Expert: Robert W. Hudson, Jr. - 5/5/2005

Question
My waterline tile has lots of calcium build-up. What blasting media would I use to clean it? Also, I'll have the pool drained to do an acid bath. What ratio acid/water to clean it with? I have pebble tech finish.

Answer
Thanks for asking this question!

Calcium on tile indicates that your pH is way off.  Start pouring a pint of muriatic acid in your pool every day, and testing your water chemistry every third day.  When it gets to an acceptable level, then whatever you do to remove your calcium will actually not occur again for awhile!

Also, the correct pH is the key to keeping your water chemistry balanced, and your oxidizer (like chlorine) working effectively.

The best way to clean tile is to lower your water to just above the tile line. And then, apply a POULTICE CLEANER.

There are a number of different versions of these products, but I like Sure Klean Marble Poultice by ProSoCo because it also cleans your grout! You can find a local ditributor by going to the ProSoCo website.

This particular product removes heavy, deep-seated staining from brick, tile, concrete, natural stone and polished stone surfaces.

Now, the acid bath for a Pebble-Tec finish is  much, much trickier!  

There are roughly 5 different versions of pool finishes, most of which are called by homeowners "Pebble-Tec".  

However, some are quartz crystal additive finishes to normal plaster mix, others are cement & dye and aggregate, then others are cement & aggregate only, and there are some that are one of the three products that look EXACTLY like Pebble-Tec, but is not.

An exposed aggregate finish can be absolutely ruined by an acid wash if not done exactly right, and the concentration used is completely based on how many guys are in the pool, what are they removing, how much of it is there to remove, and what type of finish it is.

In short, I would not classify this as a homeowner maintenace effort.  There's too much at stake, like this particular $3,500 to $5,500 pool finish!

Notwithstanding their confidence and experience, I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't even trust this to a pool service company.  

For a tenth of the cost of a new plaster job, you can have genuine bona-fide experts in your pool to clean it properly!

Money well spent, in my opinion.

So, look in your local directory for Pool Plaster companies, and have them do it. They will know exactly what they are doing, and you will have a much better job than you had ever imagined.

And, most times, they can clean the tile at the same time!

Let us all know how it goes!

Bob Hudson