New Pool | Calcium Build-Up

[zollan23]

Hi everyone -

Wasn't quite sure what section this belonged in so I went with Just Getting Started. My new in-ground pool was filled on 7/3/2021 so we're just over a month old. I just posted about my SWG getting activated and because the PB added too much salt, today we drained the pool down to dilute. Upon doing so, I was talking with the PB and noticing the calcium build-up on my tile. It looked much worse with the water drained and he was noticing it was on my pour-in-place cement coping as well. I asked why I was getting so much calcium for such a new pool and he didn't really have a good answer. He mentioned that perhaps in the beginning before the water was balanced, the calcium levels were too low and because of that, the water was extracting calcium from the tile/grout. That was potentially causing the build-up. He also mentioned the coping could have been due to water splashing after the calcium was added and was really concentrated.

Regardless, I have the issue (see pictures below - one of tile the other of coping) and wanted to ask a couple questions:

1. What is the best way to clean this? Is a pumice stone my best bet here? Do I need to put anything on the pumice stone or just get it wet? What about the coping? Should I just power wash it? Should I add some acid or something first? Am I S.O.L.?
   1. I've already tried using acid and brushing. I've tried CLR and brushing. I've tried tile cleaner and brushing and none helped even a little. When trying acid I was using a diluted mixture, 10:1 water:acid (34%)
2. How can I prevent this from happening? Surely, after just one month I should not have this much of an issue, right? Or should I?

From my Pool Math logs, my CH during this time period has been the following (I test CH weekly'ish):

• 7/7 - 400
• 7/11 - 375
• 7/17 - 300
• 7/31 - 350
• 8/7 - 325

My CSI ratings have been the following starting from 7/7. I've been routinely adding acid to keep the pH down and also trying to lower TA which started at 210.

• 0.54
• 0.47
• 0.08
• 0.03
• -0.12
• 0.17
• 0.13
• 0.13
• 0.52
• 0.22
• 0.22
• 0.42
• 0.42
• 0.44
• -0.24
• -0.23
• 0.15
• 0.33
• -0.25
• -0.25
• 0.04
• 0.15
• -0.62
• -0.62
• -0.23
• -0.23
• 0.04
• 0.24
• 0.33
• =0.06
• 0.04
• 0.11
• -0.65
• -0.37
• -0.18
• 0.01
• -0.88 (salt added - 5,000 ppm)
• -0.48
• -0.12
• -0.23

Any help or thoughts are appreciated. Thank you

 

[mknauss]

The scale you see on the tile is above the water line. So that is not from the water in the pool. It appears to be coming down from the stacked stone. What is behind the stacked stone?

The other picture, is that the coping? If so, looks more like someone splashed some raw acid on it.

 

[zollan23]

Behind the stacked stone is just a planter of dirt. Above that is a sheer descent and if the pump is not running high enough, the water will trickle down. The spot to the right has no sheer descent above it.

The second picture is in fact the coping. It's been sealed so I would hope the acid wouldnl't do that, but in any case - do you have recommendations on how I can fix that? Same with the tile?

 

[mknauss]

What is coming on to the tile looks like bleed through from the stacked stone. So if there is dirt behind that, that I assume gets wet, then the shell behind the stacked stone was not water proofed and you have efflorescence coming through. Mild acid should take it off, but it will return.

The stain on the coping is there. If acid, for a very long time.