Rust Spots on New Pebble Tec

[teefony]

First poster here, I really appreciate everyone’s input here. I’ve been scouring this site as we’ve been enduring the nightmare build of our dream pool. <insert eye roll>

Our pool/hot tub combo has had water for 1 month, and we chose the lightest Pebble Sheen Pebble Tec. In the last several days, a rust colored spot appeared in our hot tub. Next day another. Next day, several more. Now it’s overrun. Our PB said they’ll just drain it and hit it with muriatic acid, but heeding the warning of several members here, I don’t intend to allow it. This has been the pool build from heck, and luckily, our PB has been the only one maintaining it since it was filled.

Would everyone here rely upon the PB to remedy this? Or should I go straight to the plaster company directly? We can trust neither our PB’s ethics, nor their workmanship…

 

[pmahosky]

Just curious - who is your pool builder? I am also in Central Texas and have been enduring a similar pool builder from heck as you say above.

 

[teefony]

Just curious - who is your pool builder? I am also in Central Texas and have been enduring a similar pool builder from heck as you say above.

Hi! OceanQuest Pools by Lew Akins out of Belton. I'm hesitant to publicly maim them yet -- as I anticipate we'll be hitting the problem with lawyers here pretty soon. Curious to know if you've been working with them, though I doubt they do much work in Austin....

 

[mknauss]

Have you confirmed they are rust? Use vitamin C tablets in a thin sock to set on them.

 

[GreatScott]

We had the same problem last year when the the pool was new. It was just stains from acorns, etc and liquid chlorine clears it out every time. Now that I have converted from tabs to only liquid, I add half to the spa and half to the pool and havent had an issue since. Hopefully yours is just as easy

 

[teefony]

Thanks everyone. I scrubbed like heck all day and was able to clear most of it, only for it to return the next day. The PB (who is still responsible for maintaining it until they finish the now 1y+ build) hit it with a ‘super shocker’ today, and cleared it within minutes. Turns out their maintenance rookies have been dropping the proverbial ball, so it was an algae, of sorts.
Thanks to everyone who contributed!

 

[mknauss]

Be prepared to follow the SLAM Process when they turn the pool over to you. You do not get rid of algae with a single dose of chlorine.

Get a proper test kit now.