We are filling up our 15,000 gallon Intex pool for the first time and the calcium hardness level is 1600. I knew we had hard water so we hooked up a water softener. It drops the hardness to around 250ish but what I didn’t know was after 45min of running the water goes back to hard. So most the water that went into the pool was hard water. Is there anything I can do other than starting over? I worry about starting over because it’s the first time filling it up and I don’t want to mess it up. The strange thing is it’s not cloudy. From what I read with high hardness it should be cloudy. Any thoughts? Suggestions? It has leaves because we don’t have the filter running since there is not enough water in it.
1600 Calcium Hardness 😳
- Thread starter Kholcombe
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 25,713
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
- May 23, 2015
- 25,713
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Must be a lot of limestone in your area for a well to have that much calcium. At 1600ppm CH, that’s 93.6 grains per gallon. Even the largest capacity residential water softener is about 64,000 grains and could only process 684 gallons of water before needing regeneration.
You’re going to have to limit evaporation as much as possible or else you’ll be adding a lot of CH to your pool.
And yes, you can get a lot of scale unless you keep your TA low and your pH below 7.5.
You’re going to have to limit evaporation as much as possible or else you’ll be adding a lot of CH to your pool.
And yes, you can get a lot of scale unless you keep your TA low and your pH below 7.5.
Your absolutely correct about the limestone. The ground is pretty much solid limestone. Other than starting over and making sure the water is soft, do I have any other options?
- May 23, 2015
- 25,713
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Nope. The CH is what it is. If you get rain it can help but only if you get lots of it.
What happens if I try and run the pool the way it is? Will I just have to eventually replace the filter and pipes? Or will something else happen?
- Jul 21, 2013
- 65,353
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
What test kit are you using?
Post a complete set of water tests and calculate your CSI using PoolMath.
With high CH your CSI will be high and you will be at risk for scaling on the pool surface.
Calcium Saturation Index (CSI)
How is CSI calculated? Very simple – use our PoolMath tool. To ensure long plaster life and save money, click here to learn more.
www.troublefreepool.com
Calcium Scaling
Calcium scale on your pool is something we all want to avoid. With some elbow grease and a pumice stone for pools we can help you remove this eyesore.
www.troublefreepool.com
- May 23, 2015
- 25,713
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You appear to have an Intex pool. Assuming you have no heater, no SWG and use a simple sand filter, then the high CH won’t cause you problems. You may notice scale on the vinyl walls of the pool or cloudiness when the pH gets too high. You should be able to brush any scale off the walls and vacuum it up.
If you decide to add an SWG later on, then you need to lower the CH as it will be too high and cause scaling and damage to the cell. A heater will also get scale and can become plugged up with calcium.
If you decide to add an SWG later on, then you need to lower the CH as it will be too high and cause scaling and damage to the cell. A heater will also get scale and can become plugged up with calcium.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,713
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I recommend you purchase a good bubble cover for the pool as it will greatly help cut down on evaporative water loss and reduce some of the pH fluctuations. The less fill water you add, the better.