Battling Calcium Flakes for the Past Three Years

[mikecoscia]

So, long story short…I installed a 10,000 gallon vinyl in-ground saltwater pool 9 years ago. Everything worked great, water was crystal clear and super easy to maintain. Three years ago, I started getting a white powder in the pool. Talked to two local pool stores and they both said it was a DE leak. After replacing nearly every part in the filter, I still kept getting the white powder. My pool chemistry always looked good, so out of desperation I replaced my DE filter with a cartridge filter about three weeks ago. Lo and behold…still getting the white powder, which I now know (through expensive trial and error) to be calcium flakes…lol. I used the Orenda LSI calculator and I am getting -0.27, which I thought would be low enough to dissolve any calcium. Below are my current readings, I would greatly appreciate ANY insight as this is driving me nuts, I miss my clean bottom pool…lol.

Temp: 80
pH: 7.6
Alk: 83
CyA: 60
FAC: 4.9
TAC: 4.9
CH: 317
Pho: 0
FE: 0
Cu: 0
Salt: 3400

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
Those appear to be pool store test results. Can you post a full set of pool water chemistry test results from your own kit?
The high TA is likely making your cell create scale. Lower the TA.
I suggest you read through Pool Care Basics - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

 

[mikecoscia]

Thanks for your reply! The tests were using an accublue, but I have a full standard test kit as well. I’ll do the drop tests when I get home from work and report back. Appreciate the help!

 

[JimMarshall]

Thanks for your reply! The tests were using an accublue, but I have a full standard test kit as well. I’ll do the drop tests when I get home from work and report back. Appreciate the help!

Accublue shouldn't be allowed to use the word Accu in their name as they are anything but.

 

[mikecoscia]

Accublue shouldn't be allowed to use the word Accu in their name as they are anything but.

Good to know! Figured I would give it a try as it was quick and easy, especially since I had no issues with the machine they used in the store for years. I guess that is not the case.

 

[mknauss]

since I had no issues with the machine they used in the store for years

Then why are you having calcium scale for the last three years?

 

[mikecoscia]

Then why are you having calcium scale for the last three years?

No idea, maybe it needs to be recalibrated or is dirty? Either way I just did the drop tests and their results and my accublue are definitely way off. These are the results I just took with my test kit…

FC: 6
ph: 7.7
TA: 90
CH: 420
CYA: 40
Temp: 82F

My Chlorine is high as I am coming down from a SLAM test over the weekend. Installed a new iChlor20 at the beginning of the season and I was having trouble maintains chlorine levels. My CC was definitely high, but I wonder if the low CYA had anything to do with it. Should I bump that up and try and bring down my ALK some more?

Thanks, I really do appreciate it! Wish I read through this forum before buying a new filter…lol.

 

[mknauss]

FC is fine. Actually in target range for that CYA.
Raising the CYA 10 or 20 ppm would help retain FC some.

Lower the pH to 7.4. Get your TA down to 70 or below and the flakes should stop.

 

[mikecoscia]

FC is fine. Actually in target range for that CYA.
Raising the CYA 10 or 20 ppm would help retain FC some.

Lower the pH to 7.4. Get your TA down to 70 or below and the flakes should stop.

Thanks, dropped my pH to 7.5 and AlK to 75-80 over the past two days. It definitely helped. Seeing a lot less flakes in the pool, just a little in the seams now. Although with the recent heat wave, my water temp has gone up to 87-90. Not sure if that affects this issue. I’ll try and drop the pH and ALK a little more to see if I can get rid of it completely. Appreciate the help!!!

 

[mknauss]

Higher water temperature will make the CSI more positive. That will increase the flakes. So a bit more acid to drop the TA.