DIY Scale removal using soda blaster? Can you do it yourself?

[Cneely]

I need some help. I live in southern Louisiana and have a decent amount of scale buildup along the water line and under fountains on my tile (pool is 3 years old). I was just quoted 700$ to have the pool tile cleaned. I plan on doing a MUCH better job regulating my pool so it wont happen as fast in the future. I saw that I can buy a portable soda blaster either 15lb or 40lb for anywhere btwn 100-160$ and would then own it for future use. I have watched videos and read about how the process works but I have specific questions:
1. Can I do this or will I damage my pool?
2. What kind of soda to use that is safe for pools and where to get it?
3. How will this affect the PH of my pool and how to I get it back to acceptable levels.

Any other information I should know???

Any help or suggestions are welcome - thanks!

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

I think we had some threads talking about those blasters. I am not sure what they use though. If you use baking soda, that will raise the TA and the pH slightly.

You use muriatic acid to lower the pH and TA ... usually that is the same stuff used to remove the scale as well.

I was kind of wondering what I could do with something that would blast fine salt which would have little impact to the pool water. Or if that would damage the tile.

 

[Cneely]

salt would be ideal - have to add it anyway- interesting idea.

 

[jblizzle]

I have never bought the "pool salt" I use the solar salt which is pretty big chunks, but the pool salt is finer ... just not sure if it is fine enough ... might be more like sand blasting.

 

[JasonLion]

A couple of people have used bead blasters with good results. There are beads that float, which are easily gathered up afterwards.