Fibreglass pools problems

[padgebkk]

I installed a small, bright blue fibreglass pool 12 months ago, and the colour has now faded to a white due to calcium in the water.

The manufacturer of the pool tells me this is a huge problem in Thailand, Australia, everywhere, and there seems to be no cure.

Anyone else having a problem with this?

[CGW]

Mines the same, not a lot that can be done about it as far as I know?

[carlyai]

Why can't you get the water analysed, and then get some filters that filter out what you don't want? Seems a shame to put up with it, but I suppose you've done the analysis and filter thing already.

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

[padgebkk]

Back again.

The boring part is that this fading and whitening of the pool due to calcium reacting with the gel coating is endemic.

And I am led to believe by the Manufacturer that fiberglass pools all over the world are turning white wherever the supply water is hard.

I was informed of this after the installation, of course.

 

Only real cure is eliminate the calcium at point of entry.

But when I bought the pool no mention was made of this problem; not by the manufacturer, or the installer, not even on any of the Blog sites like this.

I was told that fiberglass pools are the bees knees, no problems.

I just want other guys to be aware of this problem .... if you are tossing up about installing a fiberglass pool or a concrete pool in Thailand, then check the quality of your water first. If it is hard, and you are dead set on fiberglass, then install an ionizer as well to soften the water.

If your not keen on the added maintenance costs and extra time and devotion to pool upkeep, then go a saltwater concrete pool.

You'll be a happier little Vegemite, believe me.

[nongkhaidude]

On 11/5/2019 at 9:06 PM, padgebkk said:

Back again.

The boring part is that this fading and whitening of the pool due to calcium reacting with the gel coating is endemic.

And I am led to believe by the Manufacturer that fiberglass pools all over the world are turning white wherever the supply water is hard.

I was informed of this after the installation, of course.

 

Only real cure is eliminate the calcium at point of entry.

But when I bought the pool no mention was made of this problem; not by the manufacturer, or the installer, not even on any of the Blog sites like this.

I was told that fiberglass pools are the bees knees, no problems.

I just want other guys to be aware of this problem .... if you are tossing up about installing a fiberglass pool or a concrete pool in Thailand, then check the quality of your water first. If it is hard, and you are dead set on fiberglass, then install an ionizer as well to soften the water.

If your not keen on the added maintenance costs and extra time and devotion to pool upkeep, then go a saltwater concrete pool.

You'll be a happier little Vegemite, believe me.

 Yes a properly built concrete overflow swimming pool with PebbleCrete and a salt Chlorinator is the most trouble free easiest maintenance Swimming pool there is.  

[AllanB]

On 1/30/2020 at 1:53 PM, nongkhaidude said:

 Yes a properly built concrete overflow swimming pool with PebbleCrete and a salt Chlorinator is the most trouble free easiest maintenance Swimming pool there is.  

Salt water is very abrasive and is not good for the pool glaze, especially on fibreglass pools, a guy I knew lost his glaze in a few months and it stained the concrete surround slabs. A year on it looked a right mess. The other problem with plastic pools is the scructure has very little mass, so they move/tilt/bend, even worse if you empty the water out. I agree concrete is the only amswer and the heavier the better, I put a 30cm sub base in mine and built on that. Overflow pools not perfect for Thailand where flooding fills the pool up with <deleted>, go for traditional skimmer, chlorine and 100mm tile.

[Bagwain]

3 hours ago, AllanB said:

Salt water is very abrasive and is not good for the pool glaze, especially on fibreglass pools, a guy I knew lost his glaze in a few months and it stained the concrete surround slabs. A year on it looked a right mess. The other problem with plastic pools is the scructure has very little mass, so they move/tilt/bend, even worse if you empty the water out. I agree concrete is the only amswer and the heavier the better, I put a 30cm sub base in mine and built on that. Overflow pools not perfect for Thailand where flooding fills the pool up with <deleted>, go for traditional skimmer, chlorine and 100mm tile.

Not good advice at all. Skimmer system has to be topped up with water manualy however overflow systems are self filling! Plus unless you have a decent salt chlorinator, the sytem will burn out a pump! Horses for courses. Both have advantages. Smaller pools in most cases are skimmer. 10% extra on build cost if you opt for a overflow hydraulic system. Estheticly speaking overflow is better. Salt residue is down to lack of maintenance ot laziness. Salt Chlorination is the only way to go if you have any knowledge about longivity of the surface finish!