New F/Glass build DownUnder - Adelaide - What have I let myself in for?... :)

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kimkats said:
Man that is really clearing up nice! When do you think you will be able to vacuum it?

You pH might be higher than 8.2 so be ready to have to test and dose quite a bit to get it down. Also keep any eye on your TA as the acid will also lower it as well.

Kim:kim:
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PB is supposedly meant to carry out startup and full clean etc but probably will not carry that out until the coping is installed (makes more mess I guess).

That might be at least 2 weeks away, as my chosen stone is not available until the 1st maybe 2nd week of May...!

I purchased 5L of HCI - so plenty in reserve... Baking soda will take care of low TA I guess....

Really need that Clear Choice Labs test kit for a more thorough analysis but it wont be here until next week.


Today it looked good enough to swim in, If you didn't touch the floor....:D
 
riley00dog said:
Is that your original choice or did you end up picking a different one?
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It will be our 2nd choice.




Ok - So day 3 with water in the pool, and it is pretty much sparkling clean (the water that is...!) - Floor not so much.....:)


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I checked some of the chemistry this morning:

Total Chlorine >3 (Had left SWG on overnight)

PH 8.2 (still high - So I added more HCI this morning, but not quite as much as suggested by pool calc as I 'm still getting a handle on how the pool reacts - small changes at a time without overshooting hopefully.

TA 60 - Added some sodium bicarbonate to lift it back up slightly and to counteract acid addition.



After lunch I started digging (by hand :crazy:) the trench for my waste water connection - only got half way (yes I'm lazy sometimes). :cool:

I stopped where I need to change the depth and dig much deeper, down to 400mm or so (top of pic) to pass under the pool fence concrete foundation for the glass fence (foundation not constructed as yet).


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I then re-checked my basic pool levels just before dinner...

PH 7.9 (starting to now come down - Added some more acid to drop it further)
Total Chlorine 1.0 (Was >3 in the morning - obviously some burnt off by UV as it was a nice sunny day today and I'm currently not running any stabiliser)
TA 80 (looking OK)


It is great monitoring and adjusting the pool chemistry with TFP as my guide... Being a new pool owner, TFP has given me the confidence to manage the water from day one without being in the dark about managing the pool.
 
So, over the weekend I finished my trenching - all 24 metres of it...:kim: I had to trench deep down to >450mm - roughly where the pool fence (glass) foundation will run across so that the waste pipe will clear the concrete - That was fun...Not...!

My friend who is a plumber will be swinging round this Thursday with some Class 12 50mm pipe, various fittings and lots of glue so we can finish off the waste water run.


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On a lighter note - 'The Clear Choice Labs' Total pool water test kits are now back in stock again, so I just ordered a Total salt water test kit - Should be here later this week which will free me from the very basic 4 way test kit which I have been utilising so far.

Also had a ph call from the solar heating installers who will be fitting my solar water heating system and my 'hidden' sub-floor pool cover mechanism/box. Scheduled for final measure up this Friday and possible install either next week or the week after weather permitting.
 
Oh wow! There’s a lot of work in that trench. Did you hire a trencher? Will be worth it to have the waste properly taken care of. We ran our own overflow plumbing but our backwash will run by a backwash hose directly into a storm water drain below. The drain we hooked the over flow to is uphill about 5 metres so that wouldn’t work. I love the sound of your hidden cover! You will have to post pics. Very exciting about the solar going in too. Will make your pool much more useable. Great progress!
 
riley00dog said:
Did you hire a trencher?
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errr... No..

Started the job on the previous Sunday and I was too lazy to go and hire one...:)


riley00dog said:
I love the sound of your hidden cover! You will have to post pics.
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I was not keen on the hose reel type of covers - the tend to look ugly, especially when weathered a bit and people are always tripping over them etc.

We don't have all that much room either side (narrow sides) of the pool so an underground cover was on the cards from day one - Just had to cough up the extra money over and above a hose reel setup....:-(



kimkats said:
I want to see those poor hands!!

Kim:kim:
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Hands are fine Kim, it's my back that took most of the brunt...:D But seriously I'm fine and it has been all dug out...yay..!
 

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You sound like my hubby! He didn’t hire a trencher either. He didn’t hire a compactor either for the equipment pad. Spent two days doing it by hand... then paid for it for a week. Probably lost quite a bit of hearing too. He did hire the compactor for the tank pad. Half an hour and done lol.

We are stuck with the ugly roller for the cover. We have so little space between the coping and boulders that I doubt we would fit a hide away for it. Really interested in seeing yours.
 
riley00dog said:
YReally interested in seeing yours.
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No problem - will post pics when it arrives and is being installed.

In the mean time - this arrived in the post today - Thanks to Brett over at Clear Choice Labs......!

Now armed with the correct tools to attack my water balancing:



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I really want to verify my FC, CYA CH and Salt levels.

I have been testing TA/PH and basic total chlorine with the 4 way test kit and I'm happy the basic levels are fairly good.

I have been keeping the chlorine a little high (just above 3) via the SWG and I have not yet added any stabiliser to my water as I have been waiting on the kit before adding anything further to my water.

I'm taking the day off tomorrow to run some PVC piping with my friend the plumber so should get some time to perform a full test on the pool water and see if any surprises are present.
 
Purchased one of these the other day at Bunnings ($89).

It has been raining (more to come) here recently and the pool is getting close to full.

I thought it would be prudent to have a pump ready to go in case I don't get a chance to finish off the waste water plumbing before the pool is ready to overflow...:sad:

May also come in handy if I ever have a pump failure etc and the water requires a stir etc.


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Good idea with the pump. Bunnings is 2 mins away from us so will just pop up if we ever need one I think. Speaking of Bunnings, it’s my second home lately. Popped in after work and bought more random bits and pieces for the pool. Still a few things on my list that I can never find there. Do you know where I can find a backwash hose? I might have to go to the pool store... which happens to be next to Bunnings... I just don’t want to go there lol.
 
kimkats said:
It will not always take that long.
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Yep - I'm sure it will take some time with the first few tests

As they say - practice makes perfect.

riley00dog said:
Do you know where I can find a backwash hose? I might have to go to the pool store... which happens to be next to Bunnings... I just don’t want to go there lol.
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I was originally just going to purchase a large diameter hose myself but like you have noted, they are not exactly easy to find.

Bunnings actually sell proper fire fighting hoses but nothing in the range of 50mm ID.

Like you state - pool store may be an option - Just bite your tongue when you are in the store perusing their wares...;)


For my submersible pump - I simply screwed on a brass garden hose adaptor which the pump outlet is designed for.
 
For pool bits and pieces, I like the Aussie Gold brand so far for poles and brushes and whatnot.

There's others that are probably also good, but this online store has served me well: directpoolsupplies.com.au
 

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