Stains on New Marcite

[PoolDoc]

If they are using oxalic acid, it's possible that you may remove some calcium on your filter.

OTHERWISE, all you've done is re-dissolve it temporarily. This is the EXACT fallacy of most stain treatment programs I've seen: they hook you, and keep you there. You might want to call Jacks Magic back, and ask exactly how the calcium gets removed from the pool water. Tell them you understand how they are re-dissolving it, but that you want to know what happens to it, after it's in the pool water. If they fudge or hem & haw, I wouldn't bother their program. (Well, come to think of it, I'd rather you go ahead: I'm not sure I can help you remove those stains 100%. I'm not sure they can either, but if you go with their program -- and can't remove all the stains, you'll blame them, not me!)

You need to ignore their borax scare tactics, for two reasons.

First, borax doesn't combine with calcium to form scale; carbonates (bi-carbonate) DOES.
Second: unless your dogs drink a LOT of water from your pool AND you get your borates VERY high (> 50 ppm) AND you are planning to BREED your dogs . . . it's not an issue. It just affects their fertility, and it may be very slightly mutagenic, so that out of a million dogs drinking borax, you might have one more 5-legged puppy than usual.)

So do this:

1. Use their program to REMOVE the stains. I think it's as likely to get the stains up, as anything I can help you do.
2. Order a K-2006 (test kit page in my signature)
3. Test the calcium levels in your pool (before and after Jacks, if possible, but DEFINITELY afterwards)
4. Test the calcium levels in your FILL WATER (wanna know where it's coming from!)
5. Ignore their bicarb advice; use borax!
6. Tell us what your calcium levels are (before, after, fill) AND whether the scale was sand algae residue, or something else.

THEN, we'll be able to tell you that the problem is solved OR that now that you have the calcium back in the water you're going to have to remove it from the pool!

By the way, if your calcium levels are the same or higher AFTER their process, then they were before . . . you'll have just discovered that Jacks Magic is using a "return to me" strategy!

[Clearly]

UPDATE: I used the Jack’s product per their recommendation. It did work well and took out all the major stains. It didn’t clear the very faint light grayish stain over most of the floor. But that is fine as it isn’t really noticeable by most anyone else. My calcium before was about 240 and during was about 450 and after is back to about 240. So I am aware that it took the calcium and staining off the walls and floor and then put only the calcium back on, which I am OK with because it is clean calcium.

[PoolDoc]

Thanks for the update. I'm glad to have the info, and I'm glad it worked for you.

Do you mind listing exactly which products you used?

Thanks,

Ben

[Clearly]

I used the test kit ($10) and ID'd the stain as calcium scaling. Then used 64 oz (2 bottles - $25 ea) of the magenta stuff and about 23 lbs ($35 / 5#) of the calcium scaling and copper stain remover. After a week I added 12 more onces of The Magenta stuff and will contunue to add a maintenance amonut for a few weeks. They have a written process in PDF form that is easy to follow. I can send it to anyone that is interested. It is not cheap, but was fairly successful.

[PoolDoc]

OK, checking through MSDS:

Magenta Stuff => PAA, polyacrylic acid (calcium carbonate dispersant)
Stain Solution #2
(The Copper and Scale Stuff) => Sulfamic acid (interesting!)

Thanks (please check that what you used was "Stain Solution #2" or "Copper & Scale Stuff")

Ben

[Clearly]

Ben,

It is the same thing - Stain Solution #2 (The Copper and Scale Stuff) - http://www.jacksmagic.com/products/JMCOPPER05.html

[PoolDoc]

Thanks.