Plaster stains (noticed before the fill)

[reefkeep]

I noticed some staining in the plaster as the pool was filling, after 5 days the stains have not gotten better, worse I believe. The images below are admittedly bad, I need to take it during the day but I'm rarely at home in time to catch it. That said, I'm sure you can see what I am talking about. The pool is still being maintained by the pool builder.

My Pool builder has told me that brushing will fix it but that's not the case so far... What do you guys think?

The below is in another section of the pool, I believe it was cased by some bark that was jammed in the return.

 

[JasonLion]

Try a vitamin C tablet on one of the stains, hold one tablet against the stain for 30 seconds, and see what happens. If the stain vanishes around where the vitamin C tablet was you have metal stains. I don't think that is the most likely problem, but it is so easy to check for that it seems worth the effort.

 

[reefkeep]

Thanks, I'll give it a shot. Might I ask what you think the most likely problem is?

 

[carolina pool]

If it was bark, then the stain is probably tanic acid which usually goes away with time.

 

[reefkeep]

Only the last stain was bark, that one came after the pool was filled. The others I could see before the water covered it.

 

[hawkeyes]

The first few pics look very similar to what I am facing, too. Do they appear "tannish brown"? Almost looks like dirt but it doesn't move away like dirt when you brush?

 

[reefkeep]

yes, that does indeed sound similar, have you figured out what yours was?

 

[Guest]

Let me ask you guys another question: was your plumbing under pressure during the build? I hope this is not the case, but I have seen pools where the plumbing gets hit with a spike during forming for concrete, or a point from a jackhammer goes through a pipe, or a bad/unglued joint, etc. and once the system is fired up it draws dirt in through the break and in to the pool. It doesn't happen often, and most builders know to keep the pool under pressure, but it does happen.

 

[hawkeyes]

yes, that does indeed sound similar, have you figured out what yours was?

Nope. They think it is calcium scaling. They are doing an acid wash tomorrow. I'm hoping it helps.

 

[reefkeep]

yes it was under pressure, I didn't know why until now, thank you! Can I assume they need to drain the pool to do an acid wash?

 

[Guest]

yes it was under pressure, I didn't know why until now, thank you! Can I assume they need to drain the pool to do an acid wash?

They can do an in pool acid wash (make sure they've done it before and know how to do it!). Saves an awful lot of water!

 

[Brentr]

reefkeep, I agree that something does not look right . It first appears to me that it looks like a rust stain, but I am not an expert at this . Our pool was very blotchy at first with very few pebbles showing in the beginning. The PB said that the first 30days was very critical in brushing the pool and that the pool will look more uniform the more we brushed it. We also shocked the pool and used chlorine pucks for the first 30days. I had to do daily testing to keep the pH at 7.5 using muriatic acid which he provided.
The PB put in the plaster, smoothed out the surface, acid washed to get out cream and show some pebbles, started filling the pool immediately after. Stupid me went for a swim when there was about 3 ft of water in the pool. I remember that the plaster was very firm and I stepped very gingerly, however the next day I saw little foot prints in the floor. I was very upset :grrrr: however the PB said not to worry as the more I brush, the more uniform it will look and it will blend in. The point I am trying to make is that it may all blend in eventually.

 

[reefkeep]

Well the PB added something, all stains are gone!

 

[duraleigh]

Could you find out what he added?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Yes, please tell us what he did!

 

[Brentr]

I am very curious myself