Our New Pool Build and The FUN (i.e. Stress) that Goes Along with it!

[ajw22]

I really wish they would have come for startup today like originally planned. They said not until Monday afternoon now because the rain we are supposed to be getting today will just knock the chemicals down anyway.

They are just lazy and don't want to work on the weekend. Rain hardly effects pool chemistry unless you have a huge storm and water overflows.

I also really wish they would have come so that we could have our startup kit with the brush. I would have liked to try and brush over the stains and see if they come up any. Maybe I will pick one up when I go to the pool store today to look at/pick up the test kit.

You will not find a TF-100 or K-2006C in pool stores. Don't waste your money on a pool store test kit. Order the TF-100 Test Kits and the Speedstir Magnetic Stirrer and get it in a few days.

Pool Test Kits - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I would also love to be able to vacuum the small debris that's getting through the net cover. I just can't help but feel like we're at a slight disadvantage in starting off on a good foot with the pool. I could go buy all of this stuff but it's just going to wind up being a waste of $ for duplicates of everything we will get in a couple of days, and $ is already tight because of the whole project.

A pool brush will wear out in a few seasons so if you have another it will not go to waste. Buy a pool brush a different size then what they have in the kit they will give you. Get a Whale Brush or a Sweapease - Pool Brushing - Further Reading

Should I test the water now and post the results, and/or wait until after they come to do startup chemicals?

Test it now once you get a TF-100 or K-2006C and log it in PoolMath. It is good to keep track of the changes that happen to know what is going on.

 

[kimkats]

I am with Allen on the brush. I would go ahead and get one and a pole. It will end up being needed in the long run. That way you can at least brush the pool.

 

[MeowMeow724]

Thanks!
I'll try and find a brush today. However, our booklet says to NOT brush the plaster unless the water is circulating... Which it's not yet.
There is a storm rolling in so we will see how it goes.

I just so happened to be near the bag if trash they accumulated during plaster and see bags of both bluestone and marina.
Why would there be both colors used when we chose Marina?
Would they have mixed the two for some reason? If so, I don't think we're getting the color we chose in the end.

 

[ajw22]

I just so happened to be near the bag if trash they accumulated during plaster and see bags of both bluestone and marina.
Why would there be both colors used when we chose Marina?
Would they have mixed the two for some reason? If so, I don't think we're getting the color we chose in the end.

You need to ask them what they did. It would not be the first time wrong materials were used.

Do you like the color it came out?

 

[MeowMeow724]

You need to ask them what they did. It would not be the first time wrong materials were used.

Do you like the color it came out?

It's honestly hard to tell the true color right now. It's been cloudy, and it's covered with a net.
I recall that the color will come out more when brushed also, so it could change.

I mean, it doesn't look terrible from what I can see at this point; but it's definitely more blue than I anticipated, and I said such yesterday while we were scooping things out. We were expecting a greenish-aqua like color that Marina gives off.

 

[ajw22]

Save the evidence but hold off making it an issue until you decide if you like it or not. There is no easy fix at this point.

 

[MeowMeow724]

Question on the test kits::: if we have a SWG/saltwater pool, does it matter which one we get? I just saw something that was a refill kit for k2006 that specifically noted "saltwater" so it made me curious.

 

[ajw22]

Question on the test kits::: if we have a SWG/saltwater pool, does it matter which one we get? I just saw something that was a refill kit for k2006 that specifically noted "saltwater" so it made me curious.

You really have to point out what specific test kit you are asking about. There are so many out there. We only recommend the TF-100 or K-2006C. With those and you have a SWG you should also get the K-1766 Taylor Salt Test

 

[MeowMeow724]

You really have to point out what specific test kit you are asking about. There are so many out there. We only recommend the TF-100 or K-2006C. With those and you have a SWG you should also get the K-1766 Taylor Salt Test

Ok, thank you! I plan to get the TF-100 kit that you recommended, and the magnetic stirrer. I'll add the K-1766 Taylor Salt Test at some point soon'ish ?

 

[MeowMeow724]

Does the pressure on our cartridge filter seem right at under 30? I thought it was supposed to be above 30/32?

 

[ajw22]

Does the pressure on our cartridge filter look right? I thought it was supposed to be above 30/32?

Was your pump running when you took that pic? Your filter pressure is 0.

The green and red indicators are manually set as reminders and you can ignore them.

we recommend you note the clean filter pressure and then backwash when it rises by 25%.

 

[MeowMeow724]

Was your pump running when you took that pic? Your filter pressure is 0.

The green and red indicators are manually set as reminders and you can ignore them.

we recommend you note the clean filter pressure and then backwash when it rises by 25%.

No, our equipment isn't running at all and won't be until startup which will hopefully be tomorrow (and shoulda' been yesterday but "the rain"....).

Something on our paperwork said "no backwashing" as in some feature of the equipment we have doesn't require it. I think because we have a cartridge filter?

 

[ajw22]

You don't backwash a cartridge filter. When the filter pressure rises by 25% is when you should open the filter and wash the cartridge.

Cartridge Filter Use and Care - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Ignore the green and red indicators and just go by the 25% rule for cleaning.

 

[MeowMeow724]

They came and did startup. At least the water is circulating now!
He said we can't use the vacuum yet. ☹
I noticed the vacuum head they gave us in the startup box had rollers on it. The one I had bought but returned had brushes. Maybe because it has rollers, we can't use it yet. I wonder if I still had the one with brushes, that we could. The bottom is pretty yucky.
He said that using it will press the plaster dust down onto the service and leave track marks.
Attaching a pic of the one they gave us ("Theirs"), and the one I had bought (but returned... And may go buy again)

 

[kimkats]

You should go buy one with the brushes again. Think of this.............the brush vacuum is just like brushing the pool with the pool brush with the added bonus of sucking up the yucky stuff! Better to get it up and out so help keep any stains from happening!

 

[MeowMeow724]

You should go buy one with the brushes again. Think of this.............the brush vacuum is just like brushing the pool with the pool brush with the added bonus of sucking up the yucky stuff! Better to get it up and out so help keep any stains from happening!

Thanks! I ordered the one I had already returned once. ? It should be here Wednesday. I'd love to be able to vacuum it! We have the net cover to protect it from the crazy amount of acorns we've had falling, but there's lots of dirt and small debris that falls through.

After reading plaster startup instructions on TFP at the following link, I'll start vacuuming with the new brush style vacuum on Wednesday since we just started up today, and it says after 48 hours start vacuuming. We brushed for the first time today (twice) since the pump was just turned on.

There I an area in the shallow that I don't like the look of. It's along the curve of the wall, onto the floor.. it looks like marks of some sort... from a brush or perhaps the plaster installers. I told my hubby and he just said "it's not a perfect material and i don't see it." ? I'll try and get a photo tomorrow.

I also see a couple of "waves" in the plaster on the sun ledge. I guess it's like they say in our booklet: "it's a hand applied product and will have imperfections. Lights will exaggerate these imperfections."

Start-up New Plaster

The first few months are the most criticle for a newly plastered pool. We're here to share best practices to ensure the plaster will last for many years.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[kimkats]

LOL on the return and re-buy!

A light on in a pool at night is your OCD's worst friend as it will show each and every little bump, hump, boo-boo! There was one job where you could see BOOT PRINTS even in the daylight They had to redo that one!!

 

[MeowMeow724]

LOL on the return and re-buy!

A light on in a pool at night is your OCD's worst friend as it will show each and every little bump, hump, boo-boo! There was one job where you could see BOOT PRINTS even in the daylight They had to redo that one!!

my neighbor's friend who had the same company do their pool told me they had a foot print on theirs, and they didn't make them redo it. ?

ill try and get a photo later of the area I tried to describe. It looks like strokes from the brush or trowel and I actually see it in the daylight, and had a hard time finding it last night with the pool lights.

I told hubby this morning that I thought it could be from the first time brushing yesterday. I tried to brush that area more, more, more this AM and it made no difference.

They say to do the floor last and push the dust towards the floor drain.
I recall learning on here that the dust settling on the plaster can cause staining and that's partly why they didn't want me to use the vacuum yet (and when I explained that to hubby this AM he didn't believe me), so how does one ensure no staining occurs when there is no way to get all that dust off the floor?

 

[kimkats]

I WOULD vacuum it up as that way there is no way for it to stay on the floor. How else will you get it up and out of your pool? I *GUESS* the brushing with the pump on will help get it up and into the filter. To me it makes a LOT more sense to vacuum it up!

 

[MeowMeow724]

Is there supposed to be water flowing throw the the pump basket?