Scraping Calcium, Does it Affect Chemistry?

[Natrix]

We have a ton of calcium buildup around the pool we just took over and want to get it removed. We're not afraid of the elbow grease involved in just scraping it off manually but I am concerned about potential changes to the chemistry of the water. Will we see any negative effects of scraping this off? The one tile we scraped left a lot of gritty calcium at the bottom of the pool, would the water absorb it or can we just vacuum like it was never there?

Calcium Buildup

• Natrix
• Mar 3, 2021

 

[mknauss]

If it dissolves back into the pool water, the CH level in the pool will rise.

 

[AUSpool]

If it does dissolve it will do so very very slowly. You can just vacuum it up but I would put a filter sock in your skimmer so you catch it in your skimmer and prevent it from going through your pump.

 

[Psycho1122]

Your calcium on your tiles tells you your CSI is too high (over +.30). If you get your CSI levels down to -.1 to - .2, you will slowly dissolve the build up. Then maintaining a "slightly" negative CSI will keep the build up away.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

You should be able to scrape it off and vacuum it up well before it ever dissolves. Calcium carbonate is not very water soluble at typical pool pH so you have no worries about it redissolving. As others have alluded to, your water balance (calcium saturation) is not right. Get a good quality test kit and do your own water testing. TFP is happy to help you get your water chemistry issues corrected.

 

[BenB]

Would love to hear your exact method of elbow grease! Pumice? Wire brush?

 

[JamesW]

Based on how high the scale is, it might be efflorescence from water seeping under the coping.

Is there any water buildup around the pool area?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Would love to hear your exact method of elbow grease! Pumice? Wire brush?

I use a hand held paint/blade scrapper to knock off the thick stuff and then apply a thickened tile cleaner (acidic). I then apply a layer of plastic wrap over the treatment area and let the tile cleaner penetrate and soften the scale. Finally I use a stiff nylon brush on the end of a cordless drill to breakup the scale and rinse it with water. I find this process works on small areas very well but is not well suited for an entire pool tile line.

 

[Natrix]

Would love to hear your exact method of elbow grease! Pumice? Wire brush?

We just use a flexible putty knife to get the vast majority of it off. The tiny bit of residual left on the tile we are hoping just dissolves on its own. We plan on vacuuming every night that we scraped so it doesn't sit and dissolve.

Based on how high the scale is, it might be efflorescence from water seeping under the coping.

Is there any water buildup around the pool area?

There's no water build up anywhere, I think it's from them keeping the pool too full and years of buildup.

 

[heikejohn]

Very pretty tile & definitely worth the elbow grease to make them visible again.