New to me pool install.
- Thread starter KirkMc
- Start date
Oh how I feel like a kid in a candy store today. Ordered the thru wall skimmer, a vacuum and vacuum hose today. I can't forget that I ordered my TF100 yesterday. Must say I wasn't expecting a personal email letting me know that my order wasn't going to be shipped yesterday due to weather. Then another email today letting me that it had been shipped. That's just customer service that is almost unheard of these days.
KirkMc,
Thank you for those kind words. It's very rewarding to us.
Decent customer service is not hard if you simply think, "Now, if I was the customer, how would I like this to be handled".
Thank you for those kind words. It's very rewarding to us.
Decent customer service is not hard if you simply think, "Now, if I was the customer, how would I like this to be handled".
I've got my first full set of test results:
Ph 8.2
Fc Off the chart
Tc 18.5
Cc 0
Ch 875
Ta 330
Cya 46
I'd checked cya right after I got my test kit, and had 0. So I figured I needed to get that situation rectified before doing the whole work up. I'll be honest, in previous years when I knew pretty much nothing about pool chemistry. I was just pouring bleach in at random trying to keep the water swimable. Now I want the water crystal clear. And I've already noticed the stabalization of my chlorine with the addition of CYA. I know I still need to work on my numbers, but I gotta go ahead and throw this out there.....Thank you TFP!
My fill water is from my well, which I know has high calcium. Will the high Ch levels cause any damage over time?
Ph 8.2
Fc Off the chart
Tc 18.5
Cc 0
Ch 875
Ta 330
Cya 46
I'd checked cya right after I got my test kit, and had 0. So I figured I needed to get that situation rectified before doing the whole work up. I'll be honest, in previous years when I knew pretty much nothing about pool chemistry. I was just pouring bleach in at random trying to keep the water swimable. Now I want the water crystal clear. And I've already noticed the stabalization of my chlorine with the addition of CYA. I know I still need to work on my numbers, but I gotta go ahead and throw this out there.....Thank you TFP!
My fill water is from my well, which I know has high calcium. Will the high Ch levels cause any damage over time?
elwood58
LifeTime Supporter
You will have to watch your pH very closely with that high CH. If pH gets too high, you will have white scale all over the place.
A PH level of 7.7 and 7.8 is ideal, but really anything between 7.5 and 7.8 is doing fine, while levels between 7.2 and 8.0 are acceptable for swimming.
http://www.troublefreepool.com/content/123-abc-of-pool-water-chemistry
I am curious about your pavers. Did they end up under the liner and if so, did you put anything between them and the liner?
I scooted them back to where the legs rest on the inside half of the paver. Then filled with sand, tamping as I hauled in the sand. Built the sand up to the top of the pavers. The liner actually curves near the bottom so that the bottom is not in contact with any of the pavers. Those are 8"x16" 4" thick concrete pavers. Items I already had laying around, so I figured I'd use them.
I started my hard plumb on my weekend! Got the skimmer installed and plumbed it to the pump. Geeze I'm loving the skimmer the addition! And now I can now actually vacuum the pool, which it was needing.
Here's are the pics:
Things I learned during this install: Holy ****, the water is cold! Adapting PVC to Intex fittings can be a P.I.T.A., but oh so worth it in the long run. It's actually quite liberating to cut a big hole in side of an Intex pool.
Here's are the pics:
Things I learned during this install: Holy ****, the water is cold! Adapting PVC to Intex fittings can be a P.I.T.A., but oh so worth it in the long run. It's actually quite liberating to cut a big hole in side of an Intex pool.
Looking good KirkMc. Did your skimmer seal off? If not get a #3 Philips screwdriver and give them another good "pop". That plastic is tougher than most people think. There is no need for silicone.
Made some more additions/upgrades to the pool on my days off. Figured I needed a better aerator tha just pointing my return my up to break the surface. I was already tired of having to wait two days for the rise in pH to bring down my TA. Of course in order to do adapt the aerator I planned on building I had to put in the Hayward return jet that came with my skimmer. So, on to the pictures!!!
Using parts I had to build my aerator I made a plug to screw into the Hayward return jet so I wouldn't lose too much water while changing them out.
Worked for my purposes!
Return plumbed in. Too bad my local hardware store doesn't carry 22.5 degree elbows, I had to make it look somewhat ugly.
I don't know if just my wishful thinking, but I think hard plumbing gave me a little better flow. You can see my expansion T on the plumbing, getting ready to add the fountain I think my kids will enjoy.
Here's my aerator. I can't take credit it's design, I found some pictures of aerators on the board somewhere. I just made a couple of small changes due to shortage of pipe on hand.
Here's the fountain all plumbed in and ready to go.
And on full power.
I can tell you my 2 and 4 year old kids love the foutain! Now if only the water would warm up. If I could solder copper tubing, I'd probably already have a heater going and plumbed in. We're ready to get in!
Aerator and fountain going at the same time. That should cut down my aeration time.
Over all it was a productive weekend for me. Even got my TA down from 330 to 90.
Using parts I had to build my aerator I made a plug to screw into the Hayward return jet so I wouldn't lose too much water while changing them out.
Worked for my purposes!
Return plumbed in. Too bad my local hardware store doesn't carry 22.5 degree elbows, I had to make it look somewhat ugly.
I don't know if just my wishful thinking, but I think hard plumbing gave me a little better flow. You can see my expansion T on the plumbing, getting ready to add the fountain I think my kids will enjoy.
Here's my aerator. I can't take credit it's design, I found some pictures of aerators on the board somewhere. I just made a couple of small changes due to shortage of pipe on hand.
Here's the fountain all plumbed in and ready to go.
And on full power.
I can tell you my 2 and 4 year old kids love the foutain! Now if only the water would warm up. If I could solder copper tubing, I'd probably already have a heater going and plumbed in. We're ready to get in!
Aerator and fountain going at the same time. That should cut down my aeration time.
Over all it was a productive weekend for me. Even got my TA down from 330 to 90.
It's on the to get list. Friday evening when I was finishing up the foutain the water temp was 68. Yesterday while I was vacuuming it was 62. Guess the aeration might've caused some the drop in temperature, along with the drop in air temp with rain.
Yes, aeration will definitely cool the pool. Good for summer in TX! And nothing drops the temp in my pool like rain! One rain can erase a whole week of solar temp gain. But, we can't complain about rain in TX right now after 4 years of drought. The lake near us went from 12' low to 5' low since Feb. Good news.
Thought I'd update with some pics of kids having fun enjoying the pool. I have to admit, just seeing the smiles on their faces makes it all worth it.
And I finally got started on the pool deck. This may take a little bet to get it done. Due to money constraints I'm having to build the deck in stages. I managed to get the sub deck done on the first stage. Now no making fun of my skills or lack there of on the sub assembly.
And finally, a nighttime shot standing on the deck sub assembly:
And I finally got started on the pool deck. This may take a little bet to get it done. Due to money constraints I'm having to build the deck in stages. I managed to get the sub deck done on the first stage. Now no making fun of my skills or lack there of on the sub assembly.
And finally, a nighttime shot standing on the deck sub assembly:
