Efflorescense?

[Camilo_Z]

Hey Everyone,

Noticed some white residue a couple of weeks after opening behind my waterfalls and some spots under the edges.

I've balance my water to keep CSI between -0.3 and 0. So question is, is this in fact calcium residue? and if so, would keeping my CSI within this range alleviate this issue? or is there something else I need to do?

Thanks

 

[Toxophilite]

It's all localized to the cement coping, so would appear to be more related to the cement mix and not to your water chemistry unless salt. Without guessing if inherent, like cement salts, your pool salts, or something they added in filler or to aid the setting of the cement, while it's new formed it should scrub off. Powerwashing takes it off my stucco where I get it in low flower bed areas, but would not suggest you powerwash near that waterline and liner.

 

[Camilo_Z]

thank you! so I turned my waterfalls on today and almost immediately the pool got cloudy. I turned them off and pool went clear but now I have a lot of sediment so I put in the dolphin to vaccum all off it out. Now that the residue under the pavers at the edges is dry it's pretty hard (it won't come up with a stiff brush). I'm gonna try scraping it off but is there something I should be changing as to my chemistry levels? not sure if anyone can see my logs.

 

[Toxophilite]

I would say the cement was deeply dampened under cover and upon slow drying and wicking out of moisture you got some efflorescence. It's masonry like any other. New cement roofing tiles will do that on their first hard dry, not as pronounced, but develop a white efflorescence till after few months of low pH rain from mother nature cleans them. You might start working at it with your brush and a mild mix of MA and water, say 1:10. The idea is to speed up the process, not burn off or etch the surface of your cement coping. If it takes many passes over time, that's what it takes.

 

[Camilo_Z]

Thank you!