Added way more MA than I thought I should and finally got my PH to come down. For the calcium buildup that's there, will it go away on its own as long as I keep my PH down or do I need to continue working on it with a brush and a MA solution? Most of it is located above the waterline.
Calcium buildup - will it go away?
- Thread starter bdbull
- Start date
- Apr 10, 2018
- 6,334
- Pool Size
- 18375
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Likely not. Chemical adjustment alone will not remove waterline scale. You'll either need lots of elbow grease or a local bead blaster. Check out the article below:
www.troublefreepool.com
Waterline Scale Removal - Further Reading
www.troublefreepool.com
Thanks for the info. I'll probably just keep scrubbing on it. The buildup is in an odd location. It's where the top of the tile meets the mortar bed underneath the stone coping which is a few inches above the water line. So it only touches the water when people are in the pool and the water is moving around. This location makes it easy for me to scrub though.
I have some scale similarly in a couple small areas where water doesn’t flow, but regularly wets. My guess is the water hits the areas, evaporates, and leaves the calcium behind. Day after day, the little bit of calcium builds and becomes visible. Likely unavoidable. I have not addressed it yet (will leave it be until my wife asks about it lol), but plan for those areas is a scrub with dilute acid.
For waterline, I’ve seen some youtube “miracle” videos where folks raise the water level enough to cover the scale line and then use Orenda SC-1000 per directions. Over time, the videos show the scale softening enough to where it can be brushed off. I’d be interested to know if the experts here consider it snake oil or a legitimate option. I’ve been thinking about trying it myself next Spring. They bill the SC-1000 as a chelator and calcium being a metal, it sort of makes sense but that’s as far as I know.
For waterline, I’ve seen some youtube “miracle” videos where folks raise the water level enough to cover the scale line and then use Orenda SC-1000 per directions. Over time, the videos show the scale softening enough to where it can be brushed off. I’d be interested to know if the experts here consider it snake oil or a legitimate option. I’ve been thinking about trying it myself next Spring. They bill the SC-1000 as a chelator and calcium being a metal, it sort of makes sense but that’s as far as I know.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,708
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
A knowledgeable and skilled pool tile cleaner can make quick work of scale and return the tile to nearly new condition. You pay for a few hours of their time solid materials. Generally around $5 per linear ft of tile. Most pools have around 90-120 linear feet. Expensive … sure. But way faster and easier than anything you can do on your own.
Scale inhibitors alone will take a long time to work and if you have to raise your water level above the tile midpoint, then you skimmer will stop working. Plus, any tile on a wall face above the water will be unaffected.
Scale inhibitors alone will take a long time to work and if you have to raise your water level above the tile midpoint, then you skimmer will stop working. Plus, any tile on a wall face above the water will be unaffected.
