Acid washing an old pool - yes or no?

[Stomp]

House was built in 1978...we bought in 2008. I believe this is the original pool and doubt it was ever resurfaced. I like the shape, except for when I'm manhandling the cover, but it is absolutely beat looking. 8 feet deep (no longer legal in CA) and still have a diving board.

I've never emptied the water and have no clue when it was done before me. I've been paying a pool guy for service, but considering he does nothing but check chemicals when I have my cover on I'm thinking I'll take over the servicing myself.

What I'd like to accomplish with the acid wash is:

1.) Get rid of the massive discoloration/patters.
2.) Clean up the tile (some color is gone for good - but I'd like to get the scales off - have tried other supplies/pumice/chemicals from the pool store and didn't work too well).
3.) Buy ourselves another 5 years (+/-) before doing a full remodel of the pool (baha shelf, pebbletec, etc)?

I thought about replastering it, but then I'd want to do new tiles, at which point I want to do the coping, at which point I want to redo the deck, at which point my wife grenades the entire subject because a new kitchen is more important to her.

So here are some pictures of what I'm dealing with. The black spots are seeds/flowers from the palm trees...and since the cover had been on the pool guy didn't get them. BTW, the lighting caused at least one picture it to appear to have a green tint, but that's just an issue w/ the white balance of the camera (I think). I would love any feedback/suggestions. House is in Orange County fwiw, so any suggestions on contractors that do this would be appreciated as well. Thanks.

 

[Stomp]

P.S. If acid washing is out of the question given the age of the pool (i.e. I won't even get another 5 years out of it), then please suggest the most cost-effective approach to cleaning it up. For instance, would it be new plaster (and presumably tiles given some heavier work is already being done), but leaving the coping in place? Or would the coping need to come out for that? THanks.

 

[Seanhan]

We have a Anthoney Pool 30k Gallons , Built in 1983
The plaster was getting in bad shape , We looked at a replaster job , and i knew some folks that had their pools replastered , NONE of them were happy with the results , So we kept looking and found a company called FiberTech.
They had a local builder on the website. we got a quote is was a little lower than plaster. so we did it.
Now after 9 Years the pool still looks awesome !!! And my friends that got plaster have replastered again.

 

[Seanhan]

http://fibretechinc.com/

 

[Stomp]

Thanks, Sean. I'll research that and consider it if the project gets more substantial. I found somebody on Angieslist who gets nothing but A reviews for tile cleaning, but a number of the reviewers also had him acid wash their pools. Going to try to get him out here to get a quote and/or his expert opinion. Still hoping to get out of it more economically to start. Looks like the top price paid by anybody (for acid washing everything - tile & pool) was about $1,600, so much more in line with what I'd want to pay for now.

 

[Seanhan]

Just a lesson learned , I cleaned my tile a while back , just lowered water below tile. And the cleaner really did a number on my chemestry... Phosphates off the chart , had to drain and refill.
Soo it might be worth it to find somebody that knows what their doing !!!
LOL !!!

 

[onBalance]

The discolorations (blotchiness) are permanent. An acid wash would do very little to improve the appearance of that old plaster surface.
In my opinion, Not worth the money.