New pool scale removal recommendations

[lmatt05]

Plaster pool is about a month and a half old. The startup company(plaster installer) was not balancing my pool properly and unfortunately I didn't think ahead to get any water testing done. They would come once a week and drop chlorine tablets and acid. I did the test strips occasionally and ph was red a few days after their visit. I've since purchased a Taylor kit for testing

When the pool service started my PH was sky high and they've been out multiple times a week to get the chems balanced. I did get the water tested the last two weeks and found that CSI was 3.0, this week it's down to 0.3 mainly due to PH coming down to 7.2.
My current problem is there's a ton of scale buildup and I'm not really sure if it's the pool builder or pool service is to blame since the handover wasn't exactly great. Either way I want to get the scale out. Is a no drain acid wash too extreme for new plaster? I've seen the magic jacks and orenda cs1000 but not sure if those will take off the scale.

one odd thing that did happen was the swg was not generating any chlorine for about a week so the pool service added some liquid chlorine. That didn't raise it either so they added some dry chlorine. 2 days after that I had white powdery dust throughout the pool. Did they calcify the whole pool doing just that?

chems from last week:
PH 7.8
FC 5
TA 110 ppm
CH 400 PPM
CYA 60
SALT 3200
Chems this week:
PH 7.5
FC 5
TA 90PPM
CH 550 PPM
CYA 50
SALT 3900PPM

 

[Bperry]

Plaster pool is about a month and a half old. The startup company(plaster installer) was not balancing my pool properly and unfortunately I didn't think ahead to get any water testing done. They would come once a week and drop chlorine tablets and acid. I did the test strips occasionally and ph was red a few days after their visit. I've since purchased a Taylor kit for testing

When the pool service started my PH was sky high and they've been out multiple times a week to get the chems balanced. I did get the water tested the last two weeks and found that CSI was 3.0, this week it's down to 0.3 mainly due to PH coming down to 7.2.
My current problem is there's a ton of scale buildup and I'm not really sure if it's the pool builder or pool service is to blame since the handover wasn't exactly great. Either way I want to get the scale out. Is a no drain acid wash too extreme for new plaster? I've seen the magic jacks and orenda cs1000 but not sure if those will take off the scale.

one odd thing that did happen was the swg was not generating any chlorine for about a week so the pool service added some liquid chlorine. That didn't raise it either so they added some dry chlorine. 2 days after that I had white powdery dust throughout the pool. Did they calcify the whole pool doing just that?

chems from last week:
PH 7.8
FC 5
TA 110 ppm
CH 400 PPM
CYA 60
SALT 3200
Chems this week:
PH 7.5
FC 5
TA 90PPM
CH 550 PPM
CYA 50
SALT 3900PPM

Those pictures look more like they dumped some powder in and didn’t brush it and now it’s stuck to the bottom of the pool (calcium does that), have you tried brushing/scrubbing it?

 

[lmatt05]

Those pictures look more like they dumped some powder in and didn’t brush it and now it’s stuck to the bottom of the pool (calcium does that), have you tried brushing/scrubbing it?

I would agree but it was 2 days after their visit that I noticed it. I brushed it all to the main drain and vacuumed it. It continued to be dusty and kept coming back for a few days but it wasn't as severe and now it's all gone.

 

[proavia]

What Taylor test kit do you have?
Add your test kit to your signature.

Are you using PoolMath?
Share your PoolMath logs to your forum account.

Or report here in the following format
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Salt
Water temperature

 

[Bperry]

Those pictures look more like they dumped some powder in and didn’t brush it and now it’s stuck to the bottom of the pool (calcium does that), have you tried brushing/scrubbing it?

So the pictures are of powder or just stains? If they dumped chlorine on the floor of the pool it could be staining and not scale. Your calcium isn’t very high right now if the results came from your Taylor kit.

 

[lmatt05]

What Taylor test kit do you have?
Add your test kit to your signature.

Are you using PoolMath?
Share your PoolMath logs to your forum account.

Or report here in the following format
FC
CC
pH
TA
CH
CYA
Salt
Water temperature

Updated the signature but it's a k2005.
I did use pool math to get the csi but need to upgrade to link it here still.
This test was from a week ago that got me the 3.0. I took it to a pool store while I get more comfortable with the test kit colors.

Fc 5
CC 0
PH 7.8
TA 110
CH 400
CYA
60
SALT 3200
TEMP 70

 

[lmatt05]

So the pictures are of powder or just stains? If they dumped chlorine on the floor of the pool it could be staining and not scale. Your calcium isn’t very high right now if the results came from your Taylor kit.

Pictures 1 and 3 are of the dust I brushed to the main drain, it all moved but now it seems like there is scale all over.
The second picture is where they poured some acid in a circle to see if it was scale. The darker color is what the plaster should be.

 

[Bperry]

Pictures 1 and 3 are of the dust I brushed to the main drain, it all moved but now it seems like there is scale all over.
The second picture is where they poured some acid in a circle to see if it was scale. The darker color is what the plaster should be.

Don’t even bother with pool store testing. Get the FAS-DPD upgrade kit to turn the 2005 to a 2006.

Sadly, the acid circles may be there to stay unless they acid wash the pool. That was foolish of them. You can try sanding it with wet/dry sand paper to see if the whiter area gets darker.

Do you have a picture of the scale? If you can scrape some of it up and put a drop or two of acid on it, any fizzing will confirm its calcium. Just don’t put acid on the pool finish directly.

 

[proavia]

FAS-DPD is the Taylor K-1515 or you can order the R-0870 and R-0871 reagents separately. As I recall, the K-2005 may have the R-0003 reagent already.

As @Bperry said, don't waste you time with the PS testing. It's rarely correct and usually quite inconsistent.

 

[lmatt05]

FAS-DPD is the Taylor K-1515 or you can order the R-0870 and R-0871 reagents separately. As I recall, the K-2005 may have the R-0003 reagent already.

As @Bperry said, don't waste you time with the PS testing. It's rarely correct and usually quite inconsistent.

I do have the R-0003 in my kit but no powder.
I'm curious why the pool store is inconsistent since they are using Taylor kits too? Is it because they are using different reagents or they can't read it properly?

 

[Bperry]

I do have the R-0003 in my kit but no powder.
I'm curious why the pool store is inconsistent since they are using Taylor kits too? Is it because they are using different reagents or they can't read it properly?

If you found a pool store that’s using FAS-DPD chlorine test, you’ve found a unicorn. Every shop I’ve been in (3-4) all use something else. They do offer some Taylor reagents but don’t use them for testing.

 

[proavia]

I do have the R-0003 in my kit but no powder.
I'm curious why the pool store is inconsistent since they are using Taylor kits too? Is it because they are using different reagents or they can't read it properly?

The business model is to sell all kinds of magic potions to maximize their profits.
That "free" testing can cost hundreds of dollars.
We have seen time and again that they will advise one thing, only to cause other issues, that you guessed it, another of their expensive magic potions will fix.
Your choice if you want to be on their overpriced roller coast or not.

No one cares about your pool as much as you do.
Use your own test kit, be methodical and consistent in your own testing.