- Aug 27, 2021
- 6
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Core-35
Hello TFP folks,
I recently had my pool plastered with NPT's Stone scape. On the first day the pool was filled up I started water treatment. Based on my taylor's test kit results, I started by adding a good amount of muratic acid since the PH was really high. I didn't have any Alkalinity increaser on hand so I just scattered the remaining 10 lbs of Calcium Hardness I had left. I made sure the pump was running at max while doing this and saw most all the granules dissolve before hitting the ground. Initially I thought about dissolving the granules in water but the product instructions say not to do this. A few hours later I came back and noticed white blotches near the deep end (first photo) so I quickly tried scrubbing it with steel brush but it made no difference. Long story short, its day 3 and now noticing some more discoloration in the shallow end (second photo) as well despite not having added anymore CH and brushing 1x a day with steel brush (as instructed by my pool plaster company).
I've been beating myself up pretty good about my mistake for ruining our brand new plaster and frustrated with my pool plaster company as well for providing zero details in their plaster startup instructions about adding chemicals. All they said was wait till day 3 after pool is filled to begin adding chemicals. Out of curiosity I checked NPT's website for startup instructions and they had a much more comprehensive guide with all the steps for day 1 through 28 (link below). They even state to start chemicals on day 1 so now Im less confident in my PPC. It would have been very helpful if pool plaster company would have shared this with me since it explicitly mentions for only to add CH on day 2, "...then adjust calcium hardness levels to a minimum of 150 ppm. (CAUTION: Adjustments requiring more than 20 lb. of CaCl^2 should be pre-diluted and added in 10lb increments – morning and afternoon.)". Then for day 4 and beyond, "...After the 4th Day, calcium levels should be adjusted slowly over the 28-day period not to exceed 200 ppm."
I'm anticipating some of you more experienced pool experts thinking to yourself, "In general you shouldn't add calcium hardness in that way even without new plaster" but I'm just a new homeowner that enjoys DIY and started treating my pool a year ago so I'm still learning.
My hope is that someone with experience with plaster stains could please help me understand what my options are here, if any? The little research I did points to maybe diving down when the water warms up and try using a pumice stone or sand paper?
www.nptpool.com
I recently had my pool plastered with NPT's Stone scape. On the first day the pool was filled up I started water treatment. Based on my taylor's test kit results, I started by adding a good amount of muratic acid since the PH was really high. I didn't have any Alkalinity increaser on hand so I just scattered the remaining 10 lbs of Calcium Hardness I had left. I made sure the pump was running at max while doing this and saw most all the granules dissolve before hitting the ground. Initially I thought about dissolving the granules in water but the product instructions say not to do this. A few hours later I came back and noticed white blotches near the deep end (first photo) so I quickly tried scrubbing it with steel brush but it made no difference. Long story short, its day 3 and now noticing some more discoloration in the shallow end (second photo) as well despite not having added anymore CH and brushing 1x a day with steel brush (as instructed by my pool plaster company).
I've been beating myself up pretty good about my mistake for ruining our brand new plaster and frustrated with my pool plaster company as well for providing zero details in their plaster startup instructions about adding chemicals. All they said was wait till day 3 after pool is filled to begin adding chemicals. Out of curiosity I checked NPT's website for startup instructions and they had a much more comprehensive guide with all the steps for day 1 through 28 (link below). They even state to start chemicals on day 1 so now Im less confident in my PPC. It would have been very helpful if pool plaster company would have shared this with me since it explicitly mentions for only to add CH on day 2, "...then adjust calcium hardness levels to a minimum of 150 ppm. (CAUTION: Adjustments requiring more than 20 lb. of CaCl^2 should be pre-diluted and added in 10lb increments – morning and afternoon.)". Then for day 4 and beyond, "...After the 4th Day, calcium levels should be adjusted slowly over the 28-day period not to exceed 200 ppm."
I'm anticipating some of you more experienced pool experts thinking to yourself, "In general you shouldn't add calcium hardness in that way even without new plaster" but I'm just a new homeowner that enjoys DIY and started treating my pool a year ago so I'm still learning.
My hope is that someone with experience with plaster stains could please help me understand what my options are here, if any? The little research I did points to maybe diving down when the water warms up and try using a pumice stone or sand paper?

National Plasters Council Procedure | NPT Pool Finishes | NPTpool.com
If you’re a builder, remodeler, or home owner with a brand new plaster pool finish, it’s critical that you follow the steps in this guide to protect and prolong the life of your pool finish. Visit NPTpool.com