What causes calcium deposits on swimming pool tile?
Have you noticed a white buildup at the waterline and on the tile or rocks around the swimming pool? This buildup is a calcium deposit otherwise known as scale.
What Causes Scale - scale can be caused by pool water that is out of balance in a number of different ways. If one or more of the pool water parameters are not in an acceptable range, calcium deposits can occur. A high calcium hardness reading of above 1000 ppm(hard water), a high pH of over 7.8, or a high alkalinity reading of over 120 can contribute to scale.
How to Remove Scale - there are many different scale removal products on the market, but the most effective way is to hire a company that specializes in cleaning tile. They remove the scale with a special tool that sprays glass beads to remove the buildup.
How to Prevent Scale in the Future - once the scale is gone, in order to prevent future calcium deposits, test the calcium hardness, pH, and alkalinity parameters of the pool water and bring them into an acceptable range. If the calcium hardness level is high, consider a partial water replacement for the pool. But before replacing any water be sure to test the calcium hardness of the fill water to make sure it will help. If the fill water already has a high calcium harness reading, most likely scale will continue to be a problem. Also, routinely brush the pool and consider routinely using a scale removal product.
Weekly Maintenance to Prevent Scale - as stated above, the best way to avoid calcium buildup is to have balanced pool water and to test all of the pool water parameters on a weekly basis to make sure it remains balanced. But it can also help to routinely brush the pool and consider periodically using a scale removal product.
Scale buildup on a swimming pool can be an ugly problem, but in most cases can be managed with diligent and routine pool maintenance. In cases where calcium deposits are inevitable, there are two different approaches. The first approach is to accept that scale buildup is a natural occurrence in most nature settings. Just look at the rocks around a lake or river and you will notice the same buildup. The second approach is to manage the problem as much as possible, and budget to pay for a scale removal service every few years.
