Pebble plaster in high Arizona heat?

[onBalance]

I am not sure how effective the polishing was on your pebble finish, but I hope it did improve the smoothness.
As for the plaster crazing, it is common and normal for most cement products. If the crazing isn't visible when underwater, then it should be just fine.
Perhaps find a pool guy that uses scuba gear do perform underwater jobs.

 

[Roger Bull]

I am not sure how effective the polishing was on your pebble finish, but I hope it did improve the smoothness.
As for the plaster crazing, it is common and normal for most cement products. If the crazing isn't visible when underwater, then it should be just fine.
Perhaps find a pool guy that uses scuba gear do perform underwater jobs.

The diamond pads worked well and definitely smoothed it out. It is now much smoother than I expected. I'm very happy with the result.

Working on the drain today we loosened up some of the slurry and now have about 50% flow. Good enough for now. Unfortunately none of the large chunks we loosened made it back to the pump strainer basket. I'll have to spend some time trying to get a small snake up the pipe from the bottom while forcing water down from the top. I'm hoping a scuba shop will rent me gear for a day (I'm certified but no longer own any gear).

 

[onBalance]

Your current experience brings back memories when, in my early years, I was working and later managing my father's pool plastering business, I had scuba gear and did many various underwater jobs in pools and just what you are dealing with. Yes, getting down into the main drain should help to clean out the blockage.

 

[JTAZ]

Yes. It was definitely due to the hot day and the plaster being too wet. Fortunately it is invisible when the pool is full.

Roger -

Is the crazing visible at night when your pool light is on?

 

[Roger Bull]

Roger -

Is the crazing visible at night when your pool light is on?

I just checked and I can not see any sign of the crazing at night with the light on.

 

[Roger Bull]

I spent about 2 hours on the bottom carefully chipping out the slurry that was plugging the main drain and snaking the line. Got most of it out and that line now has about 95% of the flow it should have. Since the enemy of good is better, I stopped there.

I cannot see the crazing now that the pool is filled. I'm sure there are small cracks but I haven't seen them and I'm not going to stress about them.

Bottom line on plastering in the heat, I would strongly advise avoiding it if at all possible.