New user looking for help with scale

[PoolDoc]

The algae deposits the calcium; the pictures showing the white sand-like particles are what remains after the algae is gone.

[motion guru]

Here are a few photos that I could take in the shade -





And this one with a lot of reflection - The top step I scraped and then brushed with a Scotchbrite pad and it is pretty good now.



When I first started opened the pool, the tiles also had crystals on them, but they are for the most part clean and smooth now. But the crystals on the Hydraazo pool finish have stopped shrinking and are very hard. You can scrape them off with a pool tile but it is a lot of work.

The pool finish is supposed to be dark in color (maui midnight). With the scale, much of it has turned to a light gray color.

[PoolDoc]

Based on the 'fizzy' test (bubbles when in vinegar or acid), you can probably remove those . . . but SLO-O-OWLY. If you want to remove them rapidly, you'll need to drain and acid wash. I don't recommend that, because acid washing damages the finish.

To remove them in place, you need to lower the alkalinity to 60 ppm or so, and hold it there, till the scale is gone. You'll probably loose a bit of your finish, too, but not nearly as much as you would if you acid washed. To lower your alkalinity, read this page: http://pool9.net/alk-step/

[motion guru]

Thanks for the link. I have a chlorination canister that is not used that has two small tubes linked to the plumbing. I can connect a small air pump to the return line tube and get a nice flume of bubbles out of the water inlets to bring to total alkalinity down.

I am one week in on the "Jacks Solution #2" process, I'll let it Run one more week and then bring the pool back into balance.

Any specific pH target I should aim for in this effort?

[PoolDoc]

As Yoda said, "Do or do not".

As we say: "Pick one, us or them"

We're not familiar with -- and do not support (or reject) -- Jacks Magic processes. But, it never works out to 'mix and match' chemistry approaches. So . . . when you're done with Jacks Magic stuff, repost if you still need to do so.

Best wishes for your success!

[motion guru]

A quick update on this thread - I have started to pull the pH back up. The base demand test showed 8 drops to get the pool to a pH of 7.0

I did a bucket test and figured out how many teaspoons were in a pound of Borax and am going to the store to buy 20 lbs to start with. I also measured the pH of the water coming out of our well - yikes! Very high calcium hardness and pH above 8.0 - I might do an acid demand test on the well water to see if this has been the ongoing reason for our need to add acid all the time and now also dealing with calcium scale.

Lastly, I started aerating a few days ago. I have an oilless compressor and connected it to the return line through the Chlorine canister plumbing at about 5 psi on the regulator. Gives a nice plume of bubbles out of the two most shallow water inlets.



I replumbed temporarily to take the heater out of the circuit while doing the Solution #2 treatment.

The Jack's Solution #2 acid bath removed about 50% of the scale and what is left is quite a bit easier to remove now by scraping with a plastic dish scraper. I can tell that it also affected the Hydraazo finish - when you rub it with your hand, it feels slightly slimy and you can see a light dark cloudiness in the water around the area you rub so I think that is the pool surface being attacked along with the scale.

We are having our son's senior graduating class (only about 20 kids) over for a senior night pool party next week so time to bring this back into balance and get it ready for summer use. I'll keep the Alkalinity low as suggested and work to keep the pH in the 7.2 range and see of the scale disappears the rest of the way on it's own.

[PoolDoc]

We are having our son's senior graduating class (only about 20 kids) over for a senior night pool party next week so time to bring this back into balance and get it ready for summer use. I'll keep the Alkalinity low as suggested and work to keep the pH in the 7.2 range and see of the scale disappears the rest of the way on it's own.

Sounds prudent.

Actually, if your calcium is still under 300 ppm once the scale is gone, controlling the TA level is probably all you need to do.

Just don't let the pool go out of control this coming winter.