Wow. what a learning experience.
I first want to thank Plan C, their organizers Claudia & Karen, and the WLV residents who volunteered their precious time on Saturday and Sunday to help us install over 1000 aquatic native plants at our community Lake.
To all those who missed out, I am sure you wanted to be there. You were missed. You also missed out on a great education about native aquatic vegetation, the different plants and where they grow, and how they interact within our little biosphere.
I was told to let the residents know the lake will look a little different now. Instead of the empty, eroding banks, you will see flourishing plants and insects and birds and (hopefully) more wildlife. It may take 2-3 years to fully grow in, depending on our weather, but it is sure to be beautiful.
It was a personal pleasure for me...I got to muck around in the lake, get dirty planting lemon bacopa and pickerell weed, and get to spend time with people who are concerned about the environmental impact we make on the world around us.
The next time a volunteer event is scheduled, I hope you make time to attend. I am a subscriber to the expression "many hands make for light work". The best gift you could ever give is something that will make this community better down the road.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
As we have mentioned in prior VV’s, the Board has been completing it’s due diligence with regard to the long overdue pool refinish work. Here’s a quick synopsis of what has transpired:
1) The Board voted to solicit engineering drawings and a detailed description of the work needing to be done from GB Collins, a local, well-respected engineering firm. These drawings are available in the office should you be curious.
2) The Board reviewed and approved the drawings and scope of work and determined it would meet both the short- and long-term goals we have for the pool.
3) The engineer’s drawings were approved by the Pinellas County Health Dept.
4) In May/June, the Board put our project out for bid. Pool contractors and suppliers were contacted concerning the remodeling project.
5) Over the course of June, myself, Dick Rayfield (Maint Chair), and Jim Brasby (Dir of Bldg & Grnds) met with various contractors to discuss in depth the scope of work required and their “vision” for implementation according to the engineer’s drawings.
6) Currently, bidding is now CLOSED for this project and WLV is in receipt of 7 bids.
7) At the July meeting, the bids were discussed and narrowed down to the most competitive.
The Board’s vision for the pool is multilayered:
1) Meet the current needs of ALL residents keeping in mind financial limitations
2) Bringing the pool up to both statutory requirements and generally accepted commercial pool standards and practices
3) Ensure the pool will meet the needs of residents for the next 20-30 years with as little cost as possible.
The pool will be shut down in late Sept/early Oct as we end the swimming season and prepare for the renovation. During this time, the ENTIRE pool deck will be closed as necessary to residents as it will be a work zone.
If you have any questions relating to the pool renovation, cost, timeline, or details, PLEASE CONTACT A BOARD MEMBER TO DISCUSS. We anticipate approving the pool contractor at our August 16th Board meeting at 7p at the Clubhouse.
1) The Board voted to solicit engineering drawings and a detailed description of the work needing to be done from GB Collins, a local, well-respected engineering firm. These drawings are available in the office should you be curious.
2) The Board reviewed and approved the drawings and scope of work and determined it would meet both the short- and long-term goals we have for the pool.
3) The engineer’s drawings were approved by the Pinellas County Health Dept.
4) In May/June, the Board put our project out for bid. Pool contractors and suppliers were contacted concerning the remodeling project.
5) Over the course of June, myself, Dick Rayfield (Maint Chair), and Jim Brasby (Dir of Bldg & Grnds) met with various contractors to discuss in depth the scope of work required and their “vision” for implementation according to the engineer’s drawings.
6) Currently, bidding is now CLOSED for this project and WLV is in receipt of 7 bids.
7) At the July meeting, the bids were discussed and narrowed down to the most competitive.
The Board’s vision for the pool is multilayered:
1) Meet the current needs of ALL residents keeping in mind financial limitations
2) Bringing the pool up to both statutory requirements and generally accepted commercial pool standards and practices
3) Ensure the pool will meet the needs of residents for the next 20-30 years with as little cost as possible.
The pool will be shut down in late Sept/early Oct as we end the swimming season and prepare for the renovation. During this time, the ENTIRE pool deck will be closed as necessary to residents as it will be a work zone.
If you have any questions relating to the pool renovation, cost, timeline, or details, PLEASE CONTACT A BOARD MEMBER TO DISCUSS. We anticipate approving the pool contractor at our August 16th Board meeting at 7p at the Clubhouse.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
I was thinking about what to blog while cleaning my pool today and !voila! it came to me - pools. They are a MUST HAVE for many buyers and a HEADACHE for some sellers. The number of pools in Florida has been reported to be WELL OVER 1,000,000... unfortunately, we also lead the nation in drowning deaths as a result.
That said, maintaining a pool can be daunting for new owners. Lucky for me, my wife was a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) in VA and ran many commercial pools. She was always the one to let me know what I was screwing up and how to remedy.
Your husband/wife/significant other not a CPO? We can fix that - we have many local pool supply companies that will test your water for free. Of course, they hope you buy the chemicals their tests say you need. When we had our pool resurfaced, a condition of our warranty was that we had to have the water tested EVERY month. This I do at a local pool supply co.
I'm not going to go over the basics of pool chemistry, as I do not claim to be a pool expert. I have become comfortable with my own pool and spend just about 5-10 minutes PER WEEK cleaning it. BUT EVERY POOL IS DIFFERENT!
The purpose of this blog article was to bring to light something I found out today. During my monthly water test, I was told I had low "Total Alkalinity" and low "Calcium Hardness" due to the 8" of rain we have received. That reminded me I had to drain the pool TWICE this last week.
I googled my pool's "condition" and here's what I found:
The total alkalinity (TA) is a measure of how much of the alkaline substances there are in the water. In the swimming pool water, we are concerned with bicarbonate alkalinity, which should be between 80 ppm and 120 ppm.
When the total alkalinity (TA) is within this range, it prevents rapid pH changes and "stabilises" the pH level.
If the TA is too low, Marbelite and plaster walls will become etched, metals corrode, the pool's walls and floor can stain, the water can turn green, eyes burn and we can have pH bounce (pH rapidly going up and down, seemingly at random).
If the TA is too high, the pH is difficult to adjust, the water becomes cloudy, the pool constantly needs acid (according to your test kit) and the chlorine loses its efficiency as a disinfectant.
It is recommended that you test the TA regularly, but in practice it changes very little in a well-maintained pool.
As for the calcium hardness, I have seen it pull calcium from the pool surface when it is too low:
Low calcium hardness
Low calcium hardness results in corrosive water. The plaster surfaces or tile grouting softens and erodes, metal equipment and accessories oxidize and rust quickly, and the water becomes aggressive. This can lead to staining of the pool's surfaces as well as an eventual need for resurfacing.
Increase low calcium hardness
The calcium hardness level can simply be increased through the addition of calcium chloride or any commercial calcium increaser (which contains CaCl).
Alternatively, in swimming pools that suffer constantly of low hardness due to the quality of the fill water, calcium hypochlorite could be the chlorine of choice. This chlorine adds calcium to the pool water with each addition keeping the level up. Care must be taken to test Conditioner a couple of times a year as this chlorine (65% - 70% CHC) does not contain conditioner in its formulation.
High calcium hardness
High calcium hardness results in scale formation on the pool surfaces as well as scaling in the pipes, plumbing and filter. In extreme cases the water becomes dull and cloudy with the calcium precipitating out into the water rather than onto a surface. High calcium levels will also irritate swimmers, causing sore eyes in particular.
So if you have a pool and have rec'd a bit of rain, make sure you test your pool water. If anything, I hope this post saves you some frustration down the road...
That said, maintaining a pool can be daunting for new owners. Lucky for me, my wife was a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) in VA and ran many commercial pools. She was always the one to let me know what I was screwing up and how to remedy.
Your husband/wife/significant other not a CPO? We can fix that - we have many local pool supply companies that will test your water for free. Of course, they hope you buy the chemicals their tests say you need. When we had our pool resurfaced, a condition of our warranty was that we had to have the water tested EVERY month. This I do at a local pool supply co.
I'm not going to go over the basics of pool chemistry, as I do not claim to be a pool expert. I have become comfortable with my own pool and spend just about 5-10 minutes PER WEEK cleaning it. BUT EVERY POOL IS DIFFERENT!
The purpose of this blog article was to bring to light something I found out today. During my monthly water test, I was told I had low "Total Alkalinity" and low "Calcium Hardness" due to the 8" of rain we have received. That reminded me I had to drain the pool TWICE this last week.
I googled my pool's "condition" and here's what I found:
The total alkalinity (TA) is a measure of how much of the alkaline substances there are in the water. In the swimming pool water, we are concerned with bicarbonate alkalinity, which should be between 80 ppm and 120 ppm.
When the total alkalinity (TA) is within this range, it prevents rapid pH changes and "stabilises" the pH level.
If the TA is too low, Marbelite and plaster walls will become etched, metals corrode, the pool's walls and floor can stain, the water can turn green, eyes burn and we can have pH bounce (pH rapidly going up and down, seemingly at random).
If the TA is too high, the pH is difficult to adjust, the water becomes cloudy, the pool constantly needs acid (according to your test kit) and the chlorine loses its efficiency as a disinfectant.
It is recommended that you test the TA regularly, but in practice it changes very little in a well-maintained pool.
As for the calcium hardness, I have seen it pull calcium from the pool surface when it is too low:
Low calcium hardness
Low calcium hardness results in corrosive water. The plaster surfaces or tile grouting softens and erodes, metal equipment and accessories oxidize and rust quickly, and the water becomes aggressive. This can lead to staining of the pool's surfaces as well as an eventual need for resurfacing.
Increase low calcium hardness
The calcium hardness level can simply be increased through the addition of calcium chloride or any commercial calcium increaser (which contains CaCl).
Alternatively, in swimming pools that suffer constantly of low hardness due to the quality of the fill water, calcium hypochlorite could be the chlorine of choice. This chlorine adds calcium to the pool water with each addition keeping the level up. Care must be taken to test Conditioner a couple of times a year as this chlorine (65% - 70% CHC) does not contain conditioner in its formulation.
High calcium hardness
High calcium hardness results in scale formation on the pool surfaces as well as scaling in the pipes, plumbing and filter. In extreme cases the water becomes dull and cloudy with the calcium precipitating out into the water rather than onto a surface. High calcium levels will also irritate swimmers, causing sore eyes in particular.
So if you have a pool and have rec'd a bit of rain, make sure you test your pool water. If anything, I hope this post saves you some frustration down the road...
Friday, July 9, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
