Akita Pool

[kevin37b]

Things sure are green for Texas this time of year .Looks good .

 

[Baby Grand]

My first dog was a 50/50 Akita-blonde shepard mix.
85 lbs, a smart dog and very well behaved, especially around kids.
Had her while I was living near a small river.
She would often show up for supper with a "waterline" on her flanks.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm not very fast at laying block, and I tend to use a lot more mortar then I should, but eventually, I get there. After Lowes dropped off the block, I spent the next 7 hours laying the first row of 104 blocks. I'm working real hard to get all the interior walls straight and smooth so they tile really nice. One of the concerns was making sure all the dogs can get in and out easily and safely. We figured a set of stairs the full width of the pool was the only solution. Digging the strips and setting concrete forms was beyond my skill set, so I'm building them up with a lot of blocks. 16 across per step. In this picture, I have my string stretched across to get that bottom step perfect. The three rows before that are just fillers and I didn't try real hard installing them.

This is going to take a ridiculous amount of concrete poured into each bock, but it's something I can do one sack at a time after work with no rush to finish.

 

[EddieWalker]

Matsu experienced another growth spurt. We weigh him every Sunday, since we picked him up on a Sunday. Most weeks he gains 4 pounds, but a few weeks he has gained more. This last week he gained 8 pounds, and now weighs 93 pounds. He turned 6 months old back on the 2nd of August. What is really amazing is how thick his legs and feet are. Compared to the others, he's just massive!!!

I like this picture, but his ears are not tilted forward enough from the angle I was at and my wife wont let me post it on FB where all our Akita friends are.

 

[EddieWalker]

My first dog was a 50/50 Akita-blonde shepard mix.
85 lbs, a smart dog and very well behaved, especially around kids.
Had her while I was living near a small river.
She would often show up for supper with a "waterline" on her flanks.

This is Raiden out in our big pond during winter. As you can see in the background, everything goes dormant here in winter and turns brown. Spring, Summer and Fall are all very green and lush here.

All the dogs love to walk into the water and drink it when it's up to their chin. They just sort of walk and drink at the same time. They all do it, so there must be something to it for them. They have never gone out far enough to swim, but there do love to get their feet wet!!!

 

[aczlan]

Are you planning on an extra pre filter to catch the hair in the pool (oversized strainer with a "sock" on it perhaps?)

Aaron Z

 

[jimmysisson]

Amazing what we do for our hobbies! Eddie, see if you can get a mason friend to lend you a trowel that's not so pointy - I think you'd have a better time laying blocks.
Jim

 

[EddieWalker]

Are you planning on an extra pre filter to catch the hair in the pool (oversized strainer with a "sock" on it perhaps?)

Aaron Z

I bought one of these Hayward Skimmers.

http://www.hayward-pool.com/shop/en/pools/skimmers---concrete-i-1070skm

I will install it in the cinder block so my water level is at 3 feet. There is an overflow on the back and two drain lines on the bottom. One will go to a Hayward Max-flo XL pump. Self priming. Model C48D32A04. HP .75 and a Hayward filter: Purex Triton Mytilus FMY. FMY 150. Friends are taking down their pool and giving us the pump and filter.

The skimmer has a basket type screen inside of it that I'm hoping will catch dog hair and leaves. I'm also installing three inlet jets at three corners to create a current in the water to be constantly turning and forcing the water into the forth corner, where the skimmer will be installed.

 

[aczlan]

This is going to take a ridiculous amount of concrete poured into each bock, but it's something I can do one sack at a time after work with no rush to finish.

Why not put a solid block on top of the last course? That way you don't need to fill in the whole stack.
Something like: Shop Solid Concrete Block (Common: 8-in x 8-in x 16-in; Actual: 7.625-in x 7.625-in x 15.625-in) at Lowes.com


Aaron Z

 

[EddieWalker]

I have it in my head that I need to tie all the blocks together with rebar. I went back and fort about having it come up through the pour before pouring the pad for the steps, and finally made the decision to drill into the concrete and epoxy them in place. I now they are not going anywhere, but I still want them held in place with rebar pins.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Here's a stupid question; can you drill and epoxy for rebar in green concrete?

 

[bindian]

View attachment 517785

Okay Eddie, this photo totally lost me. Why cinder block on the bottom, sitting on Concrete?
hugs, Brandi

 

[EddieWalker]

Here's a stupid question; can you drill and epoxy for rebar in green concrete?

With almost 2 inches of rain this morning, it's not happening real soon. I don't know how long you should wait to drill concrete, but I've always heard that the sooner you do it, the softer it is. How long should I wait?

 

[EddieWalker]

Okay Eddie, this photo totally lost me. Why cinder block on the bottom, sitting on Concrete?
hugs, Brandi

Stairs. The row I'm working on in the picture is the last step. The next layer of blocks will not go on top of the row I'm working on in the picture, but will end at the next block in.

For this to be safe for dogs, I wanted the stairs to be the full width of the pool. My two options where concrete forms, or blocks stacked on top of each other. The concrete forms seemed too complicated for what I wanted. They might have been better, but in the end, nobody will know the difference either way. Just my back will remember this for a very long time!!!

 

[Steppenwolfe]

With almost 2 inches of rain this morning, it's not happening real soon. I don't know how long you should wait to drill concrete, but I've always heard that the sooner you do it, the softer it is. How long should I wait?

Go ahead and drill it, and use a masonry grout, you should be fine. AND... I am nominating you for the hardest working man in America... I'm tired just reading the thread...

 

[bindian]

Stairs. The row I'm working on in the picture is the last step. The next layer of blocks will not go on top of the row I'm working on in the picture, but will end at the next block in.

For this to be safe for dogs, I wanted the stairs to be the full width of the pool. My two options where concrete forms, or blocks stacked on top of each other. The concrete forms seemed too complicated for what I wanted. They might have been better, but in the end, nobody will know the difference either way. Just my back will remember this for a very long time!!!

Oh, it looked like you were going all the way across with blocks. I take it the steps will be one cinder block in length?
hugs, Brandi

 

[EddieWalker]

Yes. If you look real close, you can see my string line going across so I can have the edge of the steps perfect. The other three rows are just filler blocks, but for every step, I'll use the string to get the step strait.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Go ahead and drill it, and use a masonry grout, you should be fine. AND... I am nominating you for the hardest working man in America... I'm tired just reading the thread...

Definitely top 3....read TxDon's thread about laying thousands of pavers.....after his heart attack.

 

[clemsonfor]

View attachment 516847

20 foot long 3/8's or #3 rebar is bent, tied and resting on chairs. I put a temporary piece of rebar all around the pool to keep the upright parts in position. Then my wife wanted something to stop the dogs from diving on to of the rebar to impale themselves. I guess Akita's do that kind thing?

our Ex neighbors had a Weimeriner that did it self in that way!!!!

 

[bindian]

Yes. If you look real close, you can see my string line going across so I can have the edge of the steps perfect. The other three rows are just filler blocks, but for every step, I'll use the string to get the step strait.

Oh wow.............that string line is barely visible. Next time try pink string.:thumbsup: Forget the girly color. You can see it a long way off.
hugs, Brandi