Upcoming zero alkalinity acid wash

[smcurry83]

Preface: I know this isn't a preferred method to deal with bad plaster installation, but it's a precursor for me for ultimately demanding a chip-out and replaster.

My pool was finished Oct 31, 2017. Within a week or two I noticed the plaster had white "splotchy" spots and uneven coloring. The PB stated it was an install issue and I'd need an acid wash.

To date, the "whiteness" has spread all over the pool and I have noticable white foot prints in different locations.

I'm scheduled for the acid treatment in August. My main concern is the pool being terribly out-of-wack chemical wise after the treatment. What questions should I ask and what specific instructions should I give the technicians to make sure I'm squared away afterwards? What should I watch out for to make sure they don't ruin anything?

Also, I want to add borates to my pool. Should I wait until after the treatment?

 

[kimkats]

To tell you the truth do not do ANY thing we tell you to. Ask your PB for WRITTEN directions for after care. That way there is NO way he can put it back on you when things go wrong and you have to ask for a re-do!

 

[smcurry83]

To tell you the truth do not do ANY thing we tell you to. Ask your PB for WRITTEN directions for after care. That way there is NO way he can put it back on you when things go wrong and you have to ask for a re-do!

That's pretty good advice. I was just trying to avoid having to clean up their mess afterwards.

I guess the best thing to do is just let them do their thing, do what they tell me after, and let them be responsible for the outcome.

 

[kimkats]

It was very hard to write that I so want this to "fix" your plaster and for you to be happy with it forever!

What would be interesting for all of us is to see what they say for you to do or what they do so we can learn what NOT to do

 

[dice7074]

Agreed with Kim on ALL counts. If you're doing this as a resolution to your plaster finish, then... Bite your tongue. Grin. And bear it. Let them balance your chemistry and follow their instructions post-treatment. You need to be able to make them fully responsible for the finish if this procedure doesn't work out... Trust me, my PB had every excuse in the book as to why my finish turned out the way it did... and no excuse had his name on it!

Now... if it does work out, then you can add borates to your pool.

 

[smcurry83]

I'll definitely make sure I document exactly how they perform the acid wash, what instructions they give me, and I'll report back. Heck, I may just record the whole fiasco like I did when they initially opened my pool and showed me how everything worked.

 

[dice7074]

Hey... when you say "zero alkalinity acid wash", do you mean "zero alkalinity acid bath" - where your pool isn't drained, but they just pour MA to lower the pH?

 

[smcurry83]

Hey... when you say "zero alkalinity acid wash", do you mean "zero alkalinity acid bath" - where your pool isn't drained, but they just pour MA to lower the pH?

Yes. No drain, just MA. The PB just refers to it as an "acid wash".

 

[kimkats]

Look up "pool hot start" as I think this is what they are doing. I am on my phone so cannot link for you sorry ��

 

[JamesW]

I wouldn't want the water flowing through the system, especially the heater.

Are they going to make sure that the water does not circulate through the system?

 

[dice7074]

Yeah, I did this myself about 3 weeks ago... I super-chlorinated and then I turned off my whole system before I added MA. I left it for about 2 days with some brushing in between. But then I got nervous when my spa started to look like a swamp, so I pulled out early and raised the pH so I could start my system and rebalance my chemistry. We got good results for the short amount of time I left the pH low. My husband was really impressed and I told him, "It's my TFP forum!"

Good luck! Let us know how it went!

 

[ajw22]

Read this thread for my plaster problems --> Replastering a Pool - A 1 Year Saga - Problems Lessons Learned

The plaster subcontractor setup three pumps that bubbled in the pool and spa and poured lots of acid in and let it run for 4 days. Then they came back and drained the pool and used a diamond sander to smooth the plaster.

I can't help you with your water chemistry as I filled my pool with fresh water when they were done. So far the pool surface is doing fine after their fix.