Whole Pool Stain, Rough Plaster at Season Open

[squirrel49]

No luck yet. Consensus seems to be that I will have to drain and light acid wash or sand/buff to remove the roughness. I am trying anything I can to avoid that. The pool is relatively new (2 1/2 years).

We have dropped the PH and we brush twice a day now and my wife optimistically thinks is is getting slightly better --- I don't really see any difference yet.

This is my second opening as well, both with a mesh cover. One difference is that the first year I had not yet started the salt system on my pool, so it was closed and opened as a fresh water pool. Opened fine, plaster as smooth as ever. I brought the Salt system on-line last year, so this was the first year it was closed/opened with salt water. Could this be a contributor? Are you running a SWG?

[Lenny]

I am running a SWG and installed it last year.

But there are so many people around here who've been using these. I've gotta think the word would be out if that was really a contributor.

[Lenny]

Actually, I wonder whether the mesh cover has more to do with it. I pumped my water down a good 16 inches at closing and it filled up pretty quickly this year. I even pumped a bit out at one point. And then if was full to the top again by the time I opened.

By the time I open my hardness and alk are very low. I'm thinking I'd have been better off with a solid cover that keeps the rain water from diluting the pool water. Not sure what the alk and hardness of rain water are, but I'm thinking it's not optimal

[squirrel49]

Lenny,

I've had the mesh cover since I built the pool.

1st year, no SWG running, drained 18" water and closed pool. Over the winter, water level rose, I drained again at one point in the spring, prior to open. Opened to clear water, silt, worms etc on bottom. Vacuumed, shocked, balanced water, everything was great, plaster was clean and smooth.

2nd year, SWG operational, drained 18" water and closed pool. Over the winter water level rose, I drained again at one point in the spring, prior to open. Opened to clear water, silt, worms etc on bottom. Vacuumed, shocked, balanced water, but this time everything was not so great. Extremely rough pool walls and bottom with the horizontal surfaces tan/stained in color. To date, nothing has been successful in removing.

My in season water balancing, closing, and opening procedures did not change at all. I am not convinved that the SWG and saltwater pool had anything to do with my problem, but it is the only change I am aware of, so it at least makes me curious.

Pat.

[waterbear]

The difference might be that you did not keep close watch on your pH once you installed the SWG. They have a tendency to cause pH to rise and if you let that happen you could create scaling conditons.

[squirrel49]

During the season I keep a very close watch on my Ph (test daily using Ben's kit) and usually end up adding muratic acid weekly to keep within range.

Ph was 7.4 when I closed last fall. When opened this spring, PH was extremely high (>8.5). I'm not sure what happened over the winter or if Ph rise during the non-operational Winter period is normal or not.

[Lenny]

Same with me. I was all over the PH during the season but it was sky high both times I've opened so far. And Hardness and Alk very low.

I'm still hoping my problem is scaling. But I'm worried that the water pulled calcium from the plaster.