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Plaster Pools (cont.)
plasterers know how to get the
mix right, with numerous variables that
can affect the finished product. They
also work in a team of 4 - 6 workers, to
get it up before it sets (and cracks).
Small patches? OK, but re-plastering the
entire pool? I would leave that to
plasterers. If YOU prep the pool for
plaster, however, you could save 25% or
so on the job.
What is the procedure for starting up a freshly plastered pool?
There are basically two methods,
chlorine start, or acid start. I do the
acid start which eliminates the brushing
and filtering of plaster dust. The idea
is to drop the
Total Alkalinity level to
zero, and then rebuild it with the
carbonates that are contained in the
plaster dust.
Here's how I do it. As the pool is
filling, immediately after plastering,
add 1 gallon of muriatic acid directly to the water (don't
splash it on the bare plaster) per 5,000 gallons of fill water. With a watch, time the
amount of time it takes to fill up a 1 gallon or 5 gallon bucket with the hose(s) used to fill up
the pool. Do the math to determine how many gallons are added every hour. Divide 5,000 by
the number of gallons coming out of your hose(s) per hour, and you will know how long it
takes to fill 5,000 gallons from the hoses.
When the pool is full, test the Total
Alkalinity. It should be zero. Then test
the
pH, and do a base demand test to
determine how much pH increaser to add.
Add up to 6 lbs of pH increaser at a
time, brushing the pool to distribute
fully. Wait a few hours in between 6 lb
additions. When all of the pH increaser
is added, recheck pH and Total
Alkalinity. Add additional increasers if
needed.
Check
Calcium Hardness levels. If below
180 ppm, add
Calcium Chloride in dissolved form to bring the levels up. Brush pool after any addition
of chemicals. When pH, Alkalinity and Calcium levels are balanced, slowly begin to
chlorinate the pool. Do not shock the pool for a week or so. Leave the pool filter
(and heater, and pool cleaner) off until the chemistry is balanced. Brush frequently to
distribute chemicals added. |
