New Build... Watkinsville, GA.

[kimkats]

It depends on your contract. Some do the weekly stuff for a set amount of time. Some just throw you a bottle to guess strips and skip away with your last check.

Me? I would want them to GIVE me the chemicals and let me add what is needed using MY test kit and TFP as support. See if they are open to that. When you show them your test kit they may be blown away and let you do your thing!

Kim

 

[mayberry32]

Deck is poured, and liner going in tomorrow morning. Starting to fill tomorrow evening and electrician is hooking up equipment on Monday or Tuesday.

 

[kimkats]

SWEET!!! When will they cut the control joints?

 

[Justify]

I'm not sure but it looks like no vermiculite nor concrete on the bottom? Will they install the liner over dirt?

 

[mayberry32]

They saw cut control joints yesterday morning and vermiculite and liner were added yesterday. Water is filling and is up to the shallow end already. Waiting on electrician tomorrow and some backfilling/grading around the deck. Gas line going in later this week for the heater hookup. Almost there. I think it’s looking really good. And our pool builder has been awesome to work with.

 

[frogabog]

I like your beautiful child. Can I have her?

Pool looks good too!

 

[kimkats]

LOVE that smile!!! Oh and the pool is pretty also! LOL

Kim

 

[mayberry32]

So, fence is in and pool is full of water. They were supposed to hook up electrical and start the pumps and put in chemicals today, but that didn't happen. Apparently, they planned to go from my box outside the house and the needed panel wasn't in there. So, they had to order more electrical wire and they are going from my basement on the other side of my house instead. The equipment is mostly hooked up, and they are trenching in the other line tomorrow. Hopefully, he can add some shock and salt and get everything running tomorrow afternoon. Still hoping to be swimming by this weekend.

With the fence complete, the landscaper is coming out tomorrow afternoon to put the Indiana pea gravel inside the fence and start on the mulch outside the fence. We're getting there, inch by inch. I will say that I'll be especially happy when this project is finished. I look forward to the destination, but I haven't enjoyed the journey. The pool builder is an awesome guy and stands by everything he says. Anyone in the Northeast Georgia area looking to put in a pool, I wouldn't consider using anyone else. He's honest, competent and just a really good guy to deal with. That being said, I'm ready to buy some chemicals from him, but want this pool finished. It's been a long month or so.

 

[kimkats]

Too bad they did not plan the wire better but at least they have a solid plan.

 

[mayberry32]

It's hooked up now, but it was the very end of the day, so they threw in some chlorine to keep it from turning with algae and they are putting the salt in and starting the pump first thing in the morning. After they throw some shock in there and the salt to get the SWG going, he said it may turn a little cloudy for a while and then will be fine. How long after they shock it and add the salt will it be okay to swim?

 

[kimkats]

What does your PB say?? TFP says it is safe to swim when the water is balanced and you can see the bottom of the pool!!

Lets do some housekeeping please. Go up to your name and find the "signature" aka pool info.......kind of pool above or in ground, Plaster, fiberglass, vinyl, size in gals, filter kind, test kit used.

Kim

 

[mayberry32]

There. Done.

PB said it's safe to swim in, but may be a little strong until the next morning. I expect it'll be extra salty right after throwing all those bags of salt in today, until the SWG can start running and the pumps can stir up the water a little bit.

 

[kimkats]

Some people call adding salt day "Diamond Day". They throw everyone in the pool then throw the salt in with them. It looks like diamonds as it floats through the water. The people help mix it all in and it is oh so pretty!

 

[mayberry32]

So, I forgot to get daytime pics yesterday, but we were in from late afternoon until it was very dark last night. Everything looks great and works perfectly! This remote control on my phone is awesome. I can adjust the heat, turn the lights on and off and set the pump schedules, all without going outside. I’m really happy we did this.

 

[mayberry32]

Quick question: when they set up my equipment on Friday, they dropped 20 or so bags of pool salt into the pool to get the SWG running. My ScreenLogic states that the salt content was 2800 ppm then. They said it would creep up and should settle in around 3200 ppm. It's staying at 2850 and not moving after 2 days. My IC60 is set at 70% output and, per the recommendations here, I upsized the SWG to one that is substantially larger than recommended for my pool. Do I need to up the output on the SWG, or do I may be need to drop more salt into the pool? I can't call the PB because it's a holiday weekend and I don't want to bug him after how hard he worked to get this thing finished this week. Thanks for any advice.

I'm also going out and using my TF100 test kit to test everything shortly. That may provide more information, if needed.

 

[mknauss]

Is your SWCG generating chlorine? Any red lights on it? If all green, then the SWCG is happy at the salt level you are at. It would be best to have an independent salt test kit, such as the K1766, as you should not rely on the SWCG in knowing what the salt content of your pool water is. The primary failure mode of a SWCG is to report lower and lower salt levels. If you keep adding salt based on that, you can end up needed to drain a substantial amount of pool water.

 

[mayberry32]

I do have the K1766. Just trying to figure out how to use all this, as it's completely new to me. About to go get all the tests done right now.

All lights on the SWCG are green.

 

[mayberry32]

Okay, ran all my numbers this morning. Here they are:

Salt Level is 3200 ppm
Chlorine is 5
PH is 7.5
Free CL is 6.5, CC is 0, Total Chlorine is 6.5
Calcium Level is 150
Total Alkalinity is 220
CYA is 60

The Calcium level seems high, but everything else looks really good, I think. What can I do to lower the calcium without affecting the other levels, or is that normal in a new vinyl lined pool?

As a side note, we did get quite a bit of concrete dust and small pebbles in the pool when the saw cuts were done. I took my shop vac out this morning to suck out all the small pieces to stop them from getting in the pool. Could the added concrete maybe raise the calcium levels?

 

[mknauss]

Your CH level is of no concern. It would need to get to 400+ppm to be an issue.

Other levels are fine. Keep your FC (no need to use the OTO yellow match test) around that level.

 

[mayberry32]

This thread may have just about run its course, but I want to add that we've been in the pool almost nonstop all weekend. My wife and I have been working around the pool deck: putting furniture together, putting deck boxes together, etc. Every time we get hot, we jump in the pool and cool off, and then get back to work. The kids have had a ton of friends over and we've had a great time. It was a headache to build, but it's worth it. I'm so glad we decided to do this.

As an aside, I got my first snake in the skimmer basket this morning. Opened it up and there was a small copperhead in there. Luckily, I bought a snake pole to grip them with. So, being a venomous snake, I pulled him out and chopped off his head with a shovel. I have a feeling we'll be getting quite a few of them, which stinks because they scare the Crud out of me. Now, I'm worried about the holes under my deck boxes. I might want to seal up the bottoms where they can't get inside them or underneath them.