Where does scale go?

[Bart]

I have a gunite pool with a SWG and I'm using borates but I still have a slight scale problem. I'm constantly lowering the pH and brushing/scraping to remove the scale. Most of it is very small and turns into "dust" as I brush it, but some is larger and comes off in "chunks" (especially on the tile above the water line).

Anyhow, I was wondering what happens to the scale that is removed? Does it stay in the water and reform as scale? Does it get trapped the filter (DE in my case) and get removed when backwashing? After I brush it off, does it remain to cause more damage?

Thanks!
Bart

 

[duraleigh]

Calcium scale will redissolve into solution and stay in your water until you let pH and TA slip back up out of range and then it will precipitate right back out into a solid.

 

[Bart]

Thanks!

 

[Richard320]

Ditto to what Duraleigh said. And I'll share my experience: patches of scale shrink as they dissolve into solution. For whatever reason, if pH drifts up (in my case, leaving town for a week) when it reforms, it tends to stick to the existing patches.

I use pool water to water the lawn, then replace it with lower Calcium tap water to be rid of excess CH. It's a pain, but it's cheaper than a full drain and refill at once, and no water waste.

 

[Jmerich]

Ditto to what Duraleigh said. And I'll share my experience: patches of scale shrink as they dissolve into solution. For whatever reason, if pH drifts up (in my case, leaving town for a week) when it reforms, it tends to stick to the existing patches.

I use pool water to water the lawn, then replace it with lower Calcium tap water to be rid of excess CH. It's a pain, but it's cheaper than a full drain and refill at once, and no water waste.

I love that you water your lawn with the drain. We just did that last night. Had to drain to lower CYA

 

[chiefwej]

If you balance the water carefully you won't have scale. I had a lot of problems before I found the forum. Lowered my TA to help with pH rise. Now I use the Pool Calculator to keep a very close eye on my CSI.

We have very hard water and extreme evaporation rates. The calcium level in my pool right now is well over 1,000, yet I have no scale at all. That is too high and I will be doing an RO treatment on the pool soon, but it shows with diligence you can manage very high CH levels with no scale.