Keeping swimming pools clean takes a lot of time and effort. However, it’s all worth the work done, as you’ll have a clean pool you and your loved ones can enjoy. One of the common issues pool owners have is calcium scaling, which doesn’t only look odd, but can negatively affect a pool. If you noticed this lately, you might be wondering how to defeat calcium scaling in your swimming pool.
How to Defeat Calcium Scaling in Your Swimming Pool
We share a quick guide on calcium scaling so you know what they are and how to get rid of them. Read on!
What is Calcium Scaling?
Before anything else, you might be wondering what calcium bumps or scaling is.
Calcium scaling is the white to white-gray dust, film, or stain you see on the tiles or sides of your pool. There are two kinds of calcium scales that form in pools:
- Calcium carbonate – White and flaky scales that are easy to take off.
- Calcium silicate – White-grey scales that are tougher to remove.
Calcium silicate takes longer to form, so there may be calcium bumps and buildup that end up on the pipes. If this is the case, it will be difficult to remove calcium deposits yourself. You must hire a professional specializing in removing calcium deposits in the pool and filtration system.
How will you know what kind of calcium deposit you have, though? You can do this by safely taking a few drops of muriatic acid on a deposit. Calcium carbonate would react with the acid and start foaming, while calcium silicate will not.
What Causes Calcium Deposits?
So, what causes calcium deposits in the first place? This main reason is due to imbalanced calcium and pH levels in your pool.
Your pool is more susceptible to calcium scaling if you have extremely high calcium levels in the pool, usually above 400 ppm. This can be due to having hard water, so calcium scaling is more common in locations with hard water, and you can even notice it in your sink drains, tubs, and showers.
There are other reasons for high calcium levels as well, such as using calcium hypochlorite shock. This would add calcium to the water, resulting in unhealthy calcium levels.
With that said, high calcium levels alone do not cause calcium scaling. It is usually combined with another factor, which is water chemistry. High alkalinity and pH levels create a suitable environment for calcium scaling.
Lastly, high water temperatures can also cause calcium scaling. Combine all three factors (high calcium levels, alkalinity, and water temperatures) and it’s a recipe for calcium scaling!
How to Defeat Calcium Scaling in Your Swimming Pool
If you see any white film, you’re now probably wondering how to get rid of calcium deposits. Sure, you can use a pool calcium remover and get over it, but you may need to take extra steps, depending on the type of calcium scaling you have.
How to Remove Calcium Carbonate
If you identified that your pool has calcium carbonate, you can simply remove it using a pumice stone, stain eraser, pool calcium remover, or calcium deposit remover.
However, the method you use will still depend! Pumice stones must only be used in pools with hard surfaces, like concrete and tile. To learn how to clean calcium buildup, just use the pumice stone to scrub calcium deposits. Prevent scratching by ensuring that the pumice stone and the surface you’ll scrub are wet.
Again, you can always use a calcium deposit remover. There are many available stain erasers that can remove calcium carbonate, but choose your product carefully. Products are designed to be applied in specific areas, which is why they are often attached to a vac pole for easy application. When using these products for removing calcium deposits, follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
There are also calcium scaling treatments safe for every pool surface, like fiberglass, concrete, and vinyl liner pools. Those treatments are added to water, which then dissolves the calcium deposits in weeks.
How to Remove Calcium Silicate
What if you have calcium silicate, is there a way to learn how to remove calcium deposits on your own?
This is possible through a pumice stone, but it will take a lot of hard work as they are difficult to scrub free.
Learning how to remove calcium deposits using a pumice stone will be impossible on a fiberglass or vinyl pool as it will cause scratches. Calcium removers may work but it can take months.
Rather than learning how to remove calcium build-up, it’s best to speak with a pool service provider to use professional products to remove the deposits.
How to Prevent Calcium Scaling
Now that you know how to get rid of calcium deposits, how can you prevent the issue from happening again, or at all? Here are a few tips to follow:
- Lower your pool water’s pH levels, as this is a more common cause of calcium scaling compared to high calcium levels. But even then, make sure you also maintain proper calcium levels and water temperatures.
- Install a pool cover to reduce evaporation, as water that evaporated likely leaves some calcium behind, which affects your pool’s calcium levels.
- If you have hard water, you can learn how to remove calcium from water by using reverse osmosis water treatment.
Wrapping It Up
Hopefully, this article on how to remove calcium deposits helped you out. Now that you know how to defeat calcium scaling in your swimming pool, take the appropriate steps towards removing them once you notice the signs!
Make sure that you also learn to care for your pool and protect it from similar problems like calcium scaling. One of the best ways to protect your pool, other than balancing its chemistry levels, is by investing in a quality pool cover. Contact us now to learn more about our offerings!