What happens if swimming pool water is low in calcium?

Question

i am just wondering what could happen if a swimming pool its low in calcium. I clean pools just to collect extra money for college but i had called the pool shops around town and i don't seem to get and straight answer on what could happen in bunch of occasions such as oxygen in water, red water and what not, but this time i am just wondering what could happen if the calcium gets to low as an below 100 ppm. I know the normal calcium level on a pool is between 250 and 400 ppm but what and how would you know?? in some other chemicals you see stains, change of water color etc. but what about calcium???

Answer 1

you turn green and spin backwards in the water LOL. Really I have never had the problem, sorry

Answer 2

If you do not have the proper amount of calcium in your water, the water will leach the calcium out of the plaster, grout, etc of the pool itself.  That weakens the pool structure and will eventually cause the concrete, plaster, tile and grout to fail.  Very expensive to repair.

Answer 3

You need a certain amount of calcium in the water is to stop the water trying to dissolve the calcium in the pool render, tile grout, etc.

If you are interested wikepedia or google  -  Langelier Index.

Langelier index is the formula used for "perfect pool chemistry" which includes calcum as one of the variables. It can be an interesting exercise to see the difference in other chemical requirements when you alter the calcium level and temperature of the water.

Good website (in Australia) for info     www.spasansw.com.au