You may be wondering, “What causes calcium white scales and deposits to form on my pool tiles?”
Well, chances are you did not know that some active precautions have to be taken to prevent them from forming.
Calcium carbonate typically forms where the water line is in the pool. As the evaporation increases during the summer with warm heat, the scale itself tends to become a white color. But more than 9 times out of 10 it is mixed with dirt algae to make it look darker.
The most common cause for this is when the ppm of your water is over 400 and gets triggered by alkalinity. With a high pH in high temperatures, this is the result.
Ceramic tile with heavy build up
What to Do About these White Deposits on Your Pool Waterline
One common thing that almost every pool owner does is use calcium hydrochloric shock. Putting this into your pool does nothing but add calcium. Using a non-chlorine oxidizer will help you solve that one simple problem. You can also try to lower your pH and alkalinity to make it harder for calcium pieces to form.
Calcium Scale Removal
The typical way is that the heavy deposits of calcium scale are first scraped off. Then pour small amounts of any type of acid shock that you use such as acid magic or muriatic acid. You then one to quickly rinse it off and repeat it as needed. But this can be varied depending on how long it’s been. If you can’t remove it within the first few times, then that when I would recommend reaching out to our professionals and letting us handle the job! We will give you your old pool back without breaking your wallet, it’s what we love to do!
Why Choose our Professional Calcium Removal Service?
If you love to use your pool but hate the way it looks, look no further. Here at Specialty Aquatic Tile Cleaning, we can take care of just about any problem you have!
Tile Repair/ Replacement
If you have tiles that are beat up, cracked and even chipped we can take care of that no problem. Depending on the tile that you currently have the price will range. Even if you have discolored tiles we can take care of that so please feel free to give us a call today for a free estimate so we can have your pool looking right in no time!
Power washing
Sometimes it’s not the pool you can’t stand to look at. sometimes owners can’t stand the way their back deck area looks. Many people wish it would look 10 years younger! With a power washer that’s achievable. Many people don’t want to go and buy one but here at Specialty Aquatic and Tile Cleaning we have you covered. We can even power was your pool tiles too!
Pool Rehab Special
If you haven’t used your pool in a while because you gave us on it and it has become discolored, don’t worry we can bring your pool back to life. With this special we will completely drain your pool, Acid wash to clean the plaster, and will remove all the calcium from the tile. Now, just like anything else depending on the size of the pool, the price will range. Give your pool the look it deserves! Or if you just have any questions regarding your pool, just one of our pool experts!
Contact Us
Here at specialty aquatic tile cleaning, we offer a range of services. If you have any questions regarding your pool or would like to contact us at 626-275-8959. Our goal is to provide our customers with nothing but great quality and a great experience. We strive to leave your pool area at the end of the day in better condition than it was when we arrived. Serving all of Covina, CA and close neighboring cities.
Calcium is good for your body. But when it comes to your pool, that’s a whole different story.
In case you don’t know what that story is, this is it: Not good for your pool. So, what do you do in a situation where your pool is overrun with deposits of calcium (also known as limescale)?
They’re whitish and look rather unsightly on your pool tiles. They could even be dangerous for your body when you swim in the water.
If lime develops in your pool, hire pool maintenance professionals to inspect and clean up debris from its surfaces. Most pool cleaning services make a diagnosis for the localization, as well as the elimination of limescale.
If you want to do it yourself, read the rest of the article.
Why is having lime in your swimming pool a problem?
If pool owners hunt limestone like this, it’s not for nothing! Having excess lime in your swimming pool can indeed be the cause of various problems.
First of all, at the level of the interior of the basin. Because the more our pool is loaded with limestone, the more “chance” we have of seeing it build up from the inside.
And this as well at the level of the waterline as at the level of the walls and the bottom (especially if one has opted for a swimming pool liner as a coating). And a scaled pool is a pool whose water will be cloudy, and whose walls will be covered with gray or whitish deposits.
Stains which, besides being unsightly, will promote the appearance of ‘impurities and algae development. Without forgetting the possible inconvenience for swimmers: possible irritation of the skin and eyes.
But that’s not all: having too much lime can also be dangerous for the filtration system of the swimming pool. Indeed, when there is too much lime in our water, it will simply build up scale and prevent the proper functioning of the swimming pool filter.
So how do you know if your pool contains limestone?
Look for white or light gray spots on the sides and bottom of the pool, as well as the edges of the pool deck. Limestone forms scaly spots or streaks when the pH of the pool water and the calcium levels in the water are out of balance.
Although this build-up of lime can be removed, it can be difficult to do so. This article provides homeowners with tips that any pool maintenance company wouldn’t want you to know to remove lime deposits from the pool walls and prevent their return.
Types of Calcium that Leave Deposits
There are 2 common types of calcium that form lime in a pool: calcium carbonate and calcium silicate. It is important to understand which type harms the walls of your pool.
The calcium carbonate is white, scaly and easily detached. Calcium silicate is slightly gray and more solid, which makes it more difficult to remove.
If the walls of your pool contain calcium silicate, the scale on the walls of your pool is a symptom of a more serious problem: calcium scale in the plumbing and filtration system. This is a problem that only a professional pool maintenance company can deal with.
If you don’t know what type you have on your pool, use a dropper to pour muriatic acid on the deposits. Calcium carbonate will foam in reaction to acids. Calcium silicate, being a more solid substance with robust construction, will remain unchanged.
Removing Calcium Carbonate
If your pool contains calcium carbonate, removing it is easy, but takes time.
You can use a rough but harmless object for tiles such as a wet pumice stone or an eraser to flake off deposits.
You can also get calcium descaling treatment solutions from a pool service company or a pool supply store. Follow the product instructions to avoid damaging the pool water or injuring yourself.
Removal of Calcium Silicate
Calcium silicate is incredibly difficult to remove on your own. You can try using a pumice stone, but it will take a ton of elbow grease and time to complete the process successfully.
If you have a vinyl or fiberglass pool, this will not work at all. Even some descaling treatments can take months to break down the lasting calcium silicate.
You will probably need to hire pool maintenance professionals to remove lime build-up if you cannot do it yourself. They can also adjust the quality of your pool water, including pH and calcium levels, to prevent future buildup.
Remove limestone with a blowtorch and a polishing machine
If you have emptied your pool to clean it and you notice traces of lime, there are two methods that can get rid of this debris. These methods are effective but can take a long time depending on the size of your pool.
To remove the lime that is in the walls of your pool, just use a blowtorch to make the tartar less robust and then rub it with a wire brush. With the effect of heat, the tartar will be easily removed.
If you have limestone at the bottom of the pool, simply clean the pool thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner, then sand it with sanding and polishing machine.
Once descaling and polishing are finished, rinse your pool with a Kärcher to remove debris. Then evacuate your pool, let it dry, and fill it again if you want to reuse it.
If you do not want to fill it immediately, choose a tarpaulin or a protective cover. Your pool will therefore remain intact and ready to be filled at any time you wish.
Good to know
The disadvantage of chlorine is that it makes no difference between organic impurities and the human body. The consequences after a long stay in the water are red eyes, caused by chlorine. This is the reason why most people wear swimming goggles.
You easily get rid of the limescale (or calcium deposits) and their dangerous effects on the skin and eyes so you can use your pool without worry. All you have to do is call a professional pool calcium removal service. We provide this for you at excellent cost, that way your pool can be as good as new in about a day. And it’ll stay that way for a long time of healthy leisure.
When calcium forms on your pool, an effect known as limescale, your pool can look unsightly and even be in danger.
If lime develops in your pool, you should hire pool maintenance professionals to inspect and clean up debris from its surfaces. Most pool cleaning services make a diagnosis for the localization and the elimination of limescale.
If you want to do it yourself, read the rest of the article.
How to detect lime deposits in your Pool
Look for white or light gray spots on the sides and bottom of the pool, as well as the edges of the pool deck. Limestone forms scaly spots or streaks when the pH of the pool water and the calcium levels in the water are out of balance.
Although this build-up of lime can be removed, it can be difficult to do so. This article provides homeowners with tips that any pool maintenance company wouldn’t want you to know to remove lime deposits from the pool walls and prevent their return.
Lime stains in the pool
If you have ever noticed, you will have seen that there is a white line on the walls, at the height of the surface. This is caused by lime deposits.
In pools with well water, these lime deposits form in a short time, and if they are not removed, the layer becomes thicker and difficult to clean.
Another problem is the roughness that is noticeable on the walls, when passing the hand the touch is rough.
Over time, this texture favors the accumulation of dirt and makes cleaning more difficult.
In addition, if you apply acid to dilute the lime, you are also diluting the cement in the joints, damaging the lining, until you have to empty the pool to repair it.
What if you use well water for your pool?
On many occasions, especially in pools installed in rural areas, there is no access to running water, so there is no choice but to use well water to fill the pool.
Well, I have a trick to remove lime from the pool with well water.
Well water treatment
This trick is not for everyone. It is not difficult to apply, but you have to be careful to follow the steps correctly.
If the pool is already affected by the remains of lime, you should lower the pH as much as possible, adding a lot of acid, or liquid pH-.
With a pH lower than 6, the lime will start to thin, but so will the cement joints.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that no one takes a bath during the process. The acidity of the water will be very aggressive for people.
After a few days in this state, empty the pool completely, clean the surfaces well with acid (better to use a specific liquid or pH reducer based on sulfuric acid, because hydrochloric acid or sulfonate emits a lot of vapors). Finally, you will have to re-grout (apply Borada or seal with cement) all the joints.
As you can see, it is slow and hard work, and it is better to do it out of season, to avoid the effects of heat on the empty pool.
With the pool empty, the next step is filling (you probably already guessed that).
Start filling it by adding shock bleach.
The well water contains a lot of organic matter, is very “alive”, and then the plant matter, such as algae, begin to react to the light of the sun. Water can go bad in a matter of hours. Sometimes the same water is already green. Don’t worry about adding more chlorine than necessary, while no one takes a bath.
How to purify well water
Now comes the secret.
Add flocculant to the water. Yes, it’s that easy, but wait, this is just the beginning.
The flocculant causes all elements other than water to stick together, forming solid “flakes” (flocs) that settle to the bottom of the pool or remain stuck in the sand filter.
Be very careful not to overdo the dose of flocculant, because the sand can stick, and you will have to replace it.
You will have to do sand washes every few hours so that the sediment is expelled.
These remains will include lime, algae, metals, and other elements. The water will be practically pure. You will also have to help by sweeping the bottom so that the dirt does not stay there.
You can increase the effectiveness by adding a layer of diatomaceous earth, or diatomaceous sand over the filter sand, to retain a greater amount of debris.
Anyway, think that diatomite is difficult to find and somewhat expensive, so it is not necessary to use it unless you want to do a cleaning worthy of an operating room.
Most of it will go down the drain when doing a sand wash, so this is disposable.
The process time will depend on the type of water you are treating, so you will have to experiment and observe.
You can also repeat the process after a few days. However, it is better to do it before adding salt, in salt chlorination systems.
Types of Calcium that Leave Deposits
There are 2 common types of calcium that form lime in a pool: calcium carbonate and calcium silicate. It is important to understand which type harms the walls of your pool.
The calcium carbonate is white, scaly and easily detached. Calcium silicate is slightly gray and more solid, which makes it more difficult to remove.
If the walls of your pool contain calcium silicate, the scale on the walls of your pool is a symptom of a more serious problem: calcium scale in the plumbing and filtration system. This is a problem that only a professional pool maintenance company can deal with.
If you don’t know what type you have on your pool, use a dropper to pour muriatic acid on the deposits. Calcium carbonate will foam in reaction to acids. Calcium silicate, being a more solid substance with robust construction, will remain unchanged.
Removing Calcium Carbonate
If your pool contains calcium carbonate, removing it is easy, but takes time.
You can use a rough but harmless object for tiles such as a wet pumice stone or an eraser to flake off deposits.
You can also get calcium descaling treatment solutions from a pool service company or a pool supply store. Follow the product instructions to avoid damaging the pool water or injuring yourself.
Removal of Calcium Silicate
Calcium silicate is incredibly difficult to remove on your own. You can try using a pumice stone, but it will take a ton of elbow grease and time to complete the process successfully.
If you have a vinyl or fiberglass pool, this will not work at all. Even some descaling treatments can take months to break down the lasting calcium silicate.
You will probably need to hire pool maintenance professionals to remove lime build-up if you cannot do it yourself. They can also adjust the quality of your pool water, including pH and calcium levels, to prevent future buildup.
Remove limestone with a blowtorch and a polishing machine
If you have emptied your pool to clean it and you notice traces of lime, there are two methods that can get rid of this debris. These methods are effective but can take a long time depending on the size of your pool.
To remove the lime that is in the walls of your pool, just use a blowtorch to make the tartar less robust and then rub it with a wire brush. With the effect of heat, the tartar will be easily removed.
If you have limestone at the bottom of the pool, simply clean the pool thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner, then sand it with a sanding and polishing machine.
Once descaling and polishing are finished, rinse your pool with a karcher to remove debris. Then evacuate your pool, let it dry, and fill it again if you want to reuse it.
If you do not want to fill it immediately, choose a tarpaulin or a protective cover. Your pool will therefore remain intact and ready to be filled at any time you wish.
Good to know
The disadvantage of chlorine is that it makes no difference between organic impurities and the human body. The consequences after a long stay in the water are red eyes, caused by chlorine. This is the reason why most people wear swimming goggles.
When it comes to your body, calcium is a very good thing, but when it comes to your pool, it is not. When calcium forms on your pool, an effect known as limescale, your pool can look unsightly and even be in danger.
If lime develops in your pool, you should hire pool maintenance professionals to inspect and clean up debris from its surfaces. Most pool cleaning services make a diagnosis for the localization, as well as the elimination of limescale.
If you want to do it yourself, read the rest of the article.
So how do you know if your pool contains lime deposits?
Look for white or light gray spots on the sides and bottom of the pool, as well as the edges of the pool deck. Limestone forms scaly spots or streaks when the pH of the pool water and the calcium levels in the water are out of balance.
Although this build-up of lime can be removed, it can be difficult to do so. This article provides homeowners with tips that any pool maintenance company wouldn’t want you to know to remove lime deposits from the pool walls and prevent their return.
Lime stains in the pool
If you have ever noticed, you will have seen that there is a white line on the walls, at the height of the surface. This is caused by lime deposits.
In pools with well water, these lime deposits form in a short time, and if they are not removed, the layer becomes thicker and difficult to clean. Another problem is the roughness that is noticeable on the walls, when passing the hand the touch is rough.
Over time, this texture favors the accumulation of dirt and makes cleaning more difficult.
In addition, if you apply acid to dilute the lime, you are also diluting the cement in the joints, damaging the lining, until you have to empty the pool to repair it.
What if you use well water for your pool?
On many occasions, especially in pools installed in rural areas, there is no access to running water, so there is no choice but to use well water to fill the pool.
Well, I have a trick to remove lime from the pool with well water.
Well water treatment
This trick is not for everyone. It is not difficult to apply, but you have to be careful to follow the steps correctly.
If the pool is already affected by the remains of lime, you should lower the pH as much as possible, adding a lot of acid, or liquid pH-.
With a pH lower than 6, the lime will start to thin, but so will the cement joints.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that no one takes a bath during the process. The acidity of the water will be very aggressive for people.
After a few days in this state, empty the pool completely, clean the surfaces well with acid (better to use a specific liquid or pH reducer based on sulfuric acid, because hydrochloric acid or sulfonate emits a lot of vapors). Finally, you will have to re-grout (apply Borada or seal with cement) all the joints.
As you can see, it is slow and hard work, and it is better to do it out of season, to avoid the effects of heat on the empty pool.
With the pool empty, the next step is filling (you probably already guessed that).
Start filling it by adding shock bleach.
The well water contains a lot of organic matter, is very “alive”, and then the plant matter, such as algae, begin to react to the light of the sun. Water can go bad in a matter of hours. Sometimes the same water is already green. Don’t worry about adding more chlorine than necessary, while no one takes a bath.
How to purify well water
Now comes the secret.
Add flocculant to the water. Yes, it’s that easy, but wait, this is just the beginning.
The flocculant causes all elements other than water to stick together, forming solid “flakes” (flocs) that settle to the bottom of the pool or remain stuck in the sand filter.
Be very careful not to overdo the dose of flocculant, because the sand can stick, and you will have to replace it.
You will have to do sand washes every few hours so that the sediment is expelled.
These remains will include lime, algae, metals, and other elements. The water will be practically pure. You will also have to help by sweeping the bottom so that the dirt does not stay there.
You can increase the effectiveness by adding a layer of diatomaceous earth, or diatomaceous sand over the filter sand, to retain a greater amount of debris.
Anyway, think that diatomite is difficult to find and somewhat expensive, so it is not necessary to use it unless you want to do a cleaning worthy of an operating room.
Most of it will go down the drain when doing a sand wash, so this is disposable.
The process time will depend on the type of water you are treating, so you will have to experiment and observe.
You can also repeat the process after a few days. However, it is better to do it before adding salt, in salt chlorination systems.
Types of Calcium that Leave Deposits
There are 2 common types of calcium that form lime in a pool: calcium carbonate and calcium silicate. It is important to understand which type harms the walls of your pool.
The calcium carbonate is white, scaly and easily detached. Calcium silicate is slightly gray and more solid, which makes it more difficult to remove.
If the walls of your pool contain calcium silicate, the scale on the walls of your pool is a symptom of a more serious problem: calcium scale in the plumbing and filtration system. This is a problem that only a professional pool maintenance company can deal with.
If you don’t know what type you have on your pool, use a dropper to pour muriatic acid on the deposits. Calcium carbonate will foam in reaction to acids. Calcium silicate, being a more solid substance with robust construction, will remain unchanged.
Removing Calcium Carbonate
If your pool contains calcium carbonate, removing it is easy, but takes time.
You can use a rough but harmless object for tiles such as a wet pumice stone or an eraser to flake off deposits.
You can also get calcium descaling treatment solutions from a pool service company or a pool supply store. Follow the product instructions to avoid damaging the pool water or injuring yourself.
Removal of Calcium Silicate
Calcium silicate is incredibly difficult to remove on your own. You can try using a pumice stone, but it will take a ton of elbow grease and time to complete the process successfully.
If you have a vinyl or fiberglass pool, this will not work at all. Even some descaling treatments can take months to break down the lasting calcium silicate.
You will probably need to hire pool maintenance professionals to remove lime build-up if you cannot do it yourself. They can also adjust the quality of your pool water, including pH and calcium levels, to prevent future buildup.
Remove limestone with a blowtorch and a polishing machine
If you have emptied your pool to clean it and you notice traces of lime, there are two methods that can get rid of this debris. These methods are effective but can take a long time depending on the size of your pool.
To remove the lime that is in the walls of your pool, just use a blowtorch to make the tartar less robust and then rub it with a wire brush. With the effect of heat, the tartar will be easily removed.
If you have limestone at the bottom of the pool, simply clean the pool thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner, then sand it with a sanding and polishing machine.
Once descaling and polishing are finished, rinse your pool with a karcher to remove debris. Then evacuate your pool, let it dry, and fill it again if you want to reuse it.
If you do not want to fill it immediately, choose a tarpaulin or a protective cover. Your pool will therefore remain intact and ready to be filled at any time you wish.
Good to know
The disadvantage of chlorine is that it makes no difference between organic impurities and the human body. The consequences after a long stay in the water are red eyes, caused by chlorine. This is the reason why most people wear swimming goggles.
Have you noticed some greyish white scales in your pool? Or some discoloration right around the water line in your pool? Or even some crusty deposits in the corner of your pool?
If yes, those are calcium deposits.
They can be a major eyesore and make your pool unattractive to swim in. What worse, they’re absolutely difficult to clean… if you don’t know the right way to do it.
In this blog post, we will show you the age-long insider secrets that professional pool cleaners use to get rid of the annoying calcium deposits in swimming pools.
Natural stone that had a heavy build up of calcium
How to Remove the White Crusty Calcium Deposit from your Pool Tiles and Make them Look Good as New
This must be one of the many questions on the mind of a pool owner.
I would be giving 5 ways on how to remove calcium deposits from your pool.
1. Use a calcium releaser
These products makes it easy to remove calcium deposits. While selecting your product, select acid free calcium releasers, as these products are left a long time on your pool tile before scrubbing off, and the acid could destroy your pool finish.
2. Use scaling treatment
If your pool is made of fiber glass, scaling treatment is advised because other methods would scratch the glass since they involve brushing.
3. Use a pumice
This rock is also effective in removing calcium deposits in pools, make sure the surface of both the rock and the pool is wet, and do not scrub too hard in order not to deface your pool.
4. Use white vinegar and a scrub brush
Fill a water bottle spray with half water and half vinegar solution, spray on your pool tile and leave for some minutes before rubbing gently with a scrub brush.
5. Use muriatic acid
This is also known as Hydrochloric acid, this acid has high strength in removing mineral deposits, calcium deposits inclusive.While using it, you should be fully clothed with your google and gloves in order to avoid safety hazards. Make sure not to leave the acid too long because you do not want to destroy the finish of your pool.
Bottomline
You can always try:
Calcium deposits are caused by an imbalance between the calcium levels and the Ph of your pool.Before we go into removing these calcium deposits, to prevent future deposits you might want to do the following:
Try reducing evaporation in your pool, by installing a pool cover, because when water evaporates, calcium becomes concentrated.
Try draining your pool and lowering the PH of the new water. This is done so if the pool is exposed to sunlight, there won’t be an imbalance between the PH and the calcium level.
Calcium deposits in pools can have side effects on people who use the pool, these effects can range from eye irritation to whole body irritation, they are also irritating to look at and would reduce the interest of people in your pool.
When removing these deposits, make sure you are dressed properly to avoid safety hazards and also try as much as possible not to destroy the finish of your pool.
With this guide, we are sure you will bring your pool to its former glory.
Lime stains, sometimes called scale, occur around the upper edge of the pool and resemble deposits of white or gray crusts. They are often caused by hard water or minerals that seep from nearby mortar glue.
If left in place, they can lead to permanent stains on the tile, as well as causing the pool to look dirty and unattractive. Removal of calcium deposits from tiles in the pool will require some physical work.
Although efflorescence is not harmful to cement, excessive amounts of it can cause fungal or insect problems. Once the calcium deposits harden, they are virtually impossible to remove without acid solutions.
Sometimes they could be soft white scales and in severe cases, thicker and harder. You’ll have to approach cleaning them with different strategies.
Natural stone and glass tile combo
Unfortunately, you must repeat the process periodically, as the spots often return.
How to Clean the Soft White Scales on Your Tiles
Drain the water from the pool at least 6 to 10 inches so you can easily access areas stained with calcium. This also allows you to clean the loosened calcium off without depositing it in the pool water.
Kneel on the edge of the pool, or enter the pool if you do not mind getting wet. Place a stiff brush bristle tiles on top of the calcium deposits and scrub the tiles of the pool using circular motions to loosen the deposits.
Clean the tile of the pool with a cloth or a paper towel to remove the loosened calcium. Examine the area to see if all the deposit came off, and use a pumice stone to scrub gently with circular motions or no calcium is maintained.
Remove the thickness scale from the tile with a razor blade, taking care to keep a low angle and avoid scratching the surface.
Clean the area again with the cloth. Repeat the process to clean around the perimeter of the pool to remove the remaining calcium deposits.
Tips and warnings
You can use a standard pumice stone available at beauty stores or buy one at a pool store that has a longer handle made specifically for pools.
Commercial products are also available to remove tile incrustations from the pool.
How to Remove the Heavy Concrete Calcium Deposits
Stronger acids are required for the heavier calcium deposits.
Instructions
Dress appropriately for security purposes. Wear protective clothing, goggles, acid-resistant gloves, and a mask equipped with an acid-grade filter.
Set a portable fan nearby and open the windows to provide adequate air circulation. Fill a spray bottle with acetic acid.
Spray the acetic acid generously on the calcium deposits. Allow the acid to penetrate the cement for the recommended amount of time. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the product label.
Scrub the cement with a hard bristle brush to dissolve the calcium deposits. Continue to apply acetic acid and scrub the cement until all calcium deposits are removed.
Sprinkle baking soda generously over clean cement to neutralize the acid. While the acid neutralizes, fill a plastic bucket with water.6 Clean the affected surfaces promptly to restore the appearance of the cement and prevent future problems. To do this, cement thoroughly rinsed with water, using a coarse sponge. Allow the cement to air dry.
Tips and warnings
You can substitute hydrochloric acid for acetic acid. However, never use hydrochloric acid inside or mix it with any chemical.
Be very careful when using acetic acid; It is highly corrosive to the skin.
You can spot calcium deposits from the line and spots they leave on the waterline of your pool. These calcium deposits are extremely difficult to clean. But in this article, we’ll give you some pointers to get rid of them.
There are some reasons why you may start to notice these spots around the waterline.
The first reason is hard water, which can leave a calcium residue over time. If you live in an area of the country with hard water, it is likely that you have already noticed this accumulation in your faucets, sinks, and even bathtubs.
The second reason is the heat. The high summer temperatures cause the water in the pool to evaporate more and also raise the water temperature.
When combined with the third reason, the chemical composition of your pool, these conditions can cause calcium deposits.
Specifically, if your pool has a high pH, high alkalinity and hotter water, the calcium scale will begin to form.
Lime stains in pool
The reason why this situation occurs so often in the water line is due to evaporation. These calcium crystals can appear as nodules that dot the metal and plaster, or they can become scabby deposits that live in the corners of the pool.
Technically, these are two different things. Calcium carbonate, which tends to manifest as a scaly substance on the surface of the pool, and calcium silicate, which is grayish-white and harder. Either way, they are not exactly aesthetically pleasing.
What does lime do to your pool?
Obstructed filters
Pool filters are designed to treat water or other types of waste typical of the pool: insects, leaves, etc. But they are not designed for hard calcium deposits.
As more and more hardened calcium passes through the filter, the system will slow down and not work as well due to clogging.
Damage to the Plaster
If left untreated, calcium deposits will continue to grow and spread to other areas of the pool, including, in the background. This can result in the creation of clumps in the plaster that you will have to eliminate if you do not want the finish to be damaged.
Irritation of eyes and skin
If people swim in a pool with excess calcium, which is causing deposits, there is a great chance that there will be skin and eye irritation.
Calcium deposits and scaling are unattractive, make swimming pools uncomfortable for swimming and can cause serious and costly long-term damage.
Steps to Remove Lime
Limescale deposits can form along the waterline of your pool. This is usually caused by a high pH, high alkalinity or a high concentration of calcium. Constant temperature changes along with rapid evaporation will cause the deposits to settle along the side of the pool wall. If the deposits are not removed soon, it can cause permanent damage to the surface of the pool.
Cleaning with vinegar
Baking soda, borax, dish soap, toothpaste, and vinegar can be used in much the same way to clean calcium deposits, so you can use most of the information related to the vinegar and apply it also to cleaning agents.
What you need for cleaning with vinegar:
A cleaning brush. With soft bristles, not metallic.
A bottle of spray.
Vinegar, a 5% solution.
Once you have these items, you can start cleaning.
The first step is to stop all use of the pool until a water test can be performed. If the test reveals that the levels are within range, you can use a stain remover to remove deposits from the waterline. If the pH, alkalinity or calcium levels are too high, they should be reduced before using a scale and scale cleaner.
It is recommended to start first by lowering the hardness of the water. The hardness can only be lowered by partially draining and then filling the pool. Your pool needs a hardness level of 200 ppm to 400 ppm. A level of hardness above 400 ppm can lead to scale formation on the surface of the pool and equipment and can also cause cloudy water.
Once the pool has drained, and filled again, check that the hardness is within range. If it is not, you must repeat step 2 until you normalize the hardness. Only in that case can you adjust the alkalinity. You should retest before doing so because the alkalinity should be lower than before. To reduce alkalinity, you can use dry acid or muriatic acid. The necessary amount of any of the chemical products will vary according to the size and volume of the pool and the reading of alkalinity.
Once the alkalinity is within the range, the pH can be adjusted. For this, a negative pH is used, in case of a high pH. Once the pH is balanced, we can move on to the final step.
The final step will be to use the vinegar. Before adding the product, (following the package instructions), make sure you have a pool brush handy to brush the walls as needed. There are no special tricks. You can put the vinegar in the bottle and spray the solution on the calcium deposits or simply pour it from your own bottle, then use the brush to scrub.
These types of cleaners tend to work quite well if you detect and solve the problem from the beginning, and of course, you should use them fairly regularly to avoid accumulation.
If you do all these steps, and still have lime deposits that are difficult to remove, try the following.
Cleaning with muriatic acid
With the vinegar and the other mild cleansers that we have already mentioned, you can enter the pool while you are cleaning. With muriatic acid, however, this is not recommended.
Muriatic acid is more powerful and more dangerous when handling. You can find this chemical in a home improvement store or pool supply store.
What you need for cleaning with muriatic acid:
Muriatic acid container.
Safety glasses.
Rubber gloves.
Respirator.
Plastic cube.
Measuring cup of plastic.
Plastic spoon
Plastic spray bottle.
Marker.
Non-abrasive scourer
This list of materials is enough for you to realize that this goes beyond the maintenance of the pool for beginners. We want to remind you that muriatic acid is dangerous.
Put on goggles, gloves and the respirator. Then head outside with all your ingredients to start mixing. Absolutely do not attempt to mix in a closed area.
Fill your bucket with four liters of water. Pour 230 grams of muriatic acid with the measuring cup slowly into the water. Always pour the acid in the water instead of the other way round, as the acid is more likely to splash. Another thing to keep in mind is that you should pour slowly since this mixture produces heat.
With the plastic spoon mix the water and the acid. Again, do it slowly, because you do not want it to boil.
Carefully fill the plastic bottle with a mixture of water and acid.
Use the marker to label the measuring cup, spoon and spray bottle with “Muriatic acid”. Do not try to use the chemical for anything else. If you are worried that this may happen, leave the bottle aside for proper disposal.
You should always stay out of the pool, use the spray bottle to spray the waterline of the pool and rub with the non-abrasive scouring pad.
Get in touch with your local pool supply company or with the municipality to learn how to get rid of any unused muriatic acid. Do not simply discard it or pour it down the drain.
Because muriatic acid is much stronger than vinegar or other cleaning products mentioned above, you can eliminate calcium deposits that are much more advanced. That said, with deposits that have been growing and hardening for a long time, sometimes even muriatic acid is not enough.
If that is your situation, you have a remaining option. Pressure washing.
Cleaning with a pressure washer
Cleaning with a pressure washer is something that professional pool cleaners use, called “blasting accounts”. This process uses compressors to “blow up” pearls, sand and other materials (depending on the specific tool used) on your tile at a high speed to basically blow or scrape the calcium deposits.
It works surprisingly well, and it’s fast. And best of all, you are not doing the work yourself. Unfortunately, it can also be expensive, especially if you need to call them to do it regularly.
This must be one of the many questions on the mind of a pool owner.
And here I will be giving 5 ways on how to remove calcium deposits from your pool! And not only will it look better, but it will also allow you to enjoy your pool like you once did!
1. Use a calcium releaser
These products make it easy to remove calcium deposits. While selecting your product, select acid-free calcium releasers, as these products are left a long time on your pool tile before scrubbing off, and the acid could destroy your pool finish.
Be careful when using these products. Even though it says “acid-free”, it still contains substances that aren’t great for the human skin or lungs. Make sure to wear protective equipment when working with calcium releasers in removing calcium deposits in your pool.
2. Use scaling treatment
If your pool is made of fiber glass, scaling treatment is advised because other methods would scratch the glass since they involve brushing.
3. Use a pumice
This rock is also effective in removing calcium deposits in pools, make sure the surface of both the rock and the pool is wet, and do not scrub too hard in order not to deface your pool.
4. Use white vinegar and a scrub brush
Fill a water bottle spray with half water and half vinegar solution, spray on your pool tile and leave for some minutes before rubbing gently with a scrub brush.
5. Use muriatic acid
This is also known as Hydrochloric acid, this acid has high strength in removing mineral deposits, calcium deposits inclusive.While using it, you should be fully clothed with your google and gloves in order to avoid safety hazards. Make sure not to leave the acid too long because you do not want to destroy the finish of your pool.
How to Remove Lime Deposits
If lime develops in your pool, you should hire pool maintenance professionals to inspect and clean up debris from its surfaces. Most pool cleaning services make a diagnosis for the localization as well as the elimination of limescale.
So how do you know if your pool contains limestone?
Look for white or light gray spots on the sides and bottom of the pool, as well as the edges of the pool deck. Limestone forms scaly spots or streaks when the pH of the pool water and the calcium levels in the water are out of balance.
Although this build-up of lime can be removed, it can be difficult to do so. This article provides homeowners with tips that any pool maintenance company wouldn’t want you to know to remove lime deposits from the pool walls and prevent their return.
Types of Calcium that Leave Deposits
There are 2 common types of calcium that form lime in a pool: calcium carbonate and calcium silicate. It is important to understand which type harms the walls of your pool.
The calcium carbonate is white, scaly and easily detached. Calcium silicate is slightly gray and more solid, which makes it more difficult to remove.
If the walls of your pool contain calcium silicate, the scale on the walls of your pool is a symptom of a more serious problem: calcium scale in the plumbing and filtration system. This is a problem that only a professional pool maintenance company can deal with.
If you don’t know what type you have on your pool , use a dropper to pour muriatic acid on the deposits. Calcium carbonate will foam in reaction to acids. Calcium silicate, being a more solid substance with a robust construction, will remain unchanged.
Removing Calcium Carbonate
If your pool contains calcium carbonate, removing it is easy, but takes time.
You can use a rough but harmless object for tiles such as a wet pumice stone or an eraser to flake off deposits.
You can also get calcium descaling treatment solutions from a pool service company or a pool supply store. Follow the product instructions to avoid damaging the pool water or injuring yourself.
Removal of Calcium Silicate
Calcium silicate is incredibly difficult to remove on your own. You can try using a pumice stone, but it will take a ton of elbow grease and time to complete the process successfully.
If you have a vinyl or fiberglass pool , this will not work at all. Even some descaling treatments can take months to break down the lasting calcium silicate.
You will likely need to hire pool maintenance professionals to remove lime build-up if you cannot do it yourself. They can also adjust the quality of your pool water, including pH and calcium levels, to prevent future buildup.
Remove limestone with a blowtorch and a polishing machine
If you have emptied your pool to clean it and you notice traces of lime, there are two methods that can get rid of this debris. These methods are effective but can take a long time depending on the size of your pool.
To remove the lime that is in the walls of your pool, just use a blowtorch to make the tartar less robust and then rub it with a wire brush. With the effect of heat, the tartar will be easily removed.
If you have limestone at the bottom of the pool, simply clean the pool thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner, then sand it with a sanding and polishing machine.
Once descaling and polishing are finished, rinse your pool with a karcher to remove debris. Then evacuate your pool, let it dry, and fill it again if you want to reuse it.
If you do not want to fill it immediately, choose a tarpaulin or a protective cover. Your pool will therefore remain intact and ready to be filled at any time you wish.
Good to know
The disadvantage of chlorine is that it makes no difference between organic impurities and the human body. The consequences after a long stay in the water are red eyes, caused by chlorine. This is the reason why most people wear swimming goggles.
Bottomline
Calcium deposits in pools can have side effects on people who use the pool, these effects can range from eye irritation to whole body irritation, they are also irritating to look at and would reduce the interest of people in your pool.
When removing these deposits, make sure you are dressed properly to avoid safety hazards and also try as much as possible not to destroy the finish of your pool.
When you want to install a salt chlorinator in a pool with well water, we recommend that you empty it and fill it with water from the water supply grid.
What are the drawbacks of well water
The reason is that lime and other minerals often cause problems in the chlorinator electrode.
During electrolysis, lime and other elements precipitate and end up being embedded in the plates of the chlorinator cell.
The performance of the electrode decreases, because the plates are electrically isolated, due to the layer of lime, which acts as an insulator. To clean the electrode plates, the electrode must be immersed in acid, which also attacks metal.
After many washes, the electrode ends up having serious corrosion problems.
In addition, there are other salts and metals present in well water that cause other problems, both due to the sediments they cause and due to the electrochemical effects that are produced.
Lime stains in the pool
If you have ever noticed, you will have seen that there is a white line on the walls, at the height of the surface. This is caused by lime deposits.
In pools with well water, these lime deposits form in a short time, and if they are not removed, the layer becomes thicker and difficult to clean. Another problem is the roughness that is noticeable on the walls, when passing the hand the touch is rough.
Over time, this texture favors the accumulation of dirt and makes cleaning more difficult.
In addition, if you apply acid to dilute the lime, you are also diluting the cement in the joints, damaging the lining, until you have to empty the pool to repair it.
How to use well water for the pool
On many occasions, especially in pools installed in rural areas, there is no access to running water, so there is no choice but to use well water to fill the pool.
Well, I have a trick to remove lime from the pool with well water.
Well water treatment
This trick is not for everyone. It is not difficult to apply, but you have to be careful to follow the steps correctly.
If the pool is already affected by the remains of lime, you should lower the pH as much as possible, adding a lot of acid, or liquid pH-.
With a pH lower than 6, the lime will start to thin, but so will the cement joints.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that no one takes a bath during the process. The acidity of the water will be very aggressive for people.
After a few days in this state, empty the pool completely, clean the surfaces well with acid (better to use a specific liquid or pH reducer based on sulfuric acid, because hydrochloric acid or sulfonate emits a lot of vapors). Finally, you will have to re-grout (apply Borada or seal with cement) all the joints.
As you can see, it is slow and hard work, and it is better to do it out of season, to avoid the effects of heat on the empty pool.
With the pool empty, the next step is filling (you probably already guessed that).
Start filling it by adding shock bleach.
The well water contains a lot of organic matter, is very “alive”, and then the plant matter, such as algae, begin to react to the light of the sun. Water can go bad in a matter of hours. Sometimes the same water is already green. Don’t worry about adding more chlorine than necessary, while no one takes a bath.
How to purify well water
Now comes the secret.
Add flocculant to the water. Yes, it’s that easy, but wait, this is just the beginning.
The flocculant causes all elements other than water to stick together, forming solid “flakes” (flocs) that settle to the bottom of the pool or remain stuck in the sand filter.
Be very careful not to overdo the dose of flocculant, because the sand can stick, and you will have to replace it.
You will have to do sand washes every few hours so that the sediment is expelled.
These remains will include lime, algae, metals, and other elements. The water will be practically pure. You will also have to help by sweeping the bottom so that the dirt does not stay there.
You can increase the effectiveness by adding a layer of diatomaceous earth, or diatomaceous sand over the filter sand, to retain a greater amount of debris.
Anyway, think that diatomite is difficult to find and somewhat expensive, so it is not necessary to use it unless you want to do a cleaning worthy of an operating room.
Most of it will go down the drain when doing a sand wash, so this is disposable.
The process time will depend on the type of water you are treating, so you will have to experiment and observe.
You can also repeat the process after a few days. However, it is better to do it before adding salt, in salt chlorination systems.
Prevent stains on the pool tile
I am not a fan of adding chemicals to the water, so once the pool is filled with purified water, I would try to avoid adding other products. For that, it is important that the chlorine level and the pH are perfect. There is nothing else to do.
When adding water, after washing, or simply to compensate for evaporation, we must bear in mind that we have also added lime, so we can repeat the process from time to time.
It should be done as a shock treatment. We do not recommend using maintenance flocculant, because it is still a chemical product which in large quantities is unhealthy, as you can see in this post.
If you’ve done enough washes to remove most of the lime, you’ll see that the water is crystal clear and the walls shiny.
Run your hand over the walls periodically, to make sure that the touch is smooth (but not slippery, which would be a sign of algae formation). If you notice that they become rough, you should lower the pH a little and do another anti-limescale treatment.
Try to have these treatments done on the days that the pool is not used, to avoid exposure to bathers, especially with low pH.
Use of anti-scale products for swimming pools
There are products that keep lime in suspension, so they don’t really remove it, they just keep it from sticking to the walls.
This is an ineffective solution because it forces you to continually add chemical products, with the risks that they entail, and it also does not completely prevent lime from becoming embedded in the chlorinator electrodes.
The flocculant and sand wash trick works better, because you’re actually getting a lot of the lime out of the pool.
Other options to reduce pool limescale
In facilities with intensive use, such as spas and hotels, a tank can be installed to flocculate the water before adding it to the pool. In addition, filters or osmosis systems can be installed, which can purify the water, leaving it almost as if it were distilled.
These systems are not justified in domestic swimming pools, because with good flocculation the water quality is already very good.
Lime stains, sometimes called scale, occur around the upper edge of the pool and resemble deposits of white or gray crusts. They are often caused by hard water or minerals that seep from nearby mortar glue.
If left in place, they can lead to permanent stains on the tile, as well as causing the pool to look dirty and unattractive. Removal of calcium deposits from tiles in the pool will require some physical work.
Although efflorescence is not harmful to cement, excessive amounts of it can cause fungal or insect problems. Once the calcium deposits harden, they are virtually impossible to remove without acid solutions.
Sometimes they could be soft white scales and in severe cases, thicker and harder. You’ll have to approach cleaning them with different strategies.
Natural stone and glass tile combo
Unfortunately, you must repeat the process periodically, as the spots often return.
How to Clean the Soft White Scales on Your Tiles
Drain the water from the pool at least 6 to 10 inches so you can easily access areas stained with calcium. This also allows you to clean the loosened calcium off without depositing it in the pool water.
Kneel on the edge of the pool, or enter the pool if you do not mind getting wet. Place a stiff brush bristle tiles on top of the calcium deposits and scrub the tiles of the pool using circular motions to loosen the deposits.
Clean the tile of the pool with a cloth or a paper towel to remove the loosened calcium. Examine the area to see if all the deposit came off, and use a pumice stone to scrub gently with circular motions or no calcium is maintained.
Remove the thickness scale from the tile with a razor blade, taking care to keep a low angle and avoid scratching the surface.
Clean the area again with the cloth. Repeat the process to clean around the perimeter of the pool to remove the remaining calcium deposits.
Tips and warnings
You can use a standard pumice stone available at beauty stores or buy one at a pool store that has a longer handle made specifically for pools.
Commercial products are also available to remove tile incrustations from the pool.
How to Remove the Heavy Concrete Calcium Deposits
Stronger acids are required for the heavier calcium deposits.
Instructions
Dress appropriately for security purposes. Wear protective clothing, goggles, acid-resistant gloves, and a mask equipped with an acid-grade filter.
Set a portable fan nearby and open the windows to provide adequate air circulation. Fill a spray bottle with acetic acid.
Spray the acetic acid generously on the calcium deposits. Allow the acid to penetrate the cement for the recommended amount of time. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the product label.
Scrub the cement with a hard bristle brush to dissolve the calcium deposits. Continue to apply acetic acid and scrub the cement until all calcium deposits are removed.
Sprinkle baking soda generously over clean cement to neutralize the acid. While the acid neutralizes, fill a plastic bucket with water.6 Clean the affected surfaces promptly to restore the appearance of the cement and prevent future problems. To do this, cement thoroughly rinsed with water, using a coarse sponge. Allow the cement to air dry.
Tips and warnings
You can substitute hydrochloric acid for acetic acid. However, never use hydrochloric acid inside or mix it with any chemical.
Be very careful when using acetic acid; It is highly corrosive to the skin.
