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Thread: White splotches, spots, and lines (stains/fading?) in 3 year old fiberglass pool

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    Default White splotches, spots, and lines (stains/fading?) in 3 year old fiberglass pool

    I have white random splotches and spots (resemble water splash markings), and lines in my 3 year old fiberglass pool. There is actually a perfect white faded looking line that goes around the bottom perimeter of the pool along with lines going the width of the pool here and there. At first I thought the color was fading because of these suspicious lines. I contacted the manufacturer. They sent one of their guys who said he had just left a pool with the same problem...calcium scaling. After speaking to his boss on the phone, he performed an acid wash using a descaler and acid. Instructions were to leave the filter off for 24 hours, then run the filter for 24 hours. After this process, there was no improvement! The person in charge of service for the manufacturer said it would take time, and the process may have to be repeated along with scrubbing the pool and spa. (problem is in both) That was almost 2 months ago. Since the acid wash, our pool guy set a descaling plan for us.... keep the ph at 7.2 and chlorine at 2, add a descaler weekly and no shocking. He said that this would slowly remove the "scale".
    Today another pool company came out to look at a different issue, and took a look at our "scale". He has been installing (gunite) pools for 25 years or so and has experience with scale which he said is rough and can flake off. He was baffled. Whatever it is we have is smooth to the touch, just as smooth as the pool surface itself. There is no way to scrape it off. When the spa was drained, the "white stains" became snow white (no longer hydrated) and had a slight chalky residue when rubbed hard. I am so confused! Is this scale or not? Where do we go from here? It is so frustrating. I just made another call to the manufacturer for further assistance. I did send pics of the lines, etc. and the "white" drained spa to them initially.

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    Default Re: White splotches, spots, and lines (stains/fading?) in 3 year old fiberglass pool

    Hi,

    I'm not the person that can answer your question, but the ones that can should be by shortly. I will tell you this, though--one of the first things they'll ask for is a set of test results on your water, taken with drop-based testing, and a list of what chemicals (ingredients, not product names) have been put into the pool. With that info, hopefully somebody can give you some good info to help solve the problem!

    You can also use the google search linked in my sig to search the forum for other posts regarding the same problem--you'll just have to log out to read the responding threads until your registration is upgraded by the forum's owner, Ben.

    Welcome to the forum!
    Janet

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    Default Re: White splotches, spots, and lines (stains/fading?) in 3 year old fiberglass pool

    Thanks! I retyped and posted this twice because it said I wasn't logged in the first time. Sorry. I am getting the info now.

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    Default Re: White splotches, spots, and lines (stains/fading?) in 3 year old fiberglass pool

    I have a salt water pool, just under 20,000 gallons.
    Test results today:
    TC 1
    FC 1
    TA 81
    TH 192
    PH 7.6
    CYA 114
    Ph has typically been about 7.2.

    We have been adding 6 oz of descaler per week after initial dose of 64 oz. 3 weeks ago, 1 cup m. acid every 3-4 days for descaling, and a couple 3 inch tabs in skimmer every few days for chlorine. (pool guy instructions for descaling)
    Today AFTER these results, added 1 cup m. acid and 1 lb of a stabilized chlorinator (with no calcium) as a shock due to algae as a result of low chlorine. Recently added a phosphate remover (phosphates were about 2,000)
    ***Considering discontinuing descaling treatment....not positive that is the problem.

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    Default Re: White splotches, spots, and lines (stains/fading?) in 3 year old fiberglass pool

    I deleted your other, duplicate post. When new posters put posts up, they go into a queue to wait for a moderator to approve them before they show up on the forum. It's one of the steps in place to keep hackers/spammers out of the forum. One of us is almost always on the forum, so usually you don't have to wait long to see your post show up, but I guess we were all off at the same time last night!

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    Default Re: White splotches, spots, and lines (stains/fading?) in 3 year old fiberglass pool

    Hi Viking;

    I don't know the answer to your question, but I have some ideas. However, I'm going to ask Waterbear, who's worked with FG pools, to see if he has any ideas -- you may have to wait for his reply; he's sorta on vacation this week.

    Meanwhile, please
    (a) send me those pictures -- poolforum@gmail.com,
    (b) get some Vitamin C tabs, and put some on some areas that are NOT white, and see if they lighten up.
    (c) also, sit a small pile of them on WHITE faded area, and see if they have any effect over a 24 hour period.

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    Default Re: White splotches, spots, and lines (stains/fading?) in 3 year old fiberglass pool

    Thanks for the reply. This morning I tried scrubbing a white splotch, after much effort, it lightened just a tad but is still there. It's as though it's part of the pool surface, like a rust stain would feel. It is completely smooth. I applied a descaler to it and scrubbed. I also applied 50/50 concentrations of m acid....no change! I am so disouraged.

    I have a correction to make....my pool is ONLY 2 years old, not 3. Also, if it helps, I live in South Louisiana.

    How do you suggest I apply the Vitamin C tabs? (I lowered the water level in the spa to expose/dry some of the staining.)

    Thanks! This is consuming my time.

    ==========================================

    I emailed some pics to you. Also, I just dropped a few C tabs in affected and non-affected area in the spa, which will be easier for me to monitor.

    Thanks bunches!

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    Default Re: White splotches, spots, and lines (stains/fading?) in 3 year old fiberglass pool

    Hi there, here is an update:

    After 24+ hours, there was no change on both affected and non-affected areas where the vitamin C tabs were placed.

    We did hear back from the manufacturer. They claim that it IS scale, even though it is smooth. They said one of their display pools did the same thing, and they had to buff it down (after little success with chemical treatment). Our question to him was.... How could that happen? Did you not maintain proper water balance? (How odd for the manufacturer's pool to have problems; they are the pros.) He said the guy in charge of that claims he did maintain proper water. (I just wonder....if our water chemistry has been fairly good/normal, how can this happen so easily? I question the quality control of our pool surface?? I mean, it will likely happen again if we never had water problems. What do you think??? ....I'm ranting)

    We will try to use a power buffer/sander as per the manufacturer's recommendation with the spa and see what happens. (I hope we are not sanding off the gel coat!) I'm not getting my hopes up, after all, I scrubbed yesterday with no success.


    If this is what we may have to end up doing to the pool IF IT WORKS in the spa, my question is now: how in the world can we sand/buff a 20,000 FB pool? How will we drain water from a fiberglass pool with no drain hole at the bottom? AND isn't it dangerous to empty a FG pool? I know it can be done, but I am sure there are several precautions to take. (I am ranting.)

    Awaiting your input. Thanks bunches!

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    Default Re: White splotches, spots, and lines (stains/fading?) in 3 year old fiberglass pool

    Be careful.

    If you expose the surface to air, put mix a 1:3 solution of muriatic acid (1/4 cup acid to 3/4 cup water) and then put a spoonful on the 'scale'. If it's calcium scale, it will fizz. I don't have any experience with FG pool surface problems, but right now, my guess would be manufacturer defect, not scale.

    Once you grind, you've taken responsibility for it though. So, I'd hold off. You can still swim and NOT affect any warranty or mfg defect claim. Waterbear is out of touch at the moment, but he has some knowledge of FG pools. You might want to wait till he's back.

    Also, I'd call the mfg back and ask "What sort of scale?"

    I'll get your pics posted, but I don't think they will necessarily be that helpful, till we get someone who has some experience with FG.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: White splotches, spots, and lines (stains/fading?) in 3 year old fiberglass pool

    Thanks for the reply. I will wait.

    The manufacturer did say it was calcium that fell out of solution due to high ph. I just read on the blog of a "dealer of our brand pool" that the manufacturer sent out a "technical release to their dealers regarding this issue"! I will also definitely call the manufacturer again and ask for a technician to come personally and provide steps for treatment that will not void my warranty. (I may call that dealer first and see what info I can gather from them.) We are not comfortable scrubbing everything. The surface already seems to have lost its shine. (FYI: The manufacturer actually performed and paid for the first acid wash treatment.)

    I am aware that I cannot use specific names on your blog. (I will gladly email or message you any specific details if that helps.)

    Here is some of the info that I found about the "technical release from the manufacturer" that seems to explain why the whiteness I have seems to be a part of the pool (smooth)...here goes: "If the problem is more severe, or the pool has been left with a high PH level for an extended time, the calcium deposits will combine with the chlorine in the pool and create a salt called Calcium Chloride. The salt will attach itself to the pool surfaces and cause areas of the gelcoat to look white. There are two stages of this advanced calcium chloride. The first, and easier to treat, stage is less advanced. If the gelcoat returns to normal when it’s hydrated (or just wet), then you can treat it using the same chemical solution as the less sever case mentioned above. However, it will take up to 6 months for the treatment to totally dissolve the calcium chloride. Due to the time this takes, and the fact that the water will be very acidic in this time, we recommend that this treatment be done in the off season. If, perchance, the salt deposits are visible even when they’re hydrated, the treatment is not as easy. An effective chemical treatment hasn’t been found or developed so the recommended solution is to remove the salt is to buff and polish the surface to return it to its previous condition."
    ....BUT the confusing for me is.... it says: ...CaCl will form if the problem is more severe??? I never had noticeable or rough calcium scaling stuck to the pool...(it started off white and smooth) ....so to me ... deposits must have still been suspended in order to combine with the chlorine to produce CaCl and then attach itself to the pool surface??? SOOO Confusing!.......

    Thanks for your time. I am impressed with your site. I am very interested in using your no nonsense pool water maintenance program. I'll need help with that.

    I will wait for your response. (There are SO many different solutions/remediations out there; it is scary!)

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