That calcium content is high. So my question is, what the CH of your tap or fill water? Knowing that will help with our diagnosis.
White Lines showing up on Replastered Pool
- Thread starter PoolHappy
- Start date
I have never seen that much of a difference between tap water calcium and pool water calcium in just a few months time and is unbelievable.
But my best guess is that the plaster company added too much calcium chloride to the plaster mix and also added too much water to the plaster.
Doing both can cause the blue pigment in the plaster matrix to release and cause a blotchy and lighten color. The calcium chloride added also releases (dissolves) into the pool water thereby increasing the calcium content.
One other thing. "Organic blue pigments" don't hold up very well in swimming pool environments. That could be the problem too.
But my best guess is that the plaster company added too much calcium chloride to the plaster mix and also added too much water to the plaster.
Doing both can cause the blue pigment in the plaster matrix to release and cause a blotchy and lighten color. The calcium chloride added also releases (dissolves) into the pool water thereby increasing the calcium content.
One other thing. "Organic blue pigments" don't hold up very well in swimming pool environments. That could be the problem too.
Is there anyway for me to have the plaster analyzed before I say something to the Plaster Company about this thought? Then once I get my water balanced back to normal readings and get rid of the Calcium lines, how would I prevent this from happening again.
Our city water is horrible according to anyone in the pool/water business. (Maybe a sales pitch). I retested CH again just to make sure. The pool still tests at a high 700 to 800. (The testing turns from red, pink, purplish, then blue. (What Hue of blue do I stop drops at? Purplish to blue is about 10 drops.)
I even tested the hose bibb that the plaster company used to mix the plaster, it was 180 (not including any buildup of salts in their hoses & equipment. My tap in my kitchen (10 years old & I can see salt buildup on aerator,) tests at 260, and my RO water tests at 50. These numbers are all over the place.
Does the temperature of the water affect the testing?
So Frustrated!
Jeri
Our city water is horrible according to anyone in the pool/water business. (Maybe a sales pitch). I retested CH again just to make sure. The pool still tests at a high 700 to 800. (The testing turns from red, pink, purplish, then blue. (What Hue of blue do I stop drops at? Purplish to blue is about 10 drops.)
I even tested the hose bibb that the plaster company used to mix the plaster, it was 180 (not including any buildup of salts in their hoses & equipment. My tap in my kitchen (10 years old & I can see salt buildup on aerator,) tests at 260, and my RO water tests at 50. These numbers are all over the place.
Does the temperature of the water affect the testing?
So Frustrated!
Jeri
I am not an expert here but I think i heard
Outdoor hose bib 180
Indoor 260, do you have a water softener? Is the aerator adding CH?
RO conditioned 50, make sense since the RO removes this
My water district publishes the results of their testing annually and I can look it up on the website. they used to mai be a report, I got a post card this week offering the website or i could mail the post card and they would mail the report. I think it's state mandated here.
Outdoor hose bib 180
Indoor 260, do you have a water softener? Is the aerator adding CH?
RO conditioned 50, make sense since the RO removes this
My water district publishes the results of their testing annually and I can look it up on the website. they used to mai be a report, I got a post card this week offering the website or i could mail the post card and they would mail the report. I think it's state mandated here.
Thanks for the info about getting district reports.
I do not have a water softener and yes the aerator is probably adding the calcium to my kitchen tap. But I do not use that for my pool water.
I found out our city water is tested from the one well that the city uses. (Opposed to previously using 9 different wells.) The water is tested before it goes through all the cities pipes that were used for the 9 different wells. So in reality, the city report is not really that accurate for what is going into the pools because of the buildup of calcium along the walls of the pipes through out the city.
Jeri
I do not have a water softener and yes the aerator is probably adding the calcium to my kitchen tap. But I do not use that for my pool water.
I found out our city water is tested from the one well that the city uses. (Opposed to previously using 9 different wells.) The water is tested before it goes through all the cities pipes that were used for the 9 different wells. So in reality, the city report is not really that accurate for what is going into the pools because of the buildup of calcium along the walls of the pipes through out the city.
Jeri
It's like almost any report. It reports the findings for one single point at a single point in time. I do reports for a living and today's report may not be the same as yesterday's, things are always changing.
Ain't that the truth.
I think, I'm going to end up draining my pool and refilling it at this point. I have to get that calcium out of their, but I'm not sure how to get the white off the walls yet. I have spent most of today reading in the Pool School and I don't see any other option to lower my Calcium Hardness. Hopefully someone will chime in with a different suggestion.
Jeri
I think, I'm going to end up draining my pool and refilling it at this point. I have to get that calcium out of their, but I'm not sure how to get the white off the walls yet. I have spent most of today reading in the Pool School and I don't see any other option to lower my Calcium Hardness. Hopefully someone will chime in with a different suggestion.
Jeri
Those don't look like tf-100 test results...what are they from? TF-100 measures CC directly and does not measure phosphatesPoolHappy said:
We are willing to help, but we have to be sure of the accuracy of the results so that we suggest the right solutions.
Reverse osmosis is a service that is pretty common in Arizona and it may be worth the cost if you water is expensive. It also mean you do not need to drain and fill.
Sorry for the confusion, I originally I had taken my pool water to 2 local pool stores for testing, the numbers where inconsistent, that's when I ordered my own testing kit. The pool store told me about the phosphates numbers so I added that to my results that I got from the TF-100 kit when I posted the last time since I couldn't retest the phosphates.
Guy, are you suggesting to put a R.O. outside before the water goes into my filter and pool?
Guy, are you suggesting to put a R.O. outside before the water goes into my filter and pool?
No, you can have an RO company RO the water in your pool. They have a mobile RO unit with hoses that draw your water in, RO and output it back into the pool. Do a search here and read about it if this is something you need. There are senior TFP several members in AZ.
Thanks, That sounds interesting, I will look into that tomorrow. But I still need to figure out how to get the white off my walls, floor and steps, and what caused it in the first place to happen so quickly on my new plaster. Maybe they will know that too.
The white will not come off if isn't a deposit. It may be a loss of color and cement material creating some porosity. That means an acid wash probably won't work. But sanding might, but would require extensive sanding.
A small chunk of plaster can be analyzed for its calcium chloride content.
A small chunk of plaster can be analyzed for its calcium chloride content.
Have you tried sanding the white streaks areas with sandpaper? Use Wet&Dry, 100 grit. If it is a scale deposit, it will come off very easily.
You could also try using some diluted acid in a plastic squeeze bottle and squirt some on the white areas. That would also remove scale easily. If neither works, then as I stated before, it probably isn't a deposit that can be removed.
You could also try using some diluted acid in a plastic squeeze bottle and squirt some on the white areas. That would also remove scale easily. If neither works, then as I stated before, it probably isn't a deposit that can be removed.
Thank you for continuing to help me with this problem, I haven't tried that yet, I'll give it the sandpaper a try to put my mine at ease to see if its scale or permanent. I put a call into the plasters today but they didn't call me back. I'm hoping they will call me Monday to discuss this all with them and see what they say about it. If I have to try the muriatic acid what should I dilute the it to? 50/50? With gloves and goggles of coarse.
Wow, Plastering people came by today (on a Saturday). They said its salts in the water. They are going to hook me up with another company that will fix the problem. That's great news for me. I will keep everyone who has been helping me informed as to what is going on.
Thanks again for your input.
Jeri
Thanks again for your input.
Jeri