Hi there,

We're building a new 32 x 32 pool and we're about a week out from the Diamond Brite Onyx / Midnight blue (going for a pretty dark finish) plaster going on. I've read several places about acid washing / muratic acid / brushing daily etc and it seems each site has a different method.
I've spoken to my pool builder and he really has been no help. He said they don't usually do any type of acid washing. There's a language barrier there which is making this even that much more complicated. Add in the fact that we're completely new to owning a pool and have no idea what the purpose of any of these things. I feel it's also important to note that we really only have two retail pool builders in our area and they are not helpful AT ALL. It's the main reason we chose to go with a much smaller builder. Up until this point we have been very very pleased with his work and attention to detail. He just seems very lax about the startup process and we're very detail oriented people and want to make sure this is done exactly right.

Here are just a FEW of the questions I have:
Does the plaster dry overnight or do we fill it that same day (we live in Arkansas and the temp highs right now are around 92)?
Do they acid wash the plaster when it's applied or pour it in once there is water in the pool? And, what's the purpose of the acid wash?
When do we start the pump?
When do we start the filter?
When do we start the salt chlorinator?
When can we turn the heater on?
I'm assuming we need to test the water at certain times? What type of test kits do we use?
Do we use a nylon, stainless steel or mix brush on diamond brite (every site had a different opinion on this!)
When is it safe to swim?

Any help/direction would be greatly appreciated!
C & R