2.5 year old pool, starting to have concerns

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McLovitz

McLovitz

Bronze Supporter
Aug 26, 2019
91
Livingston, NJ
Hi all - This forum was very helpful 2.5 years ago when we installed our fiberglass pool and used an installer who we immediately began to have questions about (and ended up terminating them toward the end of our project). I've never been fully comfortable with our installation and have this nagging concern about backfill material used, quality of the install, etc. Just this morning I looked outside and noticed lines across the pool and the deeper end is a lighter color. Is this something that should concern me and is there anyone I should have out to look at it? I'm in Northern NJ and the pool is a blue hawaiian pool. The installer was one of their authorized installers but as they started the install, I realized the installer had a history of fraud, having his license suspended, etc. and I've never been comfortable... just not sure if this is paranoia, normal settlement (we have had a bunch of settlement around the pool area after storms and following construction) or how best to get comfortable. Thank you in advance!

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I doubt whatever is caused by your SWG.

Use your TF-100 and post a complete set of test results...

FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
SALT
WATER TEMP
CSI

@Texas Splash
 
Ran a few tests (I have to refill some test solutions so I couldnt run all right now). Here's what I have:

FC 3.5
CC 0.5
pH 7.6
TA 55-60
CH 175
CYA ?
SALT 3300
WATER TEMP 74 degrees
CSI - do I have this test? I dont see it.

Curious if anything from these numbers jumps out at you.
 
CSI is a calculated number that PoolMath does when you enable CSI tracking.

Can you get a better pic of what the lines in your pool look like?
 
McLovitz said:
spoke to Blue Hawaiian and they say this is a chemical imbalance issue likely caused by the salt water generator. Does that sound correct?
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Typical manufacture reply. blah blah blah. That's the fallback reply from all of them. I wonder if they even know anything about water chemistry? Chlorine is chlorine, regardless if it's from tabs, liquid, or gas form. What is important is if the items are properly balanced. With the exception of not seeing your CYA yet, your numbers look very good. In addition, the manufacture's "generic" recommendations contradict good water balance, but we'll never convince them of that from our end.

Maybe we can help you determine if there is anything to really worry about with those lines if you can get a better pic or two. Sorry to hear about your installer troubles. Every year we see way too many of those situations.
 
Texas Splash said:
Texas Splash said:
Typical manufacture reply. blah blah blah. That's the fallback reply from all of them. I wonder if they even know anything about water chemistry? Chlorine is chlorine, regardless if it's from tabs, liquid, or gas form. What is important is if the items are properly balanced. With the exception of not seeing your CYA yet, your numbers look very good. In addition, the manufacture's "generic" recommendations contradict good water balance, but we'll never convince them of that from our end.

Maybe we can help you determine if there is anything to really worry about with those lines if you can get a better pic or two. Sorry to hear about your installer troubles. Every year we see way too many of those situations.
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Thanks much. I imagine I need to add CYA but I wont know until I get a good test in the coming days. But I can't imagine that would stain the fiberglass pool (though it would burn off my chlorine quicker). Looking closely at the pool, I'm noticing more staining throughout the pool. Pictures below though it's hard to get a great picture. Do you think my lower than recommended calcium hardness may be a cause? I bought chemicals to increase calcium hardness into the recommended range.

1652989148020.png1652989167170.png1652989176480.png1652989191134.png
 
Your latest photos look very similar to my own personal experience. It's not that you have done anything wrong, because I suspect you've been maintaining better chemical levels than the majority of non-TFP pool owners out there. It's just that some gelcoats seem to transition with color changes sooner for some unknown reason. Read my thread and see if your situation is like mine.

Fiberglass Discoloration (Faded & Chalky) - My Story

DISCLAIMER The following is a dialog of my own personal experience. Any processes used, chemically or otherwise, were performed strictly on my own without any recommendations from Trouble Free Pools. FUTURE POSTING I am trying to keep this thread streamlined with just my own progress for all...
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
A year later and I'm struggling with the same concerns as last year (after trying a few different techniques on the shell). I don't believe the pool discoloration is getting much worse though the deep end seems to be getting maybe a bit lighter.

I reached out to the pool manufacturer and, after a year of going back and forth, they have essentially agreed to refinish the pool for me using Ecofinish Polyfibro. I have to pay a little less than 1/3 the cost and they will cover 2/3 (plus the cost of draining/bracing the pool).

I'm curious if anyone on this forum has experience with the Ecofinish products (specifically Polyfibro) on a fiberglass pool and whether it's worth putting this coating on our pool to fix all the discoloration we're experiencing. My wife is on the fence and says the discoloration doesn't bother her as much as it bothers me. But if I don't take the manufacturer up on the offer to subsidize resurfacing and the discoloration gets worse in the coming years, my fear is I'm paying $10k more to do the Polyfibro myself.

Certainly welcome any thoughts here.
 

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Texas Splash said:
We had a couple members in the past do such re-coats. @seribus and @drseuss might be of some help if they get on the forum.
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I appreciate the quick response, as always. @seribus and @drseuss, any thoughts are very much appreciated. I'm wondering if I'll be back in the same place in a couple years that it's just not worth sinking money into this polyfibro fix at this point and waiting a few years until I really can't tolerate the finish (even if it means I'm paying 100%). Or would you suggest doing the work if it's 2/3 covered by pool manufacturer? Also, any suggestions on color? I'm considering going lighter than the pretty baby blue finish I have so that it minimizes fading.

Thanks in advance.
 
Have you touched or stepped on those areas with the lines? Do they feel any different than the rest of the pool floor/wall?
 
That seems promising that it is a color issue. Still pretty frustrating. I am not sure why the color change is in that pattern.
 
kul said:
That seems promising that it is a color issue. Still pretty frustrating. I am not sure why the color change is in that pattern.
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The discoloration is in a random "stained" or "blotching" pattern on the edges of steps, on the back wall, etc. I can try to take better pictures but the lines are just part of the problem. This photo is from the day the cover came off this season (so the pool is pretty dirty), but you can hopefully see on the edge of the bottom step it gets darker.
 

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