New pool, low calcium level and dirt spot

[sunpole]

Hello TFP,

Just recently replastered our pool with Diamond Brite Tahoe blue, I was happy with the plaster job but the start up is giving me pause.
I contracted the builder for a 6 day start up job, and by tomorrow it will be the 6th day, he still hasn't bring up the calcium level yet, he claims because it's a new pool calcium level will rise by itself and he plans to bring calcium up on the last day. So the pool has been sitting at 80 calcium for the last 5 days, I'm worried he is wrong and is causing damage to the pool.

On top of that, my pool is 29k gallon, I was reading you aren't supposed to add more than 10lb of calcium per day, this means it will take another 6 days to bring the Calcium up to 300?!

Another problem I'm having is a lot of dirt spots at the deep end of the pool, they showed up the next morning after the plaster job while the pool was still filling, I suspect they are from the trees above, somehow dirt got caught up on the leaves and dropped into the pool.
The pool guy has been telling me not to worry and promising those spots will fade due to chlorine, he has also been brushing them, they may be a little lighter than before but the spots are still there.

Now Im having doubts in this guy, so I'm a little skeptical of the stuff he says. What do you guys think?

My pool chemistry is
FC 3
PH 7.2
TA 120
CH 80
CYA 40
Pool was filled 6 days ago.

Thanks for reading,
Jerry

 

[PoolGate]

What test are those numbers from? The TF-100? Your numbers (if valid) do not look bad at all. I'd follow your builders guidance until you take over.

 

[sunpole]

The rest results are both from myself and Leslie's.

I agree the numbers are okay, but the dirt spots are everywhere and not going away. Initially builder said the dirt spots will go away once chlorine is introduced, now they told me they will try ascorbic acid treatment...

 

[PoolGate]

Ascorbic acid is typically for rust stains is that what they said it was? It is easy to test for that. Chlorine usually takes care of organic stains.

 

[ajw22]

The rest results are both from myself and Leslie's.

I agree the numbers are okay, but the dirt spots are everywhere and not going away. Initially builder said the dirt spots will go away once chlorine is introduced, now they told me they will try ascorbic acid treatment...

Fact is the dirt spots are there. Your PB is trying the mildest treatments first. Give him time to work the problem. Mild chemicals work slowly.

He has yet to apply harsher remedies like acid wash or draining the pool and grinding the areas clean.

 

[sunpole]

The builder dumped 35lb of calcium in my pool, I told them only 10lb at a time, they just laughed. Now my newest water chemistry after 3 days.
FC 4, PH 7.7, TA 100, CH 350, CYA 20 (guesstimate, less than 30)
Of course the dirt spots are still everywhere. The builders ended up not doing anything, my confident factor with them is low. Thank goodness I didn't pay them the start up cost upfront. I think I have to take the matter into my own hands now.

 

[sunpole]

I got the following from my pool guy.
Why do I have a feeling they are messing up my pool. Please let me know what you guys think.

This is the game plan for the removal of the leaf stains. Today I am going to add chlorine neutralizer and acid to drop the chlorine level as well as the ph and alkalinity. The pool is going to run over night. Tomorrow I’m going to add the leaf stain remover as well as as a chelating solution. The leaf stains should be gone in 24 hours. The pool will run for 24-48 hours after that. Then the filter needs to be cleaned and the chlorine, ph and, alkalinity raised.

 

[PoolGate]

If truly leaf stains they were not that hard to remove in my plaster pool. I did not do anything special at all they just came out on their own with slightly elevated chlorine levels.

Do you know what is in the "leaf stain remover"?

But again, you should allow your PB to get the stains out since the pool is still under his control.

 

[sunpole]

I guess I had really stubborn leaf stain. I had FC 6, CYA 40, TA 100, pH 7.5 for 2 weeks, couldn't lift up the stain.

The stuff we ended up using is called Jack's Magic The Blue Stuff, 1 quart per 10,000 gallons of pool water, then Jack’s Magic STAIN SOLUTION #1 Iron, Cobalt & Spot Etching Stuff™ at a rate of 2 pounds per 12,000 gallons of pool water; broadcast over stained area.

Not sure what the chemical make up is in there, but it did remove the leaf stains.