Calcium Staining

[YenkoZL1]

2 months ago I did an acid wash on my pool to remove the calcium deposits in my pebble tec. Refilled and balanced the pool water. I have high calcium at 390 mainly because of the city water that is high in calcium. I added 12 40lb bags of pool salt which brought up my salt level to 3600 (Pentair recommends 3400) moved it all around until dissolved to the naked eye. I am now getting the calcium staining or deposits in the deep end on the floor. I test my PH weekly and I am adding a gallon of acid every week to maintain a PH of 7.5 by the end of the week it is at 8.0. TA is 70. CYA is 30 but I am in the process of raising it to 60 or 70 per the recommendations of TFP.

1. How can I keep the calcium in check? I am maintaining the PH and TA the best I can. My nylon brush removes little if any of the calcium.

2. I have seen some of those Aluminum brushes and thought about going that route but have always been advised not to b/c it would damage the finish... How? Concrete finish vs aluminum, I think concrete is more durable against aluminum. Unless I am wrong, please correct me.

3. The special calcium additives for pools worth its weight in gold? The calcium removers and controllers?

 

[jblizzle]

You can't control the CH. It is going to climb fairly quickly due to our high evaporation. All you can do is keep the pH in the lower 7s as the CH rises and eventually have to replace the water (likely every 3-4 years).

 

[YenkoZL1]

One more thing, I have not had to clean my salt chlorinator for 1 year. I have checked it every 6 months and there was zero build up. I am assuming the build up is calcium, correct? If so, then why is it that the chlorinator does not get build up yet, the pool floor does? And the staining on the pool floor is white in color.

- - - Updated - - -

If I keep my CYA level between 60-70 and a PH level lower than 7.5 per the calculator is considered corrosive. Is a PH of 7.5 in a pool with a CYA level of 60-70 the same in terms of effectiveness as a pool with a CYA level of 30 with a PH of 7.2? To help control the calcium build up?

 

[jblizzle]

The CYA and pH are unrelated. You just need to keep the CSI slightly negative or near zero and you should not get any calcium scaling.

Using a stainless steel or mixed brush should be fine.