Is there any way to get rid of this???

[drummerman951]

My pool is 6 months old. I'm sure the pool guy I had previously *may* have had something to do with this buildup, as I wasn't doing anything myself. But now that I'm in charge I'm hoping to fix things like this (pictured).... is there any reliable way to eliminate calcium deposits on stone and tile? ...beside acid wash? Can I try CLR or some other cleaner and brush, brush, brush? And if so, how can I expect that to mess up pool chemistry? Should I use something like Beautec to reduce future deposits on pool tile & grout?

I sealed stackstone & travertine coping when pool was first built, but it seems I either misapplied, or used a product which didn't hold up long at all. I was hoping for 18 months out of a sealer. No luck.

What to do?
Well here's the latest: PH 7.6, FC 7.5, TA 100, CYA 60, CH 410, SALT 3200, POOL TEMP 72.
Thanks as always for your helpful feedback!

 

[ajw22]

That looks like efflorescence causing mineral deposits. The water is coming from your spa and spillover. Sealing the front of the stones will not help since the water is coming from behind.

Check all the grout around the spillover. Any cracks, no matter how small, will let water in behind the stone.

Mild acid and scrubbing is the way to remove efflorescence. But it will return if you don’t fix the water that is getting behind the stone.

Your water chemistry has nothing to do with this problem.

 

[drummerman951]

That looks like efflorescence causing mineral deposits. The water is coming from your spa and spillover. Sealing the front of the stones will not help since the water is coming from behind.

Check all the grout around the spillover. Any cracks, no matter how small, will let water in behind the stone.

Mild acid and scrubbing is th way to remove efflorescence. But it will return if you don’t fix the water that is getting behind the stone.

Your water chemistry has nothing to do with this problem.

Thanks! I will contact pool builder and see what they will do about it. I bet they say its water deposits though. Any suggestions how to obtain a favorable outcome? Trying to avoid them taking the easy way out.

 

[ajw22]

Efflorescence is a form of water deposits that migrates to the surface of stone. The question is where the water is coming from? Do a search on efflorescence and you will find lots of information on the net to educate yourself before meeting with the PB.

Efflorescence - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[drummerman951]

Got it. Thanks.

 

[mknauss]

The use of stacked stone in the splash zone is not a good idea. You will always have calcium deposits on it. The hard water you have, no matter if you have the best CSI, will still leave calcium deposits were the water splashes and evaporates.

 

[drummerman951]

The use of stacked stone in the splash zone is not a good idea. You will always have calcium deposits on it. The hard water you have, no matter if you have the best CSI, will still leave calcium deposits were the water splashes and evaporates.

I thought if I sealed it I would be fine..... Until it wears away. I swear it didn't look like this 60 days ago.

 

[RoyR]

Water spray / splash / migration that evaporate, and leaves the calcium deposit....you can scrub it when you brush the pool, but I don’t know if it will work. I bet if you let the spa spillover dry, it will also be white. Diluted muriatic acid will clean it, but then you have to neutralize after, or it will eat the stone...