New concrete pool - is plaster suppose to be blotchy?

[JonnyG]

I just had my pool installed (30,000 gal concrete). THe white plaster appears mottled throughout the pool. Is this normal? When the pool was filled I topped it off with well water which turned the pool a light but clear green (which I assume is copper). I used Jacks magic to eliminate the green. After my first few brushings and a thorough vacumming, I noticed that there were discoloration all over the pool. Also one spot where the hose is located there is a brown stain (metal stain I assume). I had fairly high PH and chlorin levels at the pool start (the pool had sat for 7 days without filtering so I immediatley shocked when I opened it). CUrrently my pool numbers are as follows -

Fc - 5
Tc - 5
Ph - around 6.8 to 7.0 (I lowered this down with Muraitic acid to help remove the stains)
CYA - 20
Alk - 180 (I am also aerating with my sheer descent to lower this)

These numbers based on test strips and the walmart test kit (waiting for my PS234 kit to arrive).

So its been seven days since I added the Jacks magic blue stuff (the PH and TC were very high when I did this). So yesterday after lower the PH and letting the Chlorine come down, I decided to add another treatment of Jacks Magic to help remove the metal stain at the bottom of the pool and possible remove the mottled look to the plaster. So with the numbers above, I am about 24hours into the stain treatment (with Jacks Magic) and about 6 hours into aeration (this doesn;t seem to be raising the PH so I will continue to do this).

My question to our experts is -

1) IS the mottled look to the plaster normal or due to the copper in the water?

2) Is it alright to aerate and treat the stain as long as I keep an eye on the PH (and keep it below 7.2)?

3) Since the plaster is new (ie the stains are new) should thjis be enough of a treatment to remove the brown stain (And the mottled look)?

4) Does the sequestering agent lower PH? It is an acid so I assume this is happening. ASs it lowered quite a bit after I added Jacks Magic into the pool.

Any other advice is appreciated.

Thanks
John

[mbar]

The way you can tell if the stain is from metals is to use some ph down, or crush some vitamin C tablets up and put them in a sock, or stocking and rub them on the stain, if the stain goes away, it is a metals stain. If it stays, then it is from something else.
It is fine to aerate and treat a stain too - it is good, because you have to keep the ph low to do both.
I can't tell you about the mottled look of the plaster, but if they are metal stains they will come off with the vitamin C or ph down. If they are metal stains, this treatment should help - if it doesn't they you can get rid of them by using ascorbic acid (which is vitamin C). This will take the stains off the surface of the pool, and the Jack's Magic is a sequesterant which will hold the metals in suspension. The sequestering agent (Jack's Magic) will sometimes help lift off newly formed stains, but if they are too embedded they will have to be removed by using a stain treatment, such as ascorbic acid.
Sequestering agents can sometimes lower ph - I know that Jack's Magic does.

Hope this helps, feel free to ask any questions you may have.

[JonnyG]

Marie, thank you for your help. The pools guys (from the construction company) were here today for indoctrination and they told me the "marble" look (as they call it) is normal and due to the plaster containing marble dust. That sound right to you? It sorta is marble lookie but not sure that I really like it.

Let me know if that sounds fishy or not.

Thanks
John

[mbar]

I am sorry, but I just don't know - I have a fiberglass pool, and most of the friends I have aslo have fiberglass or vinyl liner pools. You can ask the question in the pool construction forum - I'm sure someone will be able to help, or point you in the right direction.

[JonnyG]

Thanks! I appreciate your help.