Moved from here.
I'm jumping on this thread because I have the same issue. I've winterized my pool many times before and this is the first time I found calcium crystals. The only difference this year was that last year we got a new Hydrazzo plaster. At the time of closing, my parameters were:
Cl 10 ppm
pH 7.7
TA 80 ppm
Ca 360 ppm
CYA 60
Salt 3400
When I opened the pool and filled with new water, the parameters were
Cl 0
pH 8.5
TA 70 ppm
Ca 300
Salt 2500
CYA 20
I did not check the water prior to filling. I found sharp crystals only below the winter water line, only on the plaster and grout, and not on any other surface like the tile faces. My vacuum was picking them up by the bagful. In my search, I found the Orenda blog that others have talked about. I understand their point. My LSI and CSI were balanced at the time of closing, but since temperature is a factor, water that's balanced at a summer temperature (>80°F) becomes corrosive at a winter temperature (<40° F).
I wanted some advice on anyone that has used SC-1000 or another method. I've balanced and heated my water and brushed the walls. Some of it has come off, but some of the crystals remain. From what I understand, SC-1000 is a chelating agent. It chelates many ions including calcium, reducing the effective concentration of calcium, which drives the solution reaction to help dissolve the crystals. I also understand that it binds chlorine.
Has anyone else used this stuff? Does the split-dosing system work, where you add a fraction at a time, allowing the chlorine to build up between additions?
What does the calcium level measure as you are using this? Does it go up since more is being solubilized, or does the test read a low level since the Ca++ is chelated?
I'm really hopeful that this can be fixed without an acid wash.
I'm jumping on this thread because I have the same issue. I've winterized my pool many times before and this is the first time I found calcium crystals. The only difference this year was that last year we got a new Hydrazzo plaster. At the time of closing, my parameters were:
Cl 10 ppm
pH 7.7
TA 80 ppm
Ca 360 ppm
CYA 60
Salt 3400
When I opened the pool and filled with new water, the parameters were
Cl 0
pH 8.5
TA 70 ppm
Ca 300
Salt 2500
CYA 20
I did not check the water prior to filling. I found sharp crystals only below the winter water line, only on the plaster and grout, and not on any other surface like the tile faces. My vacuum was picking them up by the bagful. In my search, I found the Orenda blog that others have talked about. I understand their point. My LSI and CSI were balanced at the time of closing, but since temperature is a factor, water that's balanced at a summer temperature (>80°F) becomes corrosive at a winter temperature (<40° F).
I wanted some advice on anyone that has used SC-1000 or another method. I've balanced and heated my water and brushed the walls. Some of it has come off, but some of the crystals remain. From what I understand, SC-1000 is a chelating agent. It chelates many ions including calcium, reducing the effective concentration of calcium, which drives the solution reaction to help dissolve the crystals. I also understand that it binds chlorine.
Has anyone else used this stuff? Does the split-dosing system work, where you add a fraction at a time, allowing the chlorine to build up between additions?
What does the calcium level measure as you are using this? Does it go up since more is being solubilized, or does the test read a low level since the Ca++ is chelated?
I'm really hopeful that this can be fixed without an acid wash.
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