Moving.. Going to do a DIY Build.

[dcrndl1]

Thanks, I haven't heard of Coral Reef.

 

[ShallowWater]

Question for the experts..

The IntelliFlow VSF 011056 pump specs indicate a sound pressure level of 45dB.
At what speed/flow is this measured?

 

[ShallowWater]

Deck is poured and pressure washing continues today for a #3 ultra fine top cast acid washed finish.

Tile should start Wednesday this week then it's plaster time!

That's just shy of 2,100 sf of deck and took 27cy's of 3,500psi pump mix, 8 finishers and about 6 hours.

 

[Dirk]

There's no way any PB/designer estimate of the water volume of that menagerie of shapes and angles and steps and slopes will be anywhere close!

Right as they finish the plastering (or the acid washing next day if you're getting pebble), they'll start the fill. Just before they do (ya gotta watch 'em, cause they'll do it fast), you run out to the street and take a picture of your water meter numbers.

You'll probably be the one to have to turn off the hose(s), and Murphy's Law will make that in the middle of the night, of course! When you do, take another snap of the water meter numbers. The difference between the two numbers will be the water volume of your pool!

If you want to know, you can take an extra pic between filling the pool and the spa, so you'd then have the volume of each body separately, and the total for both.

You can improve the accuracy of the numbers by limiting water use while filling: turn off any irrigation systems, minimize showers and flushes, postpone running the dishwasher or washing machine until after the fill, etc. The less water you use, the more accurate the numbers. You can even count flushes and subtract them from the total (like a couple gallons per flush), if you want to be crazy about it. But that's overkill. Within even several hundred gallons will be more than fine for your chemical dosing math. And the water meter can be off by a percentage or two anyway.

Whatever number you come up with using "The Meter Method" will probably be 1000s of gallons closer than your PB's guesstimate, or anything you could come up with by measuring the dimensions.

 

[ShallowWater]

...

Whatever number you come up with using "The Meter Method" will probably be 1000s of gallons closer than your PB's guesstimate, or anything you could come up with by measuring the dimensions.

You have put me up to a challenge!

I work in the water industry now and depending on the age, water meters can read up to 20% slow, which means they can read up to 20% less water than passes through the meter. Since this is in my favor, I'm not going to call and ask for my meter to be calibrated or replaced.

Nevertheless, I'll calculate it then check it with the meter. It's a small pool due to depth and I've rough guestimated it at 11,000 gallons and will do a more accurate take off soon so we'll see.

 

[Dirk]

Challenge ON!

 

[Dirk]

When I filled my pool, it was coincidentally around the time I was about to install water meters on a different property, so I had four water meters "in stock!" I hooked one up to my hose and got 12,300. It was brand new, and dedicated to the fill, so I didn't have to think about usage elsewhere. I knew new meters can be off by 1-2%, but I didn't know about them getting worse with age.

All this is somewhat academic. This all comes down to dosing your pool. If you calculate that dosing a gallon of chlorine will get you to an FC of 6, and you later test your pool after dosing and get FC6, then that's all that matters. Same can be said for adding muriatic acid. That, by the way, is the other way you can determine your water volume, or validate your calculations or water meter readings: if your test results align with your dosing calculations, then you know your water volume number is accurate enough.

 

[ShallowWater]

Been a slow go to get from Deck to Tile and Fence and Gate / Preplaster Inspection.

I'll be plastering it looks like next week. Is there a good link here for new pool start up?
I know to start by testing my fill water.
I know I'll need chlorine and acid on hand and not to start the SWG for several weeks.
I know I'll need CyA and some Calcium Chloride to bump the Calcium levels.
I have my brush ready to go.

 

[Newdude]

Plaster Start-Up Guides - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

@kimkats has an amazing assortment as well, and it's considered a right of passage for you to get them. Hang tight.

 

[ajw22]

I'll be plastering it looks like next week. I

Pool Plaster Tips for the Average Homeowner is a good place to begin reading about how to get quality plaster installation.

Ten Guidelines for Quality Pool Plaster There are proper steps to follow for the making of durable pool plaster. There are also improper practices that can lead to early deterioration, discoloration or other failures. Above is a ten-point checklist that will help achieve a lasting and discoloration-free plaster.

A Plastering 'Watch List' Taking control of the plastering process is within reach of any quality-oriented designer or builder, declares Kim Skinner. To help you on your way, he offers this step-by-step guide to managing what should happen on site before, during and after plaster application takes place.

Plaster Installation and Maintenance - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[kimkats]

You rang??? HI!

Plaster links:
Ten Guidelines for Quality Pool Plaster Best one of all
All Plaster Finishes Should Last 20 Years
Not All Color Pigments are Good for Pools How to pick a good color for plaster.
A Plastering 'Watch List' | Professional Watershaping | Watershapes
Trouble Free Pool
Trouble Free Pool

Pool care links:
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule
Pool School - Recommended Levels

Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Trouble Free Pool
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry

Kim

 

[ShallowWater]

Oh man! I knew I should have kept my head in the sand.. Now I've got enough reading to make my head explode!!

 

[ShallowWater]

In addition to plaster I need some help with startup.

IntelliCenter
MasterTemp
Pentair VSF 011056 pumps

Anything I need to do?

I’ll remove the gage on the gas line to the heater and cap it off.

I’ll cut the loop on the skimmer and put in the basket

Install a T and 2 Elbows on the 1.5” vertical riser at the waterfall

How to program the IntelliCenter for control of the system?

My plumber wants an additional $600 to do “start up” which seems ridiculous to me. I held back a 15% retention to get it running but now he wants that plus $600 for start up. Am I off base in my thoughts here?

 

[Dirk]

Well that depends on how he defines "start up." Is it a few hours at the pool adding chemicals and sequestrant, or is it a "real startup" where he brushes the pool and tests and doses the water every day for a month? If he spends 30 minutes a day at $50/hr then that's $750. So $600 would be a very good price. But if he's just going to come once a week and pour in a gallon of chlorine and a gallon of acid, then no.

Either way, you'll get a better startup, and get it done right, and learn a ton about your pool, if you do it yourself, regardless of the price someone else might charge. I did mine myself and I'm glad I did. The folks here saw me through it, every step of the way. (Thanks Marty!)

The importance of maintaining perfect water chemistry is a sliding scale. It goes to how long your finish will last and how it will look. It's never more important than the first day. Then the first week. Then the first month. And the first year. If this is your forever home, and you want your pool to look its best for as long as possible, then do it yourself.

 

[ShallowWater]

I have in the pool some ice chest wells that I am not plastering. Plaster guy says this which I’ve heard before. Is it true or just an excuse for poor workmanship excessive water or calcium?

“Just anything that will be above water must have tile because the the plaster will crack over time if it isn't submerged in water”

Plastered buildings only crack if there’s not enough expansion and shrinkage joints in large areas or if there’s excessive water in the mix but soes crushed marble aggregate differently that washed sand?

 

[ShallowWater]

I’ve had my reagents at 36* F in the back of the fridge for about a year. Still good?

 

[ajw22]

I have in the pool some ice chest wells that I am not plastering. Plaster guy says this which I’ve heard before. Is it true or just an excuse for poor workmanship excessive water or calcium?

“Just anything that will be above water must have tile because the the plaster will crack over time if it isn't submerged in water”

Plastered buildings only crack if there’s not enough expansion and shrinkage joints in large areas or if there’s excessive water in the mix but soes crushed marble aggregate differently that washed sand?

Pool plaster needs to be hydrated to last. Otherwise it will dry out and crack.

There are many different types of plaster and cement mixes. You need to use the correct one for the surface and purpose. Whatever the plaster used on a building you refer to is I doubt it is the same mix as pool plaster.

 

[ShallowWater]

Pool plaster needs to be hydrated to last. Otherwise it will dry out and crack.

There are many different types of plaster and cement mixes. You need to use the correct one for the surface and purpose. Whatever the plaster used on a building you refer to is I doubt it is the same mix as pool plaster.

Thanks you! I'll have him not plaster it but rather I'll stucco it. Stucco doesn't crack if dried out.

 

[ajw22]

Stucco doesn't crack if dried out.

Actually stucco cracks easily.

Are you going to put stucco over wire lathe? That wire lathe will likely rust from moisture from the pool.

I have stucco on my house over plywood and wire lathe. The stucco gets spider cracks and cracks in the corners and I need to have a skim coat of stucco put on about every 10 years.

And I have stucco that was put over block wall posts and a wall with no wire lathe to stabilize it and the stucco cracks and peels off of it.

Expect to be skim coating the stucco every few years.

 

[ShallowWater]

I realize it cracks on a wall if the wall is big enough due to shrinkage and expansion, especially if the water isn't controlled during application.

I'm thinking that due to the size of these elements there won't be much relative shrinkage and expansion. Maybe I'll just leave it exposed shotcrete and tile it later on.