Newly plastered pool issues

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Picoski

Picoski

Gold Supporter
Sep 8, 2022
7
Clinton Township, Michigan
Pool Size
36000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
My pool was recently plastered on August 25, 2022. It was plastered with Wet Edge's Signature Matrix Coastal Blue and I followed Wet Edge's start up instructions. I live in Michigan, so I closed the pool on October 6, 2022. Ever since I opened the pool on May 21, 2023, I have been getting this dust/grit, almost like sand, in my Dolphin robot and also in our volt manual vacuum. When I'm in the pool and I feel the walls, I can feel this dust/grit with my hands. It can easily be brushed off the walls with my hand alone. And when I brush it off, it reminds me of the dust I saw the year before when we consistently had to brush the pool every day after it was just plastered to help with the curing process.

I contacted Wet Edge and they told me this was not normal and the curing process was over. They said maybe it was scale. I'm no pool expert but I really don't think it's scale. Wet Edge also told me to contact my pool contractor, which I did and he hasn't responded to me. I don't think he ever will.

While in the pool and brushing the walls with my hand, it feels like this substance is real gritty. When taking this substance out of my robot (not in the water anymore), it feels really soft and velvet like, almost like sand. Could it be sand or maybe left over plaster from last year? I had a newly installed sand filter with new sand prior to the pool being plastered. I never deep cleaned the filter last season. In my own opinion, I think it's the plaster brushing off. I have removed pounds (5 lbs. or more) of this stuff from my robot and vacuum this season so far. Does anyone have a clue to what this substance might be? Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
 

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Welcome to your first post on TFP. Since you've been here a while before posting, you probably know what we're going to ask first:

Post a full set of water test results from your own test kit, and tell us which test kit you are using.
 
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I had a similar thing IIRC when I had my pool re-plastered back in August of 2022. I remember finding quite a lot of gritty sand-like stuff in my pool for a few weeks afterwards. It def wasn't algae or anything cause there was grit to it. I could be wrong but I -think- mine might have been grout from the re-tile job I did at the same time as the plastering. Did you get new tiles and grout? Just a thought.
 
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Take a pile of the stuff from your pool and pour some Muriatic Acid on it.

If it bubbles it has calcium in it and is likely pool plaster.

If it does not bubble then it is sand. Likely from your filter.

I could be plaster dust leftover from your startup or sand.

What is your CH level and CSI?
 
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(y)

Taylor K-2005 and Taylor K1515A.
Today
FC 3
CC .2
PH 7.7
TA 85
CYA 35
CH 360
Water temp 83

Day of pool opening
FC 0
CC 0
PH 8.4 I'm guessing. Had to do the Acid Demand drops with Taylor K-2005. Took 4 drops
TA 90
CYA 40
CH 270
Water temp 58
 
jesse-99 said:
I had a similar thing IIRC when I had my pool re-plastered back in August of 2022. I remember finding quite a lot of gritty sand-like stuff in my pool for a few weeks afterwards. It def wasn't algae or anything cause there was grit to it. I could be wrong but I -think- mine might have been grout from the re-tile job I did at the same time as the plastering. Did you get new tiles and grout? Just a thought.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Yes, I did have new coping and tiles done
 
Picoski said:
Interesting. Yes, I did have new coping and tiles done
Click to expand...
FWIW I don't have a sand filter (I have two cartridge filters), but I still had that same kind of gritty sandy material in my pool after the tile and plaster job, so I chalked it up to the grout. Not 100% certain but, seemed to make sense to me.
 
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It’s calcium crystals. I’ve been dealing with it my last 2 openings after my first plaster. It’s one of those things that no one really knows why it occurs but seems to have during winter closing. Either it’s due to low csi or poor plaster application where they mixed additives to help plaster cure in cold weather.
I have had luck scraping mines off with a long pole snow scrapper like u use in your windshield. First year I didn’t understand the importance of csi reading. Last year I did and was more cautious during the year and closed at it being perfect. Still got it, one article said you have to compensate prior to closing to account for the coldest temperature your water will fall to in the winter. I still need to understand how to figure that one out.
 
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Here’s a link to my old post:

I think I have Calcium Crystals not scale after opening new pool

Hi, so we just opened my pool and looking down at my pool from a slight angle it looks like air bubbles on the pool wall. When I get closer and feel it they are clear sea salt like granular pieces. Feels like it too. I know it’s not salt but it was the best way to describe the look/ size and...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
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Another helpful post from a member:

Why Are Calcium Crystals Forming in Pools?

In recent years, calcium crystals have been forming during the winter at a higher rate in some newly plastered swimming pools. From the reports we have heard, this problem seems to occur more often in the northeast of the country. Apparently, pool builders, plasterers, and service techs involved...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
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Liz315 said:
It’s calcium crystals. I’ve been dealing with it my last 2 openings after my first plaster. It’s one of those things that no one really knows why it occurs but seems to have during winter closing. Either it’s due to low csi or poor plaster application where they mixed additives to help plaster cure in cold weather.
I have had luck scraping mines off with a long pole snow scrapper like u use in your windshield. First year I didn’t understand the importance of csi reading. Last year I did and was more cautious during the year and closed at it being perfect. Still got it, one article said you have to compensate prior to closing to account for the coldest temperature your water will fall to in the winter. I still need to understand how to figure that one out.
Click to expand...
Thank You!!
 
Rocket J Squirrel said:
Welcome to your first post on TFP. Since you've been here a while before posting, you probably know what we're going to ask first:

Post a full set of water test results from your own test kit, and tell us which test kit you are using.
Click to expand...
Taylor K-2005 and Taylor K1515A.
Today
FC 3
CC .2
PH 7.7
TA 85
CYA 35
CH 360
Water temp 83

Day of pool opening
FC 0
CC 0
PH 8.4 I'm guessing. Had to do the Acid Demand drops with Taylor K-2005. Took 4 drops
TA 90
CYA 40
CH 270
Water temp 58
 
ajw22 said:
Take a pile of the stuff from your pool and pour some Muriatic Acid on it.

If it bubbles it has calcium in it and is likely pool plaster.

If it does not bubble then it is sand. Likely from your filter.

I could be plaster dust leftover from your startup or sand.

What is your CH level and CSI?
Click to expand...
CH 360, CSI .28 I haven't done the Salt and Borates. On pool math it said it increases accuracy but is it necessary?
Day of opening CH 270 didn't do CSI.
 
Picoski said:
CH 360, CSI .28 I haven't done the Salt and Borates. On pool math it said it increases accuracy but is it necessary?
Day of opening CH 270 didn't do CSI.
Click to expand...
Salt and borates only necessary to test if you have ever added them to your water.
 
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