Calcium in T-Cell?

[TDockUSC]

Hey guys, I am having an issue with calcium build up (I think) in my t-cell. Before I get to that, some quick info: I had my entire pool replastered this spring. My PB did a 30-day acid treatment to start up and handed it over to me in June. Since then I've brushed, maintained pH as best I can, and held proper levels.

My current levels.
FC: 9
pH:7.8
TA: 80
CH: 350
CYA: 70
Salt: 3000

In late June I thought my T-Cell was going bad because I was getting inconsistent salt readings. My PB agreed and came to check it because it's still under warranty and he installed it. He checked it on June 30 can found it was full of calcium deposits, so he cleaned it well and it started working properly. He did note that it was odd that it built up that quickly because he had cleaned it in early June before turning the pool back over to.

Fast-forward to today...my T-Cell was having the same issues so I checked and found it full of calcium again (less than 2 weeks after cleaning.)

This is what the cell looked like and how much calcium I was able to clean out with a hose.



Does anyone have any idea why my calcium is building up this quickly? Or where this calcium is coming from?
Or am I (most likely) missing something? Thanks!

 

[mknauss]

The chemistry reported does not imply that should be happening. Are those all recent results? No one is adding cal hypo or other products?

 

[TDockUSC]

The chemistry reported does not imply that should be happening. Are those all recent results? No one is adding cal hypo or other products?

Correct, which is why I am so confused. I added 25lbs of of calcium chloride on June 15 in an effort to raise my CSI slightly because I'd read here that can help slow the pH rise in new plaster pools. I added it the way I've always done, in the deep end and then brushed.

I took a closer pic of what was in my cell, and it looks like the calcium flakes I added on June 15. Could they somehow still somewhere in my system and clogging my T-Cell?




Also, I only use liquid chlorine and occasionally some dichlor. I guess it's possible my PB added some shock when he was managing the pool, but not since Nune 30.

Since June 30 I have added:
2 gallons liquid stabilizer
2 lbs Dichlor
72 oz of 31.45% muriatic acid
1 gallon of liquid chlorine

 

[ajw22]

I added 25lbs of of calcium chloride on June 15 in an effort to raise my CSI slightly because I'd read here that can help slow the pH rise in new plaster pools. I added it the way I've always done, in the deep end and then brushed.

Neither CSI or CH level has ANY effect on pH rise.

TA levels effect pH.

Lower your TA to 60 and see if it helps your cell scaling problem and your pH rise.

Lower Total Alkalinity

A lower Total Alkalinity level can help a pool owner stabalize their pH increase. We'll explain how to lower TA with a little help from muriatic acid.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[TDockUSC]

Will do on lowering TA.

With my current levels over the last two weeks, does it seem probable that the amount of scaling occurred as seen in the pics?

 

[ajw22]

Will do on lowering TA.

With my current levels over the last two weeks, does it seem probable that the amount of scaling occurred as seen in the pics?

The fact is you developed scaling.

Pool water does funny things at times. You may have minerals in your water that we don’t test for that increase your likelihood of scaling.

If you continue to develop scale in the cell the next thing to try is borates.

Borates in pool - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[TDockUSC]

Understood...I guess I'm just struggling to figure out what changed. I've had this pool for 3 summers, this spring we re-plastered and now the massive and rapid scaling.

It feels like they have to be related, to me, but maybe not.

 

[ajw22]

Just to be clear: you're saying that this pic shows what "scaling" looks like when rinsed out of a T-Cell?

I have never had a SWG scale to say.

 

[ManiacalMama]

My new SWG started scaling and flaking off into the water (looked like a snow globe) within a couple days after installation. My numbers weren't horrible, but I ended up replacing some water to get CH down. It still did it. I tried to lower my TA, but couldn't maintain that because my fill water made it go back up every time I topped off, so it still did it.
After hitting my head against a wall for a couple of weeks, I finally just pulled the trigger and added borates. No more scaling, no more flakes. Perfect water allllll the time.
Save yourself some frustration and time and just go straight to the borates.