White gritty scale

[Wapak]

Hello, I am new here and have a problem with a white gritty substance on my pool walls no one can seem to figure out. Hoping to get some answer to try to correct it.

I have a 16' X 48' in ground, vinyl liner pool. I opened the pool on May 20th. At opening was extremely dark green. i have shocked it continuously since then about every 2 days, starting with calcium based granules, then switching to sodium based liquid.

The algae is all dead, and the water is a light blue with alot of cloudiness, however every day it clears up more. i run my sand filter 24/7 and back wash about once a day.

A white grit, kind of like 'scotch tape with white sand' in it, is coating my entire pool walls and bottom. It is really abrasive in spots. It is somewhat clear, you can see through it, but I can only get very small spots off. I have scrubbed, even scraped with a rubber squigee and can only get off a very little bit at a time and it is coating my entire pool.

I have never had this issue in 7 years. I went to a local pool company and they keep giving me different chemicals to try, but I dont think they know what it is. my water is clearing and for the first time, i can see the bottom, just this bad white grit issue is all thats left.



Here are my today water test readings:
free aval chlorine: 5.72
Tot chlorine: 10.31 (just shocked again last night)
combined chlorine: 4.59
tot alkalinity: 170
ph: 6.9 (was balanced to 7.5 4 days ago)
cal hardness: 342
cyranic acid: 14
total dissolved solids: 1280
saturated index: -0.4

heres what they told me today:

add 1.5 gallon of muratic acid
add 40oz enzymes (they think it may be white water mold??)
scrub walls

then, add ph increaser

then shock again.


Can anyone out there help me?? i am desperate and i dont think its white water mold, I know there must be a solution for this,

[PoolDoc]

FC=5.72 ppm??

Must be going to a BioGuard dealer. There are no consumer or commercial grade mechanism for detecting chlorine levels to 0.01 ppm, but BioGuard is notorious for terribly erratic and often very inaccurate test results that their 'program' presents as super-accurate.

What that list of numbers tells me is, we have NO idea what's in your pool. That sort of computerized bogus testing is sometimes reasonably accurate (5.72 actually should be 4 or 4.0) and sometimes completely bogus (CYA = 0 or 50, instead of 14). We have no way to know, till you test with a reliable test kit.

By the way, you can probably confirm the identity of your scale, by scraping off a bit, and putting in in a clear glass (a wine glass would be perfect) with a bit of white vinegar. If it bubbles, it's calcium carbonate scale. If it does NOT bubble, cover the glass with Saran wrap, and wait till tomorrow. If the scale bits have dissolved . . . .it's calcium carbonate (limestone) scale.

OK, we can't do ANYTHING till we know what's in your pool. Do NOT use the chemicals you were given. (Don't take them back, yet, either. You may need them.) Instead, do this:

1. Get an OTO(yellow drops)/phenol red testkit. If possible, get the excellent Taylor-made HTH 6-way drops kit sold at some Walmarts (and nowhere else!). Check local availability here: HTH 6-Way Test Kit .

2. While at Walmart get 10 gallons of PLAIN 6% household bleach. Add 2 gallons of bleach this evening, and then each subsequent reading if your OTO test shows less than a strong yellow result the following evening.

3. Measure your pool. 16' x 48' is a VERY unusual size. On Google Maps it looks like maybe an 18x36 with steps. Measure only the main rectangle; do not include the steps. We can use those measurements to get a reasonable estimate of the gallons in your pool. (Most builders and pool stores over-estimate gallons.)

4. Read the test kit page in my signature, and then order a Taylor K-2006. You'll need it.

5. Report your test readings tomorrow. If you can find the HTH kit, report chlorine, pH, alkalinity, calcium and stabilizer. Otherwise, just report pH and chlorine.

6. Use these links to log in your pool info:

Pool Chart Entry Form
Pool Chart Results

By the way, the scale you describe is often deposited by algal & bacterial slime over the winter. Here are a couple of pictures:
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[Wapak]

Thank you pool doc for responding so quick! On my way to get test kit and bleach at walmart. I will post my test results once done.

I did the vinegar test, and eventhough th particles were very small, they did bubble. I will post my test results soon.

Thank you, finally i feel like i am dealing with someone who is a pro!

[PoolDoc]

We'll be here!

[BigDave]

...finally i feel like i am dealing with someone who is a pro!

You won't find better advice than Ben's at any price, and he does this for us for free!

[Watermom]

Yeah, but unfortunately it is not free for Ben to run this forum. So, that is why we appreciate all the people who subscribe and also those who purchase products through Pool Forum's Amazon links because the revenue is what enables the forum to stay viable and helping people!

[Wapak]

Ok,

I was able to scrape some of the scale off, it was small particles like ground up chalk. I put it into a wine glass of vinegar, it immediately bubbled, then after about 5 minutes, it was completely dissolved.

You were correct, the actuall size of the pool after I measured it is 16' width, 36' length. I have a 3 ft shallow end that gradually slopes down to a 9ft deep end

I added the 2 gallons of 6% household bleach last night.I forgot to mention that on Sunday, i did add hth clarifier to the pool.

This morning, the water is finally clear enough to see the bottom of the deep end, crystal clear in the shallow end, still cloudy in deep.

I did get an HTH 6 way test kit. This is the first time I have ever used one, but I think I was able to get accurate results, love this test kit!! here was what I have this morning:

Chlorine: Very strong yellow, almost orange color
Ph: 7.2
Alkalinity: 160
Hardness/Calcium: 580
CYA: I am showing 0: I tested this twice to make sure I was doing it right, couldnt make the black dot disappear at all, so i couldnt come up with a ppm number

I hope this is the correct information you needed. If not, let me know.

Tried scrubbing pool walls again last night (i have been doing this everynight since I opened) in hopes to see some scale removal happening, but no luck! still same gritty white stuff covering and stuck to walls

so again, thank you for your help, if you have a solution to remove the scale that I have I cant wait to hear it!

[PoolDoc]

Tried scrubbing pool walls again last night (i have been doing this every night since I opened) in hopes to see some scale removal happening, but no luck! still same gritty white stuff covering and stuck to walls

Stop it! Really, I mean it. You are likely to damage your liner, scrubbing that stuff.

What you need to do know, is get everything else up and running properly. You need to start swimming (it's not rougher than a concrete pool, I'm pretty sure). And you need to get your testing and pool care down to a comfortable routine.

Then, and only then, you'll be ready to tackle something that is rather complicated and confusing. There is no magic wand for this. But if you go to a pool store, I'm *sure* they'll be happy to sell you something, every time, while implying that THIS, finally, IS the magic wand you want.

I checked; you've done the pool chart. Thanks!

I'll try to get a pool log sheet done for you, tomorrow. Email me if I don't (I'm really swamped right now). Meanwhile test your fill water (pH, TA, CH) and post those levels. And, keep your pH in the 6.8 - 7.2 range and not higher.

[Wapak]

Ok, you wont have to tell me twice, I Hate Scrubbing!

Will look for the chart and continue testing.

When you get the chance, if you want to post some instructons on the removal of the scale that would be great. Just that I have a big pool party on july 4 planned so am hoping the grit may be on its way to going away by then.

Thanks for your help, i really appreciate it

[Wapak]

Hi Ben;

My test results this evening were
PH 6.8
Alkalinity: 170
Chlorine: Just a strong yellow now, it dropped from looking almost orange to the strongest yellow on the scale.

Pool is finally clear of the dead algae and debri that was in the bottom, and it actually is crystal clear in the shallow end. just the white stuff on the walls remains, and its still gritty. I noticed as me and the kids were swimming, the floor of the pool does not seem to have the buildup of this scale like the walls do.

also on the steps, I simply ran my hand over them some, and the scale build up on them was flaking off in chunks, unless now my steps are falling apart (wouldnt surprise me, thats my kinda of luck!)

And no, I am not scrubbing!

i didnt see a pool log sheet anywhere, unless I just dont know where to look, so just let me know.

Thanks for taking the time to help me!