Plaster problems

[myraa34c]

Hi this is my first post. I am having issues with my plaster. Last night I decided to empty pool just to see how bad problem with plaster was. Well to me it looks horrible. Tons of spider cracking and a lot of discolored areas that look brownish in color. Contractor that remodeled pool came by today and said it was due to my water hardiness. I tested my water weekly at Leslies for a few months until I bought my own test kit. Still tested at Leslies a few more times to compare to my results. As soon as I figure out how to post pictures I will. Thanks in advance Myra

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! Please post a complete set of test results. Seeing the results will help us troubleshoot your problem.

 

[myraa34c]

I started using a company to take care of my pool a month ago so I myself don't have any current test results but this problem started maybe a month after pool was filled back when it was replastered in January. When I was testing all my numbers were good just keeps having to replace some water due to my cya getting to 100 which I blamed on tabs in chlorinator. I drained pool yesterday to get a better look at plaster condition cause it looked bad when in water wearing googles. Its getting filled back up as I type to avoid damage from it being empty. I complained to contractor days after it was filled cause a bunch of spider cracking showed up, he said it was normal. Im trying to figure out how to post pictures, should I just insert or use something like photo bucket?

 

[myraa34c]

Trying to attach. All I know is that its plaster dyed blue. I stopped testing through Leslies in July because I bought my own Taylor K-2006 in May, just tested a few more times through them to compare my results with theirs. I called them to ask about my reading and they said of all the tests done ph was high on last test done July 23rd but I had just added bleach and Im pretty sure that's why I got a high reading. PH went back down a few hours later, I wasn't aware that I wasn't supposed to test right after adding because bleach causes a temporary high ph reading.

Pool by Myra Cavazos | Photobucket

 

[JamesW]

That does not look good. What plaster did you get? What test results do you have?

 

[myraa34c]

Honestly I drained without testing last night. I havent tested myself in a month cause I got a company taking care of everything, they come once a week. Pool has been like that for months, we noticed that it didnt look that blue but decided to drain last night to see how plaster looked and check all the cracking. I asked what plaster was used and he said something about a mix of concrete and something else with blue dye added. I will ask tomorrow . My test reading were always good, I should have keep record of all tests results but I never did! I contacted someone on the National Plasterers Council in my area today and I am going to try to get an inspection done. Hes out of town so it will be sometime next week that I hear from him according to his secretary. We just got it replastered and filled January 20th of this year, it looks horrible. Company is trying to blame me but I know my numbers were always good. I tested through Leslies for 4 months then myself with my own test kit.

 

[onBalance]

Please post what your tap water readings are (pH, TA, CH), and what the last test was for your pool water, either from the service company or Leslie's.
Is this a quartz pool? Was it acid washed when first finished? Was the pool immediately filled with water after finishing?

 

[myraa34c]

My last test results were a month ago, I called my pool guy and he said his weekly reading have been good. He hasnt added anythingto higher/lower anything. Yes they finished by noon one day and it was filled by about 2-3 pm the next day. Weather was 68/50 on Jan 19 when the finished plaster and 82/46 the following day. No rain

Chlorine was 5
Ph was 7.8
Alkalinity was not tested on my last one
Hardiness was 200
Cya was 90
Crystal clear water!! Brushed and vacuumed once a week by me. I tested every Friday before heavy
Use. Would shock once a month, more often if we havd a lot of people in pool or heavy rain. Im a first time owner but got everything down thanks to this forum! Only chenicals used are chlorine tabs, power powder plus when shocking, and acid if ph ever went over 7.8 or before shock. Im not sure but I doubt its quartz cause he said something about it being plaster mixed with concrete with dye added. Dont quote me on that though lol. I know my numbers were always good cause I tested soo much sometime more than once a week, hubby would tell I was going though the kit too quick haha!! Just tested my tap water, hardiness is between 200/250 and ph is at 7.2. Didnt test the ch but will in a bit. Can all the staining /discoloration be due to something other than water chemistry because I know my number have been good? Thanks

 

[Swampwoman]

I know my numbers were always good cause I tested soo much sometime more than once a week,

While this doesn't assist your immediate problem, I just want to note that the TFP way is to test some parameters such as FC and PH, daily, not weekly. The full test of TA, Ch, CYA cn be considerably less frequent

Secondly, tab use and powder shocking are generally NOT TFP-recommended methods (eg liquid chlorine/bleach instead or swg) for a variety of reasons including cya build up, moving target of the important cya:FC ratio, etc.

If a pool is maintained according to the TFP method, which is:
A) daily FC and ph test in order to
B) maintain FC to CYA ratio (see link in my signature)
And c) control ph
D) using pool calculator to estimate csi in plaster pools
Then there would be no need to "shock" monthly...or possibly ever. If maintenance lapses and there is a need to "shock" then we follow a procedure called Shock Level and Maintain - "slam."

Going forward, whether you are successful in getting the work redone or not, please delve a little more deeply into pool school to maintain your parameters so you can enjoy the "trouble free" part of TFP

Best wishes in getting resolution.

PS None of the foregoing is meant to suggest you water chemistry was necessarily the culprit in the plaster problem...I'll leave that to onbalance to address as he is an expert in this area and regularly helps identify problems in application.

I merely want to clarify the TFP way and the practices we recommend to insure a trouble-free pool

 

[onBalance]

The posted pictures show a lot of discoloration and other problems. It also looks like it is more than 10 months old.
The visible cracks were certainly not caused by water chemistry, and perhaps some of the other discoloration problems weren't either, but without the information that we have asked for such as, the tap water and the pool water alkalinity and calcium levels (total hardness does not provide the information that is needed), I doubt anyone would rule out water chemistry as a possible problem and assign cause and effect for all of those plaster issues.

Further, is the contractor suggesting a high calcium level problem, or a low calcium level problem?

 

[kimkats]

In to watch and learn from this one.

Kim