Pool Replaster Issue with Color

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kstockton

Member
Apr 25, 2022
5
Northwest Arkansas
About one month ago we had our pool replastered using Diamond Brite Cobalt Blue plaster. Everything looked great the first week afterwards. The pool contractor started filling the pool up with water about 6 hours after finishing with the plaster and told me to brush it twice a day with a soft bristled brush. After about 2-3 weeks after the plaster was put in, some major discolorations have started to occur. I mainly only see the discolorations on the bottom of the pool, so in other words not on the walls of the pool. The discolorations are also growing and taking over the darker part of the plaster. I'm assuming this isn't normal because the nice dark blue looking plaster is getting replaced with a light greyish dull looking color. It's a little tough to see from the pictures but hopefully its clear enough to see what I'm describing.

I wanted to get some opinions on what to do before I talk to the pool contractor. I'm pretty sure that he is going to shrug his shoulders and say that its supposed to look like that or say something about my chemicals. IMG-6964.jpgIMG-6966.jpgIMG-6962.jpg

Any advice on what can be done about this is appreciated. It's really disappointing to pay so much money to have the pool redone and be promised that it will look like a new pool and then get a pool that looks like it has the mange.

Thanks,
Kevin
 
We can’t give recommendations off test strip readings, they are too inaccurate. Readings would have to be done with
tf-100 or k-2006c. If you want someone to comment on readings. But if onbalance is around he can give you some insight.
 
As Poolbreh mentioned, accurate pool water readings and tap water readings (that filled the pool) are needed to help determine the cause of the discoloration. Also, try sanding a whitish area with 100 grit wet&dry sandpaper to see if the white area quickly darkens to the original color and post the results.
 
Still searching locally for the TF-100, it appears to be out of stock on Amazon. I'm going to check to see if a local pool place will do a water sample analysis and give me the results. In the meantime, I sanded the whitish area and it did not quickly darken to the original color. In fact, I can't tell that it changed at all.

The pool contractor's response was this: "The colored plaster tends to do that, give it some time and it will become more uniformly once the 28 days occurs and the chemicals will do its work. The plaster is curing up you will see spots due to drying different."

I'm seeing about 40% of the pool as a lighter duller color and the other 60% a varied dark blue. With the varied dark blue being about what I expected the Cobalt blue to be.
 
The TF-100 is only available at tftestkits.net. You can get a similar kit on Amazon but it’s called the K2006C.

The pool store test results will also not likely be very accurate and won’t likely result in good feedback here. People discovering how inaccurate they are is part of what caused this site to grow so fast. You’re going to need a good test kit anyway so get one ordered if possible soon.
 
The reason I ask you to use sandpaper on the plaster is to try and determine whether the "white" is calcium scale (a deposit) or if the plaster itself is turning white. And knowing the water readings also helps with that determination.
 
Thanks for all of the advice so far. I haven't been able to find any of the recommended test kits locally so I'll order one. In the mean time, the best that I know to do is to have the water analyzed from a local pool store (yes, I understand that some have reservations about this, but again aside from a pool strip I'm not sure what options remain). Pool readings from Clear Care Expert Water Analysis System:

Total Chlorine: 0.05
pH Level: 8.2
Total Alkalinity: 96
Calcium Harness: 135
Cyanuric Acid/Stabilizer: 5
Copper: 0
Iron: 0
Phosphates: 0
Saturation Index: 0.5

onBalance also requested readings from the tap. They are below:

Total Chlorine: 0.69
pH Level: 8.4
Total Alkalinity: 52
Calcium Hardness: 62
Cyanuric Acid/Stabilizer: 5
Copper: 0
Iron: 0
Phosphates: 0
Saturation Index: 0.3

Pool is 17,000 gallons, filter is sand and it is newly installed plaster about 3 weeks old.

Thanks again,
Kevin
 

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Okay. Obviously the pool water will need some chemical adjustments (lower pH and raise the CH). But since the Saturation Index is mostly balanced at present, there is nothing alarming with the water, and to learn from.
It is good that the pool builder is aware of the current and changing discoloration. Make sure that is documented.
It is early in the process, so some time for the plaster to fully cure will be needed before forming conclusions.
Please take a close look at the white spots and rub with your fingers to see if any white plaster dust is removed. Was there very much plaster dust during the first week?
 
I rubbed on some of the spots and they did not change color nor did I see any dust when rubbing. It's my first time dealing with a new plaster job on a pool so it's hard for me to gauge the amount of dust that occurred the first week. However, I will say that it didn't seem like there was very much. There was little enough that at times I wondered what the reason was for me to be brushing the pool twice a day. I'm not sure if that answers your question....

Thanks,
Kevin
 
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