pool maintenance /limescale removal

pilgrim



Joined: 11/05/2007
Posts: 1404

Message Posted:
07/04/2009 19:45

Can any of you pool owners, recommend a easy effective method of removing , hard water / limescale deposits from pool ceramic copings.My dark blue once shiney pool coping surround is now grey/white , wire wool removes some, but I,m worried glaze will be damaged. I have considered lowering water level and using limescale remover/caustic acid , but wondered whether the chemicals would spill into pool and although well diluted be dangerous.

Any remedys appreciated.

regards

p

elkiton



Joined: 15/03/2009
Posts: 514

Message Posted:
07/04/2009 20:02

Hi,



It can be done....Put in a lot of sodium bisulphate to bring the PH down to quite an ascidic level, do it in high concentrations in a bucket dumped in one spot every night for a week, may even need 20 Kilos of it to soften the water properly....test the PH as you go....hold it there for about 4 weeks and most of the scale will either be reabsorbed or you can rub it off with your fingers without any hard work. The water here is very hard, and I suggest you treat fresh deliveries in the balance tank with the softener, never putting water direct in the pool, ever. I have been working this way for 8 months now without problems, though it was all scaly at first and I nearly despaired of getting it right. Actually took surprisingly little time once I had found the secret from good old Vaughn of Octopus Pools, who I think will do a full test on your water for nothing if you buy the chemicals from them.

best regards

TonyE

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
08/04/2009 10:09

You need to test your water for Total Alkalinity (which most DIY testers can't do) and aim for 80-120ppm. Most pools here are way above that, especially ones that leak and are being regularly topped-up, and I have seen TAs of 600ppm. High TA makes pH difficult to control. High pH makes chlorine ineffective. Ineffective chlorine gives you a green pool. High TA also leads to lime-scaling - double whammy.

To get TA down by 100ppm you need 1.5kg of sodium bisulphate in a 75,000 litre pool. So to get a 600ppm pool down to 100ppm you need, in theory, 7.5kg.

There is no point in adding more than 1kg per day so it will take you 7.5 days, in the manner described above.

Get your TA down and you will have a far better pool all round.

elkiton



Joined: 15/03/2009
Posts: 514

Message Posted:
08/04/2009 14:55

Hey Vaughn, following the advice you gave me last year and the test (thank you) I have had no problems, however it did finally take nearly 20Kg of bisulphate to stop the ph "bouncing" up after a few days.....also I had one delivery of water direct into the pool by mistake and the ph went wild again 'till I sorted it.

TonyE

pilgrim



Joined: 11/05/2007
Posts: 1404

Message Posted:
08/04/2009 15:42

Many thanks Guys, for the preventative advice, would still like to know if theres an effective product that will remove the scale currently deposited.

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
08/04/2009 15:47

Tuz Ruhu in the supermarket or hydrochloric (tash) acid - but dilute it and be careful!!

MarkVPiazza


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 530

Message Posted:
08/04/2009 20:03

If you get a sponge sanding block, use the smoothest side and you can rub off the worse of it (keep the block wet, and use a circular motion so you don't dig grooves).



Mark

oldshep


Joined: 02/11/2008
Posts: 609

Message Posted:
29/05/2009 08:13

i used one of those stanley blade scrapers quickly cleans the tiles

jewels


Joined: 06/06/2009
Posts: 73

Message Posted:
07/06/2009 22:32

i can sort it out no problem.if you want it sorted out urgently,it means you wont be able to use your pool for 2 weeks , you dont have to empty out your pool



give me a call

05338316469