Extreme Scaling - Need Advice

[dorgan]

So last year we were not the greatest with keeping our PH down and have now suffered the concequences. We have extreme Scaling in the entire pool to the point where if you are in the pool your feet, hands and arms, basically anything that touches the walls or floors gets torn up. I have since gotten a water guru and add acid to the pool everyday if needed.

So my question is how do I go about doing the acid bath? I am also going to get the mx8 elite which has scrubbing brushes and run that constantly.

 

[ajw22]

I would first try and run your pool with your CSI around -0.6 for a season and let the aggressive water etch away the scale the same way the high CSI caused it to grow.

An acid bath needs to be done by folks who know what they are doing. Pools and equipment has been ruined by doing it the wrong way. I would try the low risk process first.

Time for you to update your signature with what you have.

 

[dorgan]

Signature updated. The problem I have right now is because of the scaling the pool is almost useless

 

[ajw22]

Why is the pool useless?

What type of pool? Heater? Automation?

 

[dorgan]

Why is the pool useless?

As stated above:

We have extreme Scaling in the entire pool to the point where if you are in the pool your feet, hands and arms, basically anything that touches the walls or floors gets torn up.

 

[ajw22]

What type of pool? Heater? Automation?

Post some pics of the situation.

 

[JamesW]

If you turn off the system and drain the equipment, you can drop the TA to zero and brush the pool to try to remove the scale.

As the scale dissolves, the TA will increase and you have to lower it again if the scale is still bad.

After the scale is removed, you bring the TA back up to about 80 to 100 and restart the system. But, only after the pH is back to at least 7.0.

Any metal in the pool can be damaged.

Pull out the lights and ladders.

This procedure is very risky and I don't recommend it.

It might cause damage that's unexpected and possibly permanent.

If you want to do it, you do it at your own risk.

 

[dorgan]

Well we had a couple companies come in and look at it and we're going to do an acid wash.

 

[JamesW]

Ok, let us know how it turns out.

 

[JamesW]

I would try the zero alkalinity procedure first. I'm not recommending that you do that, but it's what I would do.

Make sure that you have the ground water situation under control before you drain or the pool can pop out of the ground.

 

[ComputerGuyInNOLA]

Keep your pool balanced year round to avoid this issue. It will pay off in spades for your equipment and plaster.

 

[ComputerGuyInNOLA]

And good luck. Hoping for the best so you don‘t miss the swim season.

 

[dorgan]

I am being told the acid wash process will take a day or two. We are in a drought here so less water under the pool than normal, I also asked them about it as I know we had well pumps installed when the pool was put in and they said they would take out the main drain. And we'll likely start next week, so we definitely shouldn't miss the swim season.

 

[JamesW]

What plaster do you have?

 

[dorgan]

What plaster do you have?

Will look up once I get home, what does that impact?

 

[JamesW]

Plain white marcite plaster with calcium carbonate aggregate will be etched very noticeably with an acid wash.

Quartz or pebble is more resistant to etching, but it will still be etched where the acid eats away the cement.

In my opinion, acid washing is a last resort when nothing else will work.

Hopefully, you will have an acceptable result.

 

[dorgan]

It's a gem quartz finish, they came and tested a VERY small fist size area on the subshelf and that cleaned it up real nice.

 

[dorgan]

So the acid wash was done today. It seems to have worked really well for the floor of pool. The walls not as much!! HELP

 

[JamesW]

Is the pool full again?

Do you have pictures?

What did the company say about the walls not coming clean?

 

[dorgan]

Is the pool full again?

Do you have pictures?

What did the company say about the walls not coming clean?

It's filling now.

It doesn't show in pictures. I did go to pinch a Penny and pick up one of these.



The rough spots that are still there I am able to get rid of by using this and it's definitely not damaging the pool surface, I made sure to take extra car before I used it. So I jumped in the pool and was spot treating as needed. It is definitely MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better than it was. I didn't get a chance to talk to the pool guy before he left, but he will be back tomorrow. I may rent a scuba tank/respirator and just spot treat as needed