Opening Pool, Scaling on Walls=Discouraged!

[curlyfry22]

I was optimistic things would go well in opening my pool this year. I am in the shock process and I have been brushing the sides of the pool. There is some very bad whitish scaling all down the walls of the pool (bad enough to cause scratches and scrapes on swimmers). Scrubbing with a vinyl brush does next to nothing.

I have never had this problem before. How can I get rid of it? How can I prevent it from happening again? Please help.

 

[Smykowski]

Can you post your latest set of test results?

 

[curlyfry22]

FC-11.5
CC.5
TA-90-100 (Not sure always how to read this...at pink it's 90...darker pink/red 100)
CH-180 (it was 200 yesterday.....)
PH-7.3
CA-30

Why the terrible scaling on the walls and what do I do?

 

[duraleigh]

Those numbers don't indicate a calcium scaling condition. Did you have to bring your pH up when you opened this year?

 

[curlyfry22]

No, PH has been in the 7.3-7.4 range since before I started the shock process.

 

[duraleigh]

Pretty unlikely that calcium scale occurred if your pH was 7.3 or so all winter. Do you have a pic?.....that may not be scale.

 

[curlyfry22]

Here is a photo. It's some rough nasty stuff! Let me know if I didn't post the photo right.

 

[curlyfry22]

Can someone tell me if it looks like calcium scaling and what to do? (Or is my pic not viewable?). I haven't received any advice on what to do. Any help is so apprecited!!!

 

[karmabiker]

Can you post the pic not in a zip? I can't unzip from my iPhone.

 

[duraleigh]

Can't see the pic.

 

[Richard320]

I opened the picture, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be seeing. You might try taking the picture with the pump off and no direct sunlight so the glare doesn't mess things off. Early in the morning works best for me, before the sun has hit the pool.

 

[curlyfry22]

Here's another photo. All that white stuff. It's caked onto the liner. Feels like gritty sand.

 

[duraleigh]

It's pretty difficult to tell from that photo but calcium scale seems very likely.

It would be pretty impossible for scale to form with your current results so, at some point, your chemistry must have been w-a-a-a-y out of whack for an extended period.

If it was my pool, I would lower the pH to 7.0 and keep it there for what may end up being several weeks. Hopefully, the scale will start to dissolve. I can think of no quick fix.

 

[curlyfry22]

Sorry, my pic turned itself sideways. I turned the filter off and took the pic this morning before the sun was on the pool. There is like a defined rim around the pool then an area where it's not so bad and then a whole lot down the sides. My water level is several inches above the first build-up. I got as close as I could get without getting my phone wet. My husband thinks it's calcium too. I am not sure why it happened because I followed the guide to closing my pool on here last fall....

What about the products the pool stores have for calcium? I have seen some good reviews on them and they seem to work in several weeks.

Could someone explain to me what causes calcium scale in pools so that I am educated and can hopefully prevent this from happening again as I am not sure why given my test results I have a problem to start with?

 

[curlyfry22]

I am dropping my PH again to 7 to hopefully help with the scaling on the walls. My water is looking much better, we are getting close. I just have the issues with the scaling on the wall.

My CH started out at 200, 8 days ago when I started the shock process to open my pool. My CH is now down to 160.

We have had a lot of rain in NE OK the past week. I have had to empty quite a bit of water out of my pool. My stabilizer is also now down to 20. Is it ok to leave it there for now or should I raise it a little?
FC-6 (still shocking, bringing it up to 12)
CC-.5
TC-6.5
TA-100
CH-160
PH-7.3 (going to lower)
CA-20