most often.

 

[stephywephy88]

Well we got about as much done as we can right now doing landscaping ourselves, even though it doesn’t look like it. I forgot () part of the reason we even got a pool is due to our neighbor’s invasive bamboo, so rocks seemed to be the easiest to manage what bamboo rhizomes survived. Since April we put down 17 tons of 5-8” rip rap around the sloped edges, 2 tons dirt, 3 tons of river rock around the pool perimeter, french drain, and a shed. Deck reno in 2025. When this terrible heat breaks we’ll do topsoil and grass but for now we’re still ripping out bamboo on the right side. Unheated, smaller pool is 90°F, so just added a cheap PVC fountain to help cool things down. Overall loving my TF test kit pro and Pool Math app, autocover, and Intellicenter. Enjoy our drone shot - one day it’ll be a complete yard again

 

[SecoSteve]

That looks GREAT!! Best of luck with your pool! You may want to wait until the fall to seed or sod the rest of the yard. If you do it in the summer, it will initially take, but most likely will fail if not watered enough. The fall will give you the best chance at grass surviving.