New tile grout in older pool comin off in clouds when brushed 6 months after install?

[FirstVallartaPool]

Hi I'm just trying to rule out csi as source of this problem. I don't think it can be as grout is looking unstable only on a few areas
I think more likely is error in mixing/application of the grout.
Pool csi number is -0.44 (Target is -0.02).
Ta 80
Ch 125
pH 7.5
Cya 50
Fc 6
Any input greatly appreciated!

 

[scdaren]

You need to increase your CH.

 

[Torrente]

I have that king of problem, I wrote a bit on this thread:
Brushing detaching inter-tile grout

Finally my pool builder has realizes of the mistake not curing the grout, we will be draining the pool and regrouting in 3 weeks, this time I am requesting epoxic grouting, we have not done already because we had to wait to panamanian dry season.

 

[ajw22]

You need to increase your CH.

What Daren said!

I suggest you review Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry and the section about CH.

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

So to be more specific...is it possible with a ch of 125 to cause in under 5 months a case where new specific pool grout compound to begin aggressively deteriorating in this fashion?

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

I have that king of problem, I wrote a bit on this thread:
Brushing detaching inter-tile grout

Finally my pool builder has realizes of the mistake not curing the grout, we will be draining the pool and regrouting in 3 weeks, this time I am requesting epoxic grouting, we have not done already because we had to wait to panamanian dry season.

I suspect a similar solution is probable for us as I highly doubt 4 months of 125 ch could cause such damage to pool specific properly cured and installed grout.

 

[zea3]

Water is going to pull calcium from any source it can get until it reaches a saturation level. To protect the grout you should maintain 250 to 350ppm for calcium hardness. Your CH may not be the only reason the grout is failing, but low CH will exacerbate the problem.

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

Water is going to pull calcium from any source it can get until it reaches a saturation level. To protect the grout you should maintain 250 to 350ppm for calcium hardness. Your CH may not be the only reason the grout is failing, but low CH will exacerbate the problem.[/QUOTE

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

One thing that is perplexing me .the fact that in this city everyone (including this house) battles major scale calcium deposits on everything the city water touches, from taps to toilets.
So can some more knowledgeable then me explain a low ch reading of 125 with the ongoing scale buildup problems. I just assumed high scale issues high ch reading?

 

[ajw22]

One thing that is perplexing me .the fact that in this city everyone (including this house) battles major scale calcium deposits on everything the city water touches, from taps to toilets.
So can some more knowledgeable then me explain a low ch reading of 125 with the ongoing scale buildup problems. I just assumed high scale issues high ch reading?

Hard water has CH in the 150 ppm range. You need more CH then that in a plaster pool to ensure the water is saturated with CH so it does not pull CH from the plaster or grout.

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

Ok thanks for the info. What's also strange here in Vallarta. None of the pool companies sell calcium chloride or even test for ch. With 95% of the pools here being plaster concrete and the city water being approx ch 125, why are there not boatloads of plaster grout problems on the tens of thousands of pools here. Our pool grout seems to be unique with this problem right now.

 

[FirstVallartaPool]

I found this online and is arriving tomorrow. I assume should be correct to raise ch?

 

[Torrente]

Merged threads

Hello, 9 months ago coinciding with a big overhaul in the equipment room I regrouted the tiles gap with Laticrete 1600.
I brush the pool weekly and every week I notice a relevant amount of grout being detached that is visible with big blurring in the water with the grout color. Initially I thought that was normal considering the recent work but after 9 months continues the same and some tiles separators are starting to be visible.
I didn’t know about the curing process and I filled the pool and added salt since the very beginning. Looking at Laticrete 1600 specifications seems that should have been cured for 2 weeks.

After speaking with the pool builder they assume their fault and they are going to attend this with the warranty, this means that they have to remove some of the current grout and apply new grout and let it cure for 2 weeks. They insist that they use Laticrete 1600 in other paces without issue

I have learned that the correct product to do this would be epoxy grout, they agree with that but it seems that it is much much more expensive, they agree to use epoxy grout if I cover the cost difference between the original and epoxy.

I have some questions:
- The epoxy grout that we have here is Latricrete Spectralock, looking at the specifications seems to be appropriate for this use ¿any opinion about that?
- Do you have an approximate rough order of magnitude idea about how much product would be necessary per square unit considering that is a regrouting?

https://imgur.com/P6mboHB

 

[Torrente]

I can tell that I have kept my pool in CH around 350 for 9 months and the problem persists or increase, pool builder is going to remove some grout and to apply it again under warranty and cure it correctly, now I am considering about using epoxy grout but I have to pay for the price difference and I am learning that the difference is very big.

 

[jeffnhispool]

Every bag of grout has a chart giving you coverage suggestions based on the size of the tile and the width of the gap. From your pic it seems the joints are irregular so you'll have to estimate and average width. Those charts are based on new installations where there is no existing grout so clearly you will need less. Having just regrouted a kitchen floor I will say that you want to make sure they remove any existing grout that is not sound (ie cracked or crumbling)and in all the other places they should remove enough so the new grout can "bite". Otherwise you will be having this problem again.

Lastly, if they are not using premixed grout, the water they mix it with can cause color variations and possibly impact the strength of the grout so unless you know your tap water I'd buy bottled or distilled water. It's a small price to pay for the peace of mind.