New Northeastern Pa Build

So I figured out how much salt we need. I'm good my up to 3200 like suggested. I'm assuming my pool is 20000 gallons so i need 368 lbs. 9 bags 8 lbs. so you guys think I should just go to 2800 which is 7 bags wait and then measure and go from there? Or just go all in at 9 bags?

thanks!
 
I finally am getting caught up on pics. Here is a blast from the past. . . month. lol I know this is old hash to a lot of you guys but for new pool owners going through the process I think it gives a nice picture into the plaster process for quartz at least. it's amazing how all the aggregate was brought out right at the end. it looked so white during the day when doing the plaster and then boom! color! lol

IMG_8552 by Jim, on Flickr


this guy was the star of the show. i thought he was the new guy who did all the bull work but watching him all day i soon realized he was the one sole responsible for keeping al these guys with clean gear, cleaning up after them and organizing them so they could work more efficiently. he was a machine. he moved so quick. but always knew exactly what he was doing coming and going. he didn't miss a beat!
IMG_8559 by Jim, on Flickr

IMG_8575 by Jim, on Flickr

IMG_8579 by Jim, on Flickr

my main man translating for us with the crew. those 2 made it happen with fixing that plug.
IMG_8586 by Jim, on Flickr

IMG_8594 by Jim, on Flickr

IMG_8604 by Jim, on Flickr

lots of other pics on my flicker page. these are just some. use the pool album to see just pool stuff!
 
Add the 7 bags and then measure salt. It's always easier to add more salt to get level up than to drain and add water to get salt level down
I'm still messing with my ic40 trying to dial in the right numbers so just be patient and prepared to try all sorts of things.... longer pump run times, different times of day, adjustment on he percentage etc
You have my number so feel free to reach out and I might be able to save you some heartaches I experienced lol
 
Good to see ya post Big Will...I do the same thing trying to dial in the SWG. The issue now is the low temps, rain and lack of pool use. I had my SWG don to 25% and was still producing too much FC so now I have it off to let the numbers drop and my pump run time has been cut down to 9 hours vs 12.

Also adjusted my valves and my pool cleaner will now run even with pump (2 sped) on low power...bottom line there are lots of things to try...

Oh and as BW said don't over salt the pool...

Add the 7 bags and then measure salt. It's always easier to add more salt to get level up than to drain and add water to get salt level down
I'm still messing with my ic40 trying to dial in the right numbers so just be patient and prepared to try all sorts of things.... longer pump run times, different times of day, adjustment on he percentage etc
You have my number so feel free to reach out and I might be able to save you some heartaches I experienced lol
 
Jim,

Pool deck question here. It looks like you went with pavers over a cement pad? Or am I just not seeing things right? If so, just curious why you went that route as opposed to the usual packed stone/tamped sand base? I'm getting ready to renovate our pool that currently has a concrete deck that will be pulled up and replaced with pavers hence my question. I'm in Delaware not too far away from NE PA, so still considered midatlantic area.
 

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Add the 7 bags and then measure salt. It's always easier to add more salt to get level up than to drain and add water to get salt level down
I'm still messing with my ic40 trying to dial in the right numbers so just be patient and prepared to try all sorts of things.... longer pump run times, different times of day, adjustment on he percentage etc
You have my number so feel free to reach out and I might be able to save you some heartaches I experienced lol

thanks will. I will reach out for sure. My plan for now is to run the pump at its lowest flow rate to getcthe salt generator to run and adjust the percent from there.
 
Jim,

Pool deck question here. It looks like you went with pavers over a cement pad? Or am I just not seeing things right? If so, just curious why you went that route as opposed to the usual packed stone/tamped sand base? I'm getting ready to renovate our pool that currently has a concrete deck that will be pulled up and replaced with pavers hence my question. I'm in Delaware not too far away from NE PA, so still considered midatlantic area.

im on concrete cause it is the only way my dad's buddy and my buddy will bid jobs. In thier experience it's the only way to go. If done right they will never ever move. I have seen 20 year old paver jobs they have done that look like the day hey did them. Ya it's a lot more money but it's the only way to go we believe.

Im on a 4 inch pour with gavel, mesh and rebar just like sidewalks. We did all slopes on the scratch coat so pavers just followed grade.
 
BIG question.

I talked with pentair today about my salt generator. They are kinda worried about me having a CYA of 60 now and running the FC level at 8 like we do here with the CYA curve. They are also worried that I burn off 2.5-3.5 PPM of FC in a day of full sun with and without people swimming in it. He said I need to test for nitrates and phosphates and wants me to get test strips for it. I haven't tested for these here cause you guys don't ever mention it.

Do i need to be worrying here?

jim
 
I would say no worry but I probably would not have told Pentair anything about my levels. My guess is folks outside of TFP don't and may never understand the science TFP uses. You can go to several different pool sights and get different suggestions in certain areas. Yes the basics are fairly close like pH and TA but I think what and how TFP does things all comes together as it should.

Bottom line my pool is clear and as far as I can tell nothing growing in it. We (you and I) have very new pools and I think we should stay the course....

- - - Updated - - -

Someone way smarter than me will come along and answer your question about nitrates and phosphates....sorry if I ranted Jim!
 
im on concrete cause it is the only way my dad's buddy and my buddy will bid jobs. In thier experience it's the only way to go. If done right they will never ever move. I have seen 20 year old paver jobs they have done that look like the day hey did them. Ya it's a lot more money but it's the only way to go we believe.

Im on a 4 inch pour with gavel, mesh and rebar just like sidewalks. We did all slopes on the scratch coat so pavers just followed grade.

Interesting approach for sure. If the underlying pad shifts, that would be problematic as you would have to pull up the pavers and replace the pad in entirety, but that's about the only issue I could see with that approach though. Are you laying down the pavers yourself?

Actually, now that I think about it, it's always cheaper to pour cement pads vs pavers as a general rule. I could have the cement pads poured and then perform the paver installs myself over the pads. I bet taking this approach wouldn't be any more expensive than having pavers professionally installed outright. You got me thinking now! [emoji1]
 
Interesting approach for sure. If the underlying pad shifts, that would be problematic as you would have to pull up the pavers and replace the pad in entirety, but that's about the only issue I could see with that approach though. Are you laying down the pavers yourself?

Actually, now that I think about it, it's always cheaper to pour cement pads vs pavers as a general rule. I could have the cement pads poured and then perform the paver installs myself over the pads. I bet taking this approach wouldn't be any more expensive than having pavers professionally installed outright. You got me thinking now! [emoji1]

It is not an interesting approach it is the best way to install pavers it is the most stable and is the most accurate way. If my whole pad move I have bigger issues than my pavers moving with it. This is the only way my dad's best friend and his kid brother will do installs this is also the way many contractors in my area do it but you also don't see is many jobs done this way because the job cost double the amount and many contractors won't take the chance of losing business in a poor economy at least in my area with giving estimates that are double what other estimates might've been. Most homeowners want what looks pretty on the outside they don't want to spend the money to make sure the bones are done properly because you can't see that. And that's coming from my past 17 years experience in the home theater and automation business and also from the many years of conversations with my buddies and my dad's friends who are all tradesmen. Is the other way wrong not at all my neighbors pavers are on modified and they are poker flat for the past 16 years. But I will put my paver sitting on concrete up against any other install out there and my install years down the line will look better. It just cost a lot more money but in my case since I have friends doing all the work and I am also doing the work then I save. My cousin just did over 4000 ft.² of pavers around his pool he did his I modified the job looks beautiful he asked his contractor to give them a price for concrete underneath the contractor told him I don't even want to give you a price because you won't hire me then.
 
In a properly chlorinated pool phosphates and nitrates are all but irrelevant.

Pentair subscribes to the standard industry practices for chemical levels which does not acknowledge the FC/CYA relationship.

I keep my CYA at 100 and FC around 8-10...

What's wrong with your cell?
 
In a properly chlorinated pool phosphates and nitrates are all but irrelevant.

Pentair subscribes to the standard industry practices for chemical levels which does not acknowledge the FC/CYA relationship.

I keep my CYA at 100 and FC around 8-10...

What's wrong with your cell?

Nothing wrong with it. It's getting installed today. I wanted to check with them to make sure its fine to turn it on without salt to just test it to make sure it powers up properly and then the tech asked me a few questions and it turned into a conversation of ur cya is too high and my fc is too high and I'm loosing too much fc during he day so I must have metals in the pool if my night fc check is ok.
 
im on concrete cause it is the only way my dad's buddy and my buddy will bid jobs. In thier experience it's the only way to go. If done right they will never ever move. I have seen 20 year old paver jobs they have done that look like the day hey did them. Ya it's a lot more money but it's the only way to go we believe.

Im on a 4 inch pour with gavel, mesh and rebar just like sidewalks. We did all slopes on the scratch coat so pavers just followed grade.

Hi Jim! Your pool turned out beautiful!! Congratulations!
Question about the pavers over concrete- would this work for doing travertine over an existing cantilever concrete deck? How is the pool edge above the waterline handled? Is there some type of cap used so you don't see 2 surfaces stacked together? It looks like you accounted for this in your build, but maybe it's not a viable option to do after the fact.
 

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