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White/Blue flakes in a salt pool

Posted by Matt on June 12, 2009 at 9:29am
I have a client with a fiberglass pool, auto cover, and salt system. The ph is 7.8, alkalinity 190, Calcium 200, and no copper or iron. The water looks great but they are getting small white/blue/black flakes that are building up on the floor of the pool if front of the returns. The flakes are thin and have a slight curve to them. I can vacuum up the flakes but there are back every week. Does anyone have any ideas of what this is or how to treat it?

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Replies

  • Bruce Hudson July 17, 2009 at 5:06am
    Hey Matt, I think the fellas are exactly right about T A and saturation. After adjusting the balance closer to 0, expect more flakes for a short while as the scale loosens and releases from inside the waterways, then it should go away altogether.
  • Wes Burdine July 16, 2009 at 5:12am
    Matt,

    I have made a few of assumptions here: water temp @ 84 degrees, CYA @ 30-50, and TDS @ less than 1000.

    Using Langelier Index, the saturation index calculates to +.6 which is a rather high scaling condition.

    If the assumptions of temp @ 76 and TDS greater than 1000 then the index drops to +.4 which is better, but still outside the acceptable range of -.3 - +.3

    Just as Rick and Rob said, get the Alk down first, allow a couple days the retest.
  • Rob Lane June 13, 2009 at 2:43pm
    The black flakes are likely the coating on the plates inside of the cell. I had this problem with Chlormatic (pre Jandy) and they sent me a new cell, FREE. Your alk. is too high. Dial it to 110 PPM. This could lead to the white flakes. I deal with a small salt pool. Every week it's pH is about the same as yours. Using a Taylor 2005 test kit, it tells me to add a quart of acid and I do. Don't use dry acid. The blue flakes could be the guts of the heater. Are you keeping the chlor under 3 PPM????Good Luck, Rob Lane
  • Rick Larson June 13, 2009 at 5:35am
    Seems a pH of 7.8 and Alk of 190 becoming a good candidate for scaling, especially in a heater where temperature is high. Might want to also check to internal temperature bypass is working. If the internal temp gets up to 130 or so scaling will happen a lot faster.
  • Matt June 12, 2009 at 4:43pm
    The cell is installed after the heater and it is probably 4-5 feet away. It does have a flow switch. I tried increasing and decreasing the flow through the returns with valves to see if any more flakes broke free but it didn't seem to make a difference. I wonder it the flakes would come out of the heater more when the heater turns on? I really appreciate all of the suggestions.
  • Justin Gregoli June 12, 2009 at 3:21pm
    Matt,
    Almost with out question it is from the heater especially if the particles are curved. bypass the heater and see if the problem stops. How far away from the heater is the cell? I assume it is installed after the heater? Does the salt system have a flow switch installed as well?
    Justin
  • Matt June 12, 2009 at 12:54pm
    The pool has a natural gas heater. We looked at the salt system cell today and it has some scale on it. The flakes don't seem like they came out of the cell though.
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