I've been lurking for a while and learning a lot. I've even switched over to liquid chlorine and quit using my Nature2 based on articles in the forums. So a big thanks to everyone out there for all the information.
I've had my pool for a year and a half and since day 1, the bottom never ever looked good. I followed the PB advice and kept PH low, brushed the pool, added scaletec, jacks magic, etc, etc, since I was continuously told it was scale. Eventually on his advice, I did a no drain acid wash, which didn't help and isn't cheap. Finally after a year and a half of persistence and throwing out some things I learned here at him, he brought a representative of the plaster company by. They also agreed it was scale and offered to do a full acid wash. Wanting my nice blue bottom I paid for, I agreed. The day came, they acid washed, nothing happened. No change to the bottom. The plaster company head guy came out and looked at it. (Severe gray all over the bottom of the pool). He claimed it was something wrong with the fill water, I didn't argue, but I think it was either bad mixing or bad workmanship. He said the only thing he could do is replaster it to fix it.
So after a lot chemicals, a lot of back and forth with the PB, and discussions with the plaster company, they replastered and I finally have the nice bottom I paid for. I have to hand it to the plaster company, they didn't argue and offered to replaster right away. They knew it wasn't right, but I don't think would ever admit out loud it was bad mix or bad workmanship.
It's been a little over two weeks and yes my wife was mad that it was happening right at the beginning of the swim season. The first week I brushed 3 times a day, the second week twice a day and now I'm brushing it once a day (twice if I the time). I really want it to come out nice and from what I have read brushing helps a lot. I have also checked all the numbers almost daily with my own kit (was gone a couple of days) and adjusted accordingly. I'm starting to settle at CYA 35ish between the 30 and 40; CH - appears to be settling at 240; TA - 90 (started at 160; eventually dropped to 50; overshot a tad when raising it) PH - usually at 7.8 when I wake up and I bring it down to 7.2; CL - 3.0ish.
As you can see, I'm spending a lot of time making sure everything is correct.
This is a long winded way of asking should I or can I now start using a metal brush on the pool and will it help me smooth out the couple of remaining areas and trowel marks? Alternatively am I better off keeping with the nylon brush for now? I don't want to mess anything up at this point.
Thanks in advance for reading about my saga and providing your opinion.
PS, If anyone is curious as I was, I think I lost about 1000 Gallons of capacity due to the replaster (read the meter before and after filling both times)
I've had my pool for a year and a half and since day 1, the bottom never ever looked good. I followed the PB advice and kept PH low, brushed the pool, added scaletec, jacks magic, etc, etc, since I was continuously told it was scale. Eventually on his advice, I did a no drain acid wash, which didn't help and isn't cheap. Finally after a year and a half of persistence and throwing out some things I learned here at him, he brought a representative of the plaster company by. They also agreed it was scale and offered to do a full acid wash. Wanting my nice blue bottom I paid for, I agreed. The day came, they acid washed, nothing happened. No change to the bottom. The plaster company head guy came out and looked at it. (Severe gray all over the bottom of the pool). He claimed it was something wrong with the fill water, I didn't argue, but I think it was either bad mixing or bad workmanship. He said the only thing he could do is replaster it to fix it.
So after a lot chemicals, a lot of back and forth with the PB, and discussions with the plaster company, they replastered and I finally have the nice bottom I paid for. I have to hand it to the plaster company, they didn't argue and offered to replaster right away. They knew it wasn't right, but I don't think would ever admit out loud it was bad mix or bad workmanship.
It's been a little over two weeks and yes my wife was mad that it was happening right at the beginning of the swim season. The first week I brushed 3 times a day, the second week twice a day and now I'm brushing it once a day (twice if I the time). I really want it to come out nice and from what I have read brushing helps a lot. I have also checked all the numbers almost daily with my own kit (was gone a couple of days) and adjusted accordingly. I'm starting to settle at CYA 35ish between the 30 and 40; CH - appears to be settling at 240; TA - 90 (started at 160; eventually dropped to 50; overshot a tad when raising it) PH - usually at 7.8 when I wake up and I bring it down to 7.2; CL - 3.0ish.
As you can see, I'm spending a lot of time making sure everything is correct.
This is a long winded way of asking should I or can I now start using a metal brush on the pool and will it help me smooth out the couple of remaining areas and trowel marks? Alternatively am I better off keeping with the nylon brush for now? I don't want to mess anything up at this point.
Thanks in advance for reading about my saga and providing your opinion.
PS, If anyone is curious as I was, I think I lost about 1000 Gallons of capacity due to the replaster (read the meter before and after filling both times)