New pool with white streaks/blotches in finish on day 1

[Dustr2]

Hello all. Sorry for yet another post about white streaks and blotches, but I wanted to get some collective wisdom.

My 17,000 gallon pool was filled last week and has Sunstone Select (Ansylbrite) onyx quartz aggregate finish. We used a major national pool builder. From day 1 there were many white streaks and spots all over. I realize there are some natural variations to be expected with a quartz product but this is well beyond that. The finish looks old and worn. When I ran my hand over some of the light spots they actually are dents and divots in the finish.

The PB said keep brushing (which we are) and chemistry is just as they instructed. I know we have to wait until the end of the 28 day startup to address this, but this doesn’t seem to be getting any better and the appearance-to me-is not acceptable for a $100,000 pool.

Welcome thoughts on what these areas appear to be and suggested approaches with PB to get some resolution. Thanks in advance.

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
This is a good read on plaster issues, etc. Plaster Installation and Maintenance - Further Reading
I suggest you read through Pool School - Trouble Free Pool and even look at a few of our videos TFP-TV - Trouble Free Pool

 

[bigorangesky]

Wow I have almost the exact same issues. How did yours turn out?
I'm a week in with sunstone and have the same white spots as you. My installer did not expose the aggregate, so that is what I'm dealing with.

New quartz finish, after 1 week still not a lot of aggregate exposed.

They used CL Industries product, and I'm following the startup instructions to keep TA at 80, and pH at 7.2. I've been brushing everyday, but you can see in there pictures, only some aggregate is exposed. They told me brushing would expose it all ... But I'm getting worried now. I asked about...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Dustr2]

Wow I have almost the exact same issues. How did yours turn out?
I'm a week in with sunstone and have the same white spots as you. My installer did not expose the aggregate, so that is what I'm dealing with.

New quartz finish, after 1 week still not a lot of aggregate exposed.

They used CL Industries product, and I'm following the startup instructions to keep TA at 80, and pH at 7.2. I've been brushing everyday, but you can see in there pictures, only some aggregate is exposed. They told me brushing would expose it all ... But I'm getting worried now. I asked about...

www.troublefreepool.com

Same here. I had to ask specifically if they acid washed it and they said no, they don’t do that on darker CL quartz colors but didn’t say why. I think they don’t have experienced people to make sure it’s a good job, which I’ve read is key. You can really mess up an acid wash I guess.

They told me to wait 90 days for the finish to fully cure then they can look at doing an acid bath. So we have about 2 months to go. I saw a post on Facebook with someone who has same issues and got the acid bath after 30 days and it looked a lot better and darker. I think the acid bath if done properly allows a more uniform exposure than the acid wash method which could leave streaking. Just make sure if they do an acid bath that they hook up a pump bypass. You don’t want that going through your system!

In the end I wish I had gone with pebble. Nobody told me quartz was iffy or could result in this. I would have paid the money to upgrade!

Keep me posted on what you do and I’ll do the same. Pool owners have to stick together.

 

[PaAmanda]

We're a little over 2 months in on our Sunstone Select (Ansylbrite) Onyx Quartz. We also had some white streaking, spotting, and what appeared to be footprints in a path they used to exit the pool. Our plasterers did do the acid wash before the pool was filled.

We were also very concerned about the discoloration which was more than we expected, but the only solution offered was an acid wash. We decided to wait it out to see how much it really bothers us before making any decisions that could impact the texture. In the past couple of weeks it has improved as the plaster has cured - to the point we've decided we can live with it and don't even notice it when having fun in the pool.

 

[sktn77a]

They told me to wait 90 days for the finish to fully cure then they can look at doing an acid bath.

Standard pool builder talk. They're hoping you get sick of being ignored and just go away. It works 90% of the time - that's why they do it!

 

[Dustr2]

Standard pool builder talk. They're hoping you get sick of being ignored and just go away. It works 90% of the time - that's why they do it!

That’s what I was thinking. There’s no way this is magically resolving itself in another two months. We’ve been meticulous in designing the pool and the finishes so we aren’t going anywhere! We’ve photographed it weekly and recorded chem levels daily so they won’t be blaming the chemistry, which I see is another tactic.

Another pool owner had same builder in our state and same finish with same issues and they got their acid bath in 30 days.

I’m going to need to elevate to the general manager since they also didn’t construct our deep end skimmer properly so now they tell me I can never caulk it since the expansion joint is above the water! Ugh.