It is stressful building a pool! I was in your shoes last year. My prediction is that you will get through this and by this time next year, it will be an insignificant memory. We just opened the pool Friday and the kids were in swimming yesterday. Keep those happy thoughts in your head and know that it will be worth it in the end!
New pool in upstate NY...I've never owned a pool before so I'm looking for advice
- Thread starter Karen14
- Start date
That's right! The first time you are floating in your pool with a tasty beverage the pain will melt away! 
im not sure what you mean by drop off line?
Thanks, I can't wait until this is done.
That's right! The first time you are floating in your pool with a tasty beverage the pain will melt away!
Thanks! Things are progressing again so I know there is an end in sight
so, an update, we are now doing pavers set at a 45 degree angle around the pool. The pb has allowed us to not use his concrete coping so that we can use pavers to blend better with the deck. We are also going to use more curves in the landscaping. I'm not sure how we are going to do our two sets of steps yet but our new landscaper assures us that it will look great. We are going to try to make up the six inches of difference in small amounts in several places so that it will be less noticeable
I have a question. It has been suggested that we can make on of those changes at the pool. That we can have the pavers gradually taper out to a max of 2 inch overhang. (Normal is 1 inch). I didn't want to do this initially because I don't want someone to have to lean up against that if they are sitting on a step and resting their back against the wall. That seems uncomfortable. But our pb said that he can use the wall foam to build up the wall gradually along the crooked wall. He said that he would use 1/4 inch foam and layer it, adding pieces and thickness along the wall to make the pavers all overhang that 1 inch again. Does this sound like a good idea or a bad hack job?
I like the idea of the pavers. The curvy landscape is what I was referring to in my post. I first thought you would have a retaining wall but when I went back through your post, I noticed you were actually sloping downward from the house. Putting curves in that area of different sizes in the landscaping should help to hide the slight flaw. I bet it's going to be gorgeous when you finish. [emoji3]
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thanks, I don't see it as a slight flaw since it has completely changed our whole design but hopefully it will appear that way when all is done. We actually do have two retaining walls going in between the pool and house with steps on each one. We are going to be redesigning those on the fly today as they box them out. I'm not too comfortable with this but I think that is because we have had a clear plan since October and I have no idea what today will bring.
If if anyone has any thoughts about padding the walls with the wall foam to minimize the out of line walls as described in post #103 please comment....thanks
I think the part of the post your referring to is difficult to understand maybe which is why the lack of responce. When you say crooked wall, is the wall straight but just out of parallel with the house ? Or is the wall also bowed? Why would there be an uneven overhang on coping? I suggest a 4' width poured concrete surround to which pavers butt up to. Pour the concrete parallel with the house. Essentially , the concert would be 7" wider on the one end if your figures are correct. All this assumed you want to go back to your old plan and abandon all the new curves you speak of.Then at least you have a your true parallel edge to work off of with pavers .Would not recommend pavered coping in our climate. Just want to caution you not to get too fixated on one flaw and make several other flawes trying to hide it.
Kris
Kris
Kris, Thanks for the advice. That is what I am trying to avoid. I don't mind making things curved and the steps and walls have been resolved. We are just trying to determine if this is a place where we can make adjustments. Basically they would do a paver coping and where the wall is not in line with the house, they would gradually have the paver over hang the pool a bit more until the over hang is about 2 inches. This would "move or turn back" the wall of the pool to make it in line with the house so that it does not look crooked. I did not want different overhangs so the pool builder suggested to use wall foam to pad the area where the overhang is out 2 inches to level it with the 1 inch overhang portion of the wall. My concern is that this involves layering the foam and I'm not sure how durable that will be.
What is your concern about using pavers as a coping? I'm curious because we have heard both that it is ok and that it is not recommended. thanks...
I love the look of brick or paver coping and maybe there there is no worries but my take on it is we're already building a structure in a climate ( northeast) that isn't all that conducive to pools. Have to imagine that's why you don't really see it done around here . That's why vinyl is king here. I have heard great things about your pool builder and I'm sure he'll do a good job in the end. If it were me I would NOT cheat any kind of coping overhang. I thought it was off like 7" to the house?if that's the case and your only gonna gain 1" cheating the overhang , why bother? Especially if your then going to try to visually fix underneath shimming with foam.
It has been a long, and unpleasant process. But we finally have a pool with water. We had water trucked in last friday (6/17) and topped it off with our well (total of about 35,000 gal). However our pump has not been functional (it should be up and running tonight). We have been swimming in it but are feeling like it may not be safe anymore. I bought the TF-100 test kit and took readings on (6/18):
pH - 7.2
FC - 0.5
CC - 1.5
TC - 2.0
TA - 70
CH - 75ppm
CYA - 0
I went to the pool store today because I wanted to get my water tested without using my reagents ( don't have much of the DPD powder in the kit) and figured that I would be testing it tonight and more over the next few days. Their readings were similar except for the TA, CH and chlorine. so on 8/21 at the pool store my levels are:
pH - 7.2
FC - 0
TC - 0.5
TA - 40
CH - 50
CYA - 0
They suggested to make it safe for swimming to add S.O.S. (shock, oxidizer, sanitizer it has 15% sodium dichloro-s triazinetrione and 85% other ingredients) they suggested 4lbs. and that if I sprinkle it into the pool it should be dissolved and safe for swimming within 15 minutes and until I can get things up and running. Does this sound correct?
I'm not sure exactly what this stuff is and I don't want to add anything that will cause problems for me it getting my pool up and running. I am basically on my own here so I want to start out right. My questions are, should I add this SOS? And what should I do once my pump is up and running? My thoughts are to add 17 bags of 40lbs pool salt (came with the pool) tonight and test in the morning. is there anything else I should add at this point?
thanks!
pH - 7.2
FC - 0.5
CC - 1.5
TC - 2.0
TA - 70
CH - 75ppm
CYA - 0
I went to the pool store today because I wanted to get my water tested without using my reagents ( don't have much of the DPD powder in the kit) and figured that I would be testing it tonight and more over the next few days. Their readings were similar except for the TA, CH and chlorine. so on 8/21 at the pool store my levels are:
pH - 7.2
FC - 0
TC - 0.5
TA - 40
CH - 50
CYA - 0
They suggested to make it safe for swimming to add S.O.S. (shock, oxidizer, sanitizer it has 15% sodium dichloro-s triazinetrione and 85% other ingredients) they suggested 4lbs. and that if I sprinkle it into the pool it should be dissolved and safe for swimming within 15 minutes and until I can get things up and running. Does this sound correct?
I'm not sure exactly what this stuff is and I don't want to add anything that will cause problems for me it getting my pool up and running. I am basically on my own here so I want to start out right. My questions are, should I add this SOS? And what should I do once my pump is up and running? My thoughts are to add 17 bags of 40lbs pool salt (came with the pool) tonight and test in the morning. is there anything else I should add at this point?
thanks!
Do not add that to your pool and PLEASE trust YOUR testing. As you can see the P$ gets it wrong more than right. Below you will find what I give to new pool owners. I hope this helps!
Here are some links you will need when you are starting up a pool.
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.
Kim:cat:
Here are some links you will need when you are starting up a pool.
Print these out:
Pool School - Basic Pool Care Schedule
Pool School - Recommended Levels
Bookmark these:
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Make sure to ask any and all questions you might have no matter how small! We have all been where you are at one point.
Kim:cat:
You need chlorine in the pool and you need stabilizer. Will your pool builder be doing the chemicals as part of your build? When I had mine built, the pb initially raised the FC using liquid chlorine and then the SWG took over after that. He also added Enough stabilizer to get started. I took over after that. If you will be handling your own chemicals I recommend following the directions in the links posted by Kim. I also found that reading through other people's experiences in the just getting started forum to be very educational.
thanks so much, I am all on my own which in some ways may be better....just jumping right in ��.
thanks for the links Kim. I have read through those and am finally starting to understand but I don't have the experience. I didn't add the stuff from the pool store.
I added stabilizer in a sock in the skimmer and poured bleach in where the returns are. I thought I had to slam the pool because the water sat for 5 days un pumped and unfiltered but I'm thinking maybe I didn't have to considering my numbers for fc and cc were 0 this morning. I'm slamming at an fc level of 12 ppm and it has not gone done after 5 hours. If it does not go down by tomorrow morning I will have passed all three conditions to stop the slam but how do I get my fc down? The pool went from a nice blue/green color (tan liner) to a brownish green color. Also when can I expect to be able to swim again? Thanks for all of your help!
I've never done a SLAM myself, but it is my understanding that you keep the SWG off and maintain the FC at SLAM values until you've passed all 3 criteria. It seems that the OCLT is usually the last hurdle. Once you are satisfied that your SLAM is done, the FC will drift down on its own. Just test regularly and when you get the FC to a level consistent with your CYA, fire up the SWG to maintain FC.
It is also my understanding that as long as the water is clear, you are safe to swim up to the slam FC level.
It is also my understanding that as long as the water is clear, you are safe to swim up to the slam FC level.
You can go out and squeeze the sock until all of the CYA is dissolved. Once it is dissolved you can consider it in your pool and "protecting and buffering" your FC. Use this chart:
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
If your FC is just below the SLAM level for your CYA target you can go swimming!! CANNON BALL!!! Weeeeeeeeee! LOL
Kim:cat:
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
If your FC is just below the SLAM level for your CYA target you can go swimming!! CANNON BALL!!! Weeeeeeeeee! LOL
Kim:cat:
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,210
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Great post DanielJ! Remember, keep up your Pool School reading though, because “If you end your training now — if you choose the quick and easy path as Vader did — you will become an agent of evil.”
– Yoda
Just having a little fun. A good summary of the SLAM process.
Thank you for all of this helpful information, it is hard to put it all together in the beginning.
Thanks kim, I have a few more things to balance out. is there anywhere that talks about how soon you can use the pool after adding each chemical? I have to increase my cya level still and decrease my TA but I'm not sure it is safe to swim while the stabilizer is dissolving, or how soon after adding bleach or acid.
Thanks, I'm excited to be learning so much about all of this. My kids have been enjoying all of the chemistry that we have been doing!
You can swim with the CYA in the sock. I walk around inside my pool with the sock in my hands LOL.
We say wait about 15 mins (with the pump on) after adding each chemical before going swimming.
So let the kids free in the pool!!!
Kim:cat:
We say wait about 15 mins (with the pump on) after adding each chemical before going swimming.
So let the kids free in the pool!!!
Kim:cat: