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    steveinaz is offline Lifetime Member Weir Watcher steveinaz 2 stars steveinaz 2 stars
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    Default White flakes in water

    Recently, starting about 3 weeks ago, I started noticing white tiny flakes in my pool water. When I grab some with my net, they breakup with fingernail pressure, and dissolve. What are these?

    The pool clarity is very good, this is the pools 4th season. It's a SWCG pool, plaster/gunnite. Balance is:

    FC=3-6ppm (typically)
    CC=0
    PH=7.6 (requires weekly 3 cups of Muriatic to maintain)
    TA=180ppm
    Calcium= 710ppm
    CYA=60ppm

    Note: we did clean tiles this spring, using a pool pumice type stone from Leslie pool.

    Any help is greatly appreciated.
    Last edited by steveinaz; 06-23-2010 at 09:48 AM. Reason: Edited for incorrect testing numbers

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    Watermom's Avatar
    Watermom is offline SuperMod Emeritus Quark Inspector Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars Watermom 4 stars
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    Default Re: White flakes in water

    Steve,
    I don't know how to advise on this problem, but somebody will come along shortly who hopefully will be able to.

    I just wanted to say hi and glad to see you back around the forum this year! You have been so supportive of me in the past couple of years offering prayers for me during my illness. I really appreciate you. Say hi to Bev also!

  3. #3
    steveinaz is offline Lifetime Member Weir Watcher steveinaz 2 stars steveinaz 2 stars
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    Default Re: White flakes in water

    No problem whatsoever, thanks Lisa! We're just glad to hear that life is being kind for a change.

    I'm happy to report that this has been my first pool "issue" but I'm here reading quite often.

    Steve

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    aylad's Avatar
    aylad is offline SuperMod Emeritus Burfle Ringer aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars aylad 4 stars
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    Default Re: White flakes in water

    Sounds like maybe calcium precipitating out of the water. Your very high calcium level would support that. Not sure what to do about it, your TA and pH are already on the lower side--hopefully the chemists in the group will be by shortly to offer some help.

    Just wanted to welcome you back to the forum!

    Janet

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    waterbear is offline Lifetime Member Sniggle Mechanic waterbear 4 stars waterbear 4 stars waterbear 4 stars waterbear 4 stars
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    Default Re: White flakes in water

    Most likly calcium. When your salt cell reverses polarity to 'clean' itself the calcium that had formed on one set of plates is released into the water. It is usually a good indication that you are letting your pH climb too high, which will lead to precipitation of calcium carbonate givin your high calcium levels.

    My suggestion would be to bump your CYA up to 80 ppm and lower your TA to about 70 ppm. You might also want to consider adding borax to 50 ppm to your water to act as a secondary pH buffer. This has been found to be extremely useful with SWGS. I would also lower your output a bit so the FC is closer to 4-5 ppm. 7 ppm is overkill and just means the cell is on more than it needs to be. This leads to a faster pH rise which causes the calcium precipitation.

    Done together the above suggestions will have the effect of causing less outgassing of CO2,which means your pH will not rise as quickly, which means you will be less likely to precipitate out calcium carbonate.
    Also, you will find that you will not need to add 3 cups of acid weekly.

    Once you make these adjustments keep the pH at 7.6 and not lower (lower pH causes faster outgassing and faster pH rise) and when the pH climbs to 7.8 add just enough acid to lower it ot 7.6 and not lower (this is where an acid demand test is very useful.)

    The why behind my suggestions has been discussed at length on a different pool forum that I am no longer associated with because of 'new management' but that I was a moderator of since it's inception up until I left shortly after the management change.

    Bottom line, my suggestions are the key to a salt water pool that is basically "trouble free".
    Retired pool store and commercial pool maintenance guy.

  6. #6
    steveinaz is offline Lifetime Member Weir Watcher steveinaz 2 stars steveinaz 2 stars
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    Default Re: White flakes in water

    Appreciate the assistance, I did notice (to my surprise) that my salt cell was pretty loaded with calcium (a first), as I cleaned the cell at close last fall. I cleaned it again last night. I'll up my CYA level and recheck TA.

    About PH control---

    Is it ok that I just check/adjust PH every Saturday, or should I be adding less acid spread over several days?

  7. #7
    steveinaz is offline Lifetime Member Weir Watcher steveinaz 2 stars steveinaz 2 stars
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    Default Re: White flakes in water

    An update. After 2 cleanings, my salt cell looks like new, so I got that taken care of. BTW. I tried to find PVC pieces to build a cap for my cell, making cleaning easier, and less wasteful---no luck. So I found an interesting solution...at Target they had a large cylindrical glass vase. Perfect diameter and height for cleaning my salt cell---plus, being glass I can see the cell blades through it to watch the progress. Anywho...

    FC=5ppm
    CC=0
    pH=7.5
    TA=160ppm (20ppm drop from 5 days ago)
    CH=710ppm (this will be addressed in the fall)
    CYA= (will test on Wednesday, waiting for added CYA to dissolve fully)

    I've been hammering the pool with acid, daily, and now have the CORRECT phenol red solution (R-0004). We're already noticing the clarity/quality of the water greatly improving. I'm targeting 80ppm for CYA, I'll see where we are on Wednesday.

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    Default Re: White flakes in water

    Thanks for the update. I was wondering about you when I made a quick sweep through the forum early this morning and your name caught my eye. Glad things are improving for you.

  9. #9
    steveinaz is offline Lifetime Member Weir Watcher steveinaz 2 stars steveinaz 2 stars
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    Default Re: White flakes in water

    My posts lately look like a repeat of 3yrs ago...

    This time I'll be more patient and fix it RIGHT.

  10. #10
    aylad's Avatar
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    Default Re: White flakes in water

    That's where the POPP--pool owner patience and persistence--kicks in!! It's too bad we have to learn it the hard way, but I think we all have to go through it at some point in time!! Glad your pool problems are cleared up. And thanks for the update!!

    Janet

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