My crew thought I was crazy for skipping the water hose
I've been finishing concrete for over ten years, and most folks add some water to the mix on site to make it smoother. I did it too for a long time, but last year I quit completely. At first, it was tough, the concrete set quicker and was harder to smooth out. But I kept at it, and now my floors have a lot less cracking and handle weight better. The other crews give me strange looks when I say no to the hose, but I've seen the good results in my jobs. It needs more work from me, but the finished slab is stronger. I'm not telling everyone to follow, but for my work, it's a big improvement.