Our New Pool Build and The FUN (i.e. Stress) that Goes Along with it!

[MeowMeow724]

Now we're noticing the lights seem "off".
We have 3 lights and we noticed one of them, on white, is way brighter than the others which are more yellow on the white. And on pink, two are much brighter than the one that is brighter on white.
It's hard to get pictures to show what I mean, but what could be causing this?
Maybe it's been this way the whole time and we're now only noticing since we're actually using it finally....

 

[kimkats]

Lights-It could be one has a LED bulb or two out. I would address this with your PB and have them swap out the "off" one.

CH=puzzle! You said just what I thought you would be wanted to check to make sure..................What is the CH of your fill water? Do you have an auto fill?

I am thinking it is time for you to start looking at the CSI for your water balance. Here is a link to explain it: Calcium Saturation Index (CSI) - Trouble Free Pool It is like doing an ULTRA balance of your water. I want to make sure one of the levels is not off a tiny bit and causing the water to pull the CH from you plaster.

 

[MeowMeow724]

Ok.
That makes me nervous.

I did forget to say that I also added 8oz of Jack's Magic Magenta Stuff this weekend. I have been doing that on a semi-regular basis.

I reached out to the PB warranty manager about the lights.

I'm debating draining about 1.5' of water and refilling to get the CH down. (but, depending what the PB says about the lights I may wait, depending how long they take, because if they change out the lights we will have to drain quite a bit anyhow)
However I'm confused because I thought it should be as high as 400 ppm but the PoolMath app is saying the ideal range is much higher at 250-650...

My fill water, as just tested, came to 50ppm of calcium Hardness.

 

[MeowMeow724]

My newest results are up in my logs and screenshot here.

I have to turn down my salt system--- it's quite high! I have been tweaking that with some new run times and such.

Unless my CYA is rapidly disappearing, or I really stink at testing it, I don't know what's going on with that. I tested it twice today to see and came out with the same result. CYA was low for a couple of weeks recently before I could get more and dispense it -- that is my fault, but due in part to the whole virus thing making things a tad more difficult and store trips sketchy. I even tried getting it on Amazon but it kept going out of stock. But, according to my tests it's low again?

My water has generally been about the same, except for CYA and salt changing with rains, and pH being a constant battle. My pH does often hit the 8.0 mark but I try to stay on top of it to keep it below that. I really am trying to keep it at 7.6. As I said in the past.. the pH auto-dispenser is looking better and better each day. I cannot imagine what will happen to it when I can finally take a vacation again. I will have to have a pool babysitter!

Could CYA and pH issues cause the calcium to creep up?
Is it possible it's from the acid wash? They said the plaster was so underexposed before they did it, and there was plaster dust again for a while after they did it. Which I didn't think would happen because I was also told I shouldn't have to brush it after the acid wash, as I had for the original finish. So I wonder if I was at square 1 after they did it.. and that has an effect? Thinking out loud.. I have no idea...

With that said... I am not sure my CSI has been out of range that much, if at all?

 

[kimkats]

You ARE doing everything RIGHT! All of your levels are spot on including your CSI! Well done! I am just trying to make sure there is nothing other than the acid wash to watch out for. I am with you on the acid watch "re=sat" your plaster............keep on doing what you are doing as it is purrfect!

 

[MeowMeow724]

You ARE doing everything RIGHT! All of your levels are spot on including your CSI! Well done! I am just trying to make sure there is nothing other than the acid wash to watch out for. I am with you on the acid watch "re=sat" your plaster............keep on doing what you are doing as it is purrfect!

Thank you for the reassurance! I am glad what I am doing is purrfect (p.s. I love that you said "purrfect" )
I do want to drain some water to get the CH to around 350. I am keeping my eyes peeled but I fear I am seeing some white spots, but it might be from the past issues before the acid wash that I just didn't notice before. I love how I start to notice new things that have always been there. Just like with the house- built 5 years ago and I still notice new things that seem "off".. haha. I was about to this afternoon, but a storm just started rolling in!

 

[MeowMeow724]

Ok I'm draining some out right now and I really don't like what I'm seeing.....
Maybe your theory on leeching is right. And if so, what on Earth could I be doing wrong??

My water has never been cloudy and has never even look suspect for issues. I thought I was doing a pretty darn good job . I wonder if it's an issue with my pH battle. I really don't know. The thought crossed my mind that maybe it was some prior damage and the acid wash didn't do a perfect job... and/or from when they had to come in after the acid wash and clean the orange stains that were running down my walls afterwards... But my calcium has been increasing so I doubt it.

I just read this:
"Combined with high rates of evaporation in arid areas, this can rapidly raise the CH level in the pool."
From:

Calcium Scaling

Calcium scale on your pool is something we all want to avoid. With some elbow grease and a pumice stone for pools we can help you remove this eyesore.

www.troublefreepool.com

.....I have had much more evaporation as it's been quite warm and we had a lack of rain for quite a while. Perhaps that could also be a factor?

What is my ideal CSI? I'm so confused on this, and the more I read the more confused I get somehow. Is it positive or negative? I don't believe my CSI has been way off but obviously something is wrong if I have scaling/calcium issues.
I can play with numbers in PoolMath to see what levels I need to achieve ideal CSI.
And.... Now what do I do

 

[MeowMeow724]

 

[MeowMeow724]

It's discolorations/whiteness (that's not the normal plaster whiteness) on the plaster, not the tile. Probably hard to tell in the pics.. sorry about that.
There's whiteness that I thought could be calcium as kimkats had previously suggested.
My calcium keeps climbing on its own, then I saw the discolorations..... And maybe some scale? Again, hard to tell in the pics.
Given the evidence, I thought, lends to the suggestion of calcium leeching.

I was reading the articles on CSI and it said to play with the numbers in PM to see what ideal levels would be.. Otherwise, I just manage (and have come to accept) the natural swings that I have come to terms with being my situation with this thing.

I'll retest fill water, but I recall alkalinity was quite high. pH was about 7.8 and calcium was 40.