14 Nov Calcium Scaling: What Next?

Many of us have probably seen this unsightly presence in the pools we visited: white build-ups in pool tiles. You’ve guessed right – that is calcium scaling.
What is Calcium Scaling?
By now, you might be wondering what calcium scaling actually is. Calcium scaling often manifests as white stains building up in the crevices of our pool tiles. The occurrence of calcium scaling pollutes swimming pools and stains their walls with chalk-looking deposits.
It occurs when the calcium levels are imbalanced, affecting the overall PH level of the water. The phenomena happens usually under higher temperatures, as heat increases the temperature of water, consequently resulting in faster evaporation.
If not treated regularly, hard water in pools can cause calcium scaling to solidify. This can become even more tedious to remove in the future.
The 2 Types of Calcium Scaling
There exists 2 types of calcium scaling: calcium silicate and calcium carbonate. The former type is harder to remove and prevent than its latter, though the latter is a lot more common.
Calcium silicate (white-grey deposit) forms over time, but once it starts accumulating, it becomes impossible to remove with home remedies. Furthermore, if calcium silicate is present, there is a possibility that your pipes might have blockage and build ups too. At this stage, you definitely need professional pool servicing to step in.
The other form of calcium scaling, calcium carbonate (white flaky deposit), is a milder problem and easier to solve. This type of calcium scaling forms along the waterline of swimming pools when evaporation increases.
To assess the type of calcium scaling in your pool, place a few drops of muriatic acid on the deposit. If there is a chemical reaction and foam appears, it os calcium carbonate. If there is no reaction, calcium silicate is the issue.
Appropriate Calcium Levels
The appropriate level of calcium hardness is between 200 and 275 ppm, though some pools might have higher levels. While this issue is difficult to tackle since PH levels and temperatures are constantly changing, there are several preemptive steps that you should take to prevent them from happening again.
Ways to Remove Calcium Scaling From Pools
If you are wondering how to remove calcium deposits from your pool, look no more! Depending on how the calcium is formed and the level of difficulty to remove them, there are several methods to consider.
Let us begin with tackling calcium carbonate!. Firstly, you can use a pumice stone. The pumice stone and affected area must be kept wet to prevent scratching the pool tiles. Take note to only use the stone on hard surfaces, such as tiles or concrete. The pumice stone should not be used on fiberglass pools as it will scratch the pool surface.
Next, you can consider a stain eraser, which will help to remove calcium carbonate. This can only be applied onto certain areas with a cleaning pole.
On the contrary, if you have calcium silicate accumulating in your pool, we’d recommend you to turn straight to the professionals!
Preventive Measures to Take To Prevent Calcium Scaling
As calcium scaling is not easy to tackle and harder to remove, we recommend that you take a few measures to prevent it from growing.
To begin, make sure to keep your pool’s PH levels well-balanced. This entails weekly or regular servicing and checks. Lower the PH levels from time to time, especially when you have hard water in your pool.
Brush, vacuum and clean your pool regularly to remove unwanted chemicals or debris that can affect the hygiene of the water. Engaging in this regularly can also help to remove calcium dust and dirt.
You can also use a pool clarifier to collect all of the calcium films, then use the pool vacuum to remove them. The clarifier can also help the pool filter to remove calcium.
Draining your pool to reduce the level of calcium hardness is an alternative method as well, though extremely tedious and time-consuming. This process involves draining about a quarter of your pool water, refilling and then retesting the PH levels.
Lastly, one other tip you can take note of is to avoid calcium hypochlorite shock, which increases the level of calcium in your swimming pool. You can consider using a non-chlorine oxidiser instead.
Conclusion
The bottom line? Calcium scaling is not an issue that you should ignore. If you have not experienced this problem yet, continue to monitor your pool water’s health regularly so that you can avoid the hassle later on.
Just like other pool problems we experience, calcium scaling can be defeated as long as we stay on top with consistent pool maintenance. While the chalky deposits may look harmless, they can affect the health of your pools in ways you might not foresee.
Like what they all say, prevention is the best medicine, and better than cure. Take action today to ensure that your pool will not fall prey to such problems! Contact FPNP Team today to get a thorough check on your swimming pool!