How to get rid of calcium scaling on new pool

simma

Member
Feb 9, 2020
21
Central Florida
Pool completed 7 weeks ago. Had plaster company out today for warranty work. And the supervisor said I have calcium scaling starting to form on my steps and other areas and that is not covered under warranty.

My calcium hardness has been in range but the finish which is wet edge requires 300-400 CH

What can I do to remove light calcium?
Leslie recommended this stain and scale remover?
Also looked at Sc-1000 as an option.

My ph is very low due to the warranty company using acid today to clean the tile and diving in my pool to expose an area of the pool surface.
 

Attachments

  • 03D1650A-01FD-4837-8769-15E3FDCC4A45.png
    03D1650A-01FD-4837-8769-15E3FDCC4A45.png
    227.3 KB · Views: 34
  • 15680C58-CEF3-4F78-98EB-416FB7FCE22C.jpeg
    15680C58-CEF3-4F78-98EB-416FB7FCE22C.jpeg
    423.1 KB · Views: 34
You need to manage your CSI. Turn it on in configuration settings. If they keep adding acid your TA might crash, so dont add any more. If you have water features keep the running so you can raise your ph. You should not run your Cl that low. FC/CYA Levels Oh forgot, dont use any pool store potions.
 
Just found the CSI in the pool math settings it is off by default so was not managing from a CSI perspective. How do I get rid of the calcium that is starting to form? The warranty guy, dropped some chemical on a small spot and it fizzed revealing a brighter coloration where the other areas look like it has a light haze.

Do I need to try running a negative CSI to clear this up?
The pool is only 6 weeks old, so would like to reverse or stop this before it becomes a permanent issue?

My warranty co keeps referring to the LSI range, which is what wet edge uses, but from reading this forum it appears to be a similar measurement based on the comment below on this forum.

CSI and LSI are two similar measures of calcium saturation in the water. LSI is a simplified version designed for manual calculation, while CSI is a more precise version that requires computer assistance to calculate. When the saturation index is too negative the water will try to dissolve calcium out of pool surfaces
 
Run your CSI between -0.3 and -0.6 and the scale should dissolve over time.

I am skeptical that scale can form in 7 weeks unless your pool pH was running very high.

What does this "scale" look like and feel like?


@onBalance
 
I cannot feel a difference on the finish. There are some parts that look like it may have gray haze, but I cannot tell if it was bad plastering or calcium.

He noted some spots on the step and said calcium was starting to form.

How can I be sure if I have calcium scaling?
 

Attachments

  • 523CB5E0-C4CC-40A7-A50C-C1C3B98D9462.jpeg
    523CB5E0-C4CC-40A7-A50C-C1C3B98D9462.jpeg
    129.3 KB · Views: 58
  • CDBEFE51-CA56-47B2-BA65-B9EC88AF4912.jpeg
    CDBEFE51-CA56-47B2-BA65-B9EC88AF4912.jpeg
    112.4 KB · Views: 59
I don't see wholesale calcium scaling in the photos, but what I see or don't see in a photo could be incorrect . It could still be a scaling issue. It would help significantly to know what the tap water used to fill the pool was and the current pool water readings are for pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness.
Generally, calcium scale forms uniformly throughout a pool. Not in isolated spots or areas. Scale would be very white and would cover over the colored plastered uniformly, including the aggregate or pebbles. Look close and inspect the aggregates.
Newly formed scale should be gritty and somewhat easily removed by using your fingernail. The plaster should also be smooth underneath and under the scale once removed. You could try a stain removal product in a couple of isolated spots and see what is observed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rancho Cost-a-Lotta
I cannot feel a difference on the finish. There are some parts that look like it may have gray haze, but I cannot tell if it was bad plastering or calcium.

He noted some spots on the step and said calcium was starting to form.

How can I be sure if I have calcium scaling?
Did you ever figure out if you had bad plaster or calcium scaling? I am seeing some thing similar at the bottom of my steps. Wondering what your resolve was. Thanks!
 
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.