An
Acid Wash is a great way to renew your pool’s overall look without re-plastering
it. The acid mix will take off a layer of the plaster and if done correctly
with the right mixture, it will also remove 95% of the metal stains and other staining. That is one reason I use the Bio-Dex products when I do my Acid Washes.
Their products actually do what they say, and you can see the stains coming
right off the surface of the pool.
The
Acid Wash mix is the most important element of Acid Wash. Here are the products
that you need for a successful acid wash. You will need 31.45% Muriatic Acid
mixed with water in a 2 to 1 water to acid mix. Bio-Dex Plaster White ‘n Brite to
help thicken up the acid solution so that it runs smoothly down the walls of
the pool and to reduce the acid fumes. Bio-Dex AquaDex 50 Stain-Off which helps
to remove iron and other metal staining from the surface. If you use this Acid Wash
mix you will have great results and the plaster or Pebble Tec will look as good
as new!
You
can prep the pool to remove some of the calcium build up on the tile with the
Bio-Dex Protect-All-Supreme which will require you to raise the water level over
the pool tile calcium line, pour in 1 or 2 gallons of the Protect-All-Supreme into
the pool and then run the pool for 24-48 hours. In most cases, this is probably
not something that most customers will opt to do since almost all of the acid
washes I have done were in pools that needed to be drained straight away. But
it is a part of the treatment and something that you can do as the first step.
Here
are the detailed instructions from Bio-Dex on how to do an Acid Wash the
Bio-Dex way:
I
modified their method because it calls for mixing everything in a 5-gallon
bucket and the pouring it down the sides. But I have always done my acid washes
using a Water Pot as I find this to be the easiest and most effective method. So
in the video, I show you the Watering pot mixture also.
Acid
Wash Tips:
Always
wear protective gear as the fumes and acid are hazardous.
The first thing you should know when you go to do an Acid Wash is that the results
cannot be predicted. I can look at a pool now and pretty much predict the outcome.
But each pool is different, and results vary.
You
only want to Acid Wash a pool if the entire plaster or Pebble Tec is intact.
This means no cracks or chips are present. And acid wash will make the chipping
even worse so if the surface is full of cracks and holes in the plaster, I
would pass on Acid Wash and move straight to resurfacing it.
You
also, do not want to drain and Acid Wash a pool if the air temperature is over
90 degrees as the surface can be damaged by extreme heat exposure. Nor do
you want to leave the pool drained for more than one day in hot weather. You
also do not want to drain a pool when the water table is high- basically, if you
have 3-6 inches of rain coming your way, do not drain a pool as it could
potentially pop-out. You also don’t want to drain the water into an area around
the pool. The ground can absorb the water, and this can also create a situation
where the pool can pop-out. This is rare and something you really don’t need to
worry about. You of course only want to Acid Wash a plaster of Pebble Tec pool
and never acid washes a Fiberglass pool.
If
the pool has heavy calcium staining on the surface, organic and metal staining
can be trapped under the calcium. You can check for calcium before draining the
pool simply by feeling the pool surface.
If
it feels very rough like sandpaper, chances are there is a lot of calcium build
up on the surface. Before doing Acid Wash you will need to power sand the
pool surface. You can rent a power sander at Home Depot and then sand down the
entire pool surface prior to Acid Wash. During Acid Wash if you notice
the staining is not lifting off, take some sandpaper and rub the area. Then
pour the acid mix over the area again. If the stain lifts then you know there
is a coat of calcium build-up on the surface and you will have to power sand
the entire pool.
Never
use just straight acid on the surface. This will etch and damage the surface and
will create streaking of the plaster. If the stain is not coming off calcium is
probably the issue and not the acid mix.
The basin in the deep end is very critical. I always add Soda Ash to the basin and
leave the Sump Pump (Submersible Pump) running so that the acid running off the
walls does not pool up and stain the plaster. If this happens, once the pool is
filled you will see a discolored ring around the deep end of the pool. So, keep
the basin filled with Soda Ash or Baking Soda to neutralize the acid as it runs
into the deep end basin and out through the Sump Pump.
If
you follow these tips your Acid Wash will turn out great and your pool will
have a new lease on life.
Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/
YouTube Video Index: http://pool
mandave.blogspot.com/2014/03/swimming-pool-tips-reviews-how-to-video.html – A list of all of my videos.
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