I have a new plaster pool and I've been able to answer most all of my questions and concerns just by reading this board and site. Lots of great information - thanks so much!!! I currently have two issues that I haven't been able to resolve and they are driving me crazy! Any thoughts, help or advice will be greatly appreciated.
1) I'm having a constant battle with QUICKLY rising pH. I understand this can be an issue with new plaster pools but I am having to add acid (usually 20oz dry) two and sometimes three times a week. Of course, this lowers the TA, so I then end of up adding more baking soda as well. For example, here is what I've done the past week or so (and have done for the past few months and feels like I'm going to continue doing every week for the rest of my life right now)...
June 18 - pH at 7.9/8 - added acid
June 19 - ph at 7.5, TA at 70 - added baking soda
June 20 - ph at 7.8, TA at 100 - nothing added
June 21 - ph at 7.9, - added acid
June 22 - ph at 7.6 - nothing added
June 23 - ph at 7.8/7.9 - nothing added -
June 25 9am - ph at 8 - (pump starts) added acid
June 25 2pm - ph at 7.4, TA at 80 - (pump stopped) nothing added
June 25 7pm - ph at 7.4, TA at 80 - (pump started) nothing added
June 25 10pm - ph at 7.6 - (pump stopped) nothing added
June 26 9am - ph at 7.7 - (pump started) nothing added
Can this possibly be normal???
Other relevant facts: Water is very clear. Only one person using the pool for about 30 minutes each day. Filter runs 8 hours/day (9am-2pm, 7pm-10pm). Also, I have 3 return jets. Two of them are pointed downward so as not to even break the surface of the water at this point. I can't do this with the third jet because it is located at the end of the pool over the tanning ledge. The water is shallow enough that there is nowhere I can point it that it will not break the surface of the water. Not sure if this is enough to cause a problem or if this is all just completely normal for a new plaster pool?
2) I have a few spots in the plaster that look like rust. They are only on the walls, not the floor so far as I can tell. They are small, like no bigger than an eraser head on a pencil. They are rough to the touch. One side of the pool wall has at least 4 or 5 of these. The other side has only 2. They did not come up all at once but over two or three weeks and a month or so after the pool was filled with water. New ones seem to have stopped appearing at this point - I hope. I keep thinking it is the rebar or something poking through the plaster, but I rubbed a Vitamin C tablet on it and it really didn't seem to phase it. I've scrubbed it was the pool brush and a scotchbrite pad but still no improvement. I have a call in to my pool builder to check it out but of course haven't heard anything back from them yet. Will try to get a picture of one of these spots but obviously can't get a close up because I don't have an underwater camera!
Oh, I have the Taylor K-2006 and here are my current numbers on everything if needed:
FC 2
Ph 7.7
TA 80
CH 320
CYA 35-40
Water is crystal clear and has been since it was filled. The above two issues are really the only problems I've encountered so far.
As far as I know they only added muratic acid and chlorine at startup. I have added dry acid, baking soda and calcium plus as needed to adjust my numbers. Oh, and I did put a 1lb bag of cholrine/shock from Walmart in it early on because they had told me to "shock it once a week or so" but haven't done that again since reading more here. The Pool Frog chlorine must be responsible for the CYA because neither I or they added any. Btw, I am using the Pool Frog right now because it was installed with my new pool and I want to do everything like the pool builder recommends for the first year so they can't say it's my fault if there is a problem! The only variation I have made to their suggestions is to keep the chlorine level around 2 because I'm just not comfortable with the recommended .5 for the Pool Frog. My intention next year is to not replace the mineral pack and start using bleach. I'll keep the Pool Frog chlorine around for vacations.
If you made it this far - thanks for reading!!!
jp
1) I'm having a constant battle with QUICKLY rising pH. I understand this can be an issue with new plaster pools but I am having to add acid (usually 20oz dry) two and sometimes three times a week. Of course, this lowers the TA, so I then end of up adding more baking soda as well. For example, here is what I've done the past week or so (and have done for the past few months and feels like I'm going to continue doing every week for the rest of my life right now)...
June 18 - pH at 7.9/8 - added acid
June 19 - ph at 7.5, TA at 70 - added baking soda
June 20 - ph at 7.8, TA at 100 - nothing added
June 21 - ph at 7.9, - added acid
June 22 - ph at 7.6 - nothing added
June 23 - ph at 7.8/7.9 - nothing added -
June 25 9am - ph at 8 - (pump starts) added acid
June 25 2pm - ph at 7.4, TA at 80 - (pump stopped) nothing added
June 25 7pm - ph at 7.4, TA at 80 - (pump started) nothing added
June 25 10pm - ph at 7.6 - (pump stopped) nothing added
June 26 9am - ph at 7.7 - (pump started) nothing added
Can this possibly be normal???
Other relevant facts: Water is very clear. Only one person using the pool for about 30 minutes each day. Filter runs 8 hours/day (9am-2pm, 7pm-10pm). Also, I have 3 return jets. Two of them are pointed downward so as not to even break the surface of the water at this point. I can't do this with the third jet because it is located at the end of the pool over the tanning ledge. The water is shallow enough that there is nowhere I can point it that it will not break the surface of the water. Not sure if this is enough to cause a problem or if this is all just completely normal for a new plaster pool?
2) I have a few spots in the plaster that look like rust. They are only on the walls, not the floor so far as I can tell. They are small, like no bigger than an eraser head on a pencil. They are rough to the touch. One side of the pool wall has at least 4 or 5 of these. The other side has only 2. They did not come up all at once but over two or three weeks and a month or so after the pool was filled with water. New ones seem to have stopped appearing at this point - I hope. I keep thinking it is the rebar or something poking through the plaster, but I rubbed a Vitamin C tablet on it and it really didn't seem to phase it. I've scrubbed it was the pool brush and a scotchbrite pad but still no improvement. I have a call in to my pool builder to check it out but of course haven't heard anything back from them yet. Will try to get a picture of one of these spots but obviously can't get a close up because I don't have an underwater camera!
Oh, I have the Taylor K-2006 and here are my current numbers on everything if needed:
FC 2
Ph 7.7
TA 80
CH 320
CYA 35-40
Water is crystal clear and has been since it was filled. The above two issues are really the only problems I've encountered so far.
As far as I know they only added muratic acid and chlorine at startup. I have added dry acid, baking soda and calcium plus as needed to adjust my numbers. Oh, and I did put a 1lb bag of cholrine/shock from Walmart in it early on because they had told me to "shock it once a week or so" but haven't done that again since reading more here. The Pool Frog chlorine must be responsible for the CYA because neither I or they added any. Btw, I am using the Pool Frog right now because it was installed with my new pool and I want to do everything like the pool builder recommends for the first year so they can't say it's my fault if there is a problem! The only variation I have made to their suggestions is to keep the chlorine level around 2 because I'm just not comfortable with the recommended .5 for the Pool Frog. My intention next year is to not replace the mineral pack and start using bleach. I'll keep the Pool Frog chlorine around for vacations.
If you made it this far - thanks for reading!!!
jp
