Excessive Scaling in Pentair Intellichlor

[michaelbuday]

My Intellichlor SWG Is filling with large “plates” of scale every three weeks, forcing me to clean it about once a month. My pool chemistry is:

FCL 2.21
TCL 2.21
PH 7.8
ALY 40
CH 240
TDS 3100 (about the same as the salt level)

The scaling is so bad each time - covering the plates, I have to acid wash, they use a hose and a thin wood stick to get all of it out from between the plates.

Am I missing anything?

Michael

 

[mknauss]

How did you get those test results?

The test results do not imply this should be happening.
For instance, my pH is 7.5, TA 80, and CH 650+. No scale. None.

 

[michaelbuday]

Hi Marty,

I have a ColorQ Electronic tester (digital readout) thaT I use once a month, and a more traditional PoolMaster test kit that I use every two days. I checked with both, and they’re within 5-8 % of each other.

I agree that the numbers don’t indicate major water chemistry issues, I just can’t get my head around what may be causing this.

 

[mknauss]

The ColorQ is known for reporting inaccurate CH levels and recently, TA levels.

One or both of those are way higher than you are testing.

 

[JamesW]

It doesn't look like calcium carbonate.

Do you know if the sulfates or phosphates are high?

If you put a drop of acid on the scale, does it bubble?

 

[JamesW]

The main types of calcium scale are calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, calcium silicate and calcium sulfate.

https://aquamagazine.com/service/the-case-of-the-mysterious-pool-deposits.html

https://aquamagazine.com/service/the-mystery-of-the-pointed-crystals.html

 

[michaelbuday]

The ColorQ is known for reporting inaccurate CH levels and recently, TA levels.

One or both of those are way higher than you are testing.

I’ll take a sample of water into Leslies today to get tested.

 

[michaelbuday]

It doesn't look like calcium carbonate.

Do you know if the sulfates or phosphates are high?

If you put a drop of acid on the scale, does it bubble?

Hi James,

I don’t know, but I’ll take a sample of water into Leslie’s today for a more thorough analysis.

 

[michaelbuday]

It doesn't look like calcium carbonate.

Do you know if the sulfates or phosphates are high?

If you put a drop of acid on the scale, does it bubble?

I never tried dripping some acid directly on the scale that falls out of the SWG, but when pouring a diluted acid mix into the SWG, it does bubble furiously.

 

[mknauss]

I’ll take a sample of water into Leslies today to get tested.

Sadly, Pool store test results are even more suspect. A proper test kit is needed to manage your pool water chemistry.
I suggest the TF-100 A proper test kit is needed to get the accurate water chemistry results needed to follow the TFP protocols.

 

[JamesW]

It might be mixed scale types. What is the pool type?

 

[michaelbuday]

The main types of calcium scale are calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, calcium silicate and calcium sulfate.

https://aquamagazine.com/service/the-case-of-the-mysterious-pool-deposits.html

https://aquamagazine.com/service/the-mystery-of-the-pointed-crystals.html

Thank you for the links. In hindsight, the problem does seem to accelerate when the pool heater is

It might be mixed scale types. What is the pool type?

In ground, plaster/pebble tech.