Tile Grout Problem - Advice?

[Seahunt]

My inground plaster pool tile grout seems to be suffering from efflorescence (as pointed out by a forum member). It seems to be getting worse each year. This year when I removed the cover, there were some pretty bad patches of crystals on the tile. I was able to remove it with muriatic acid. However, I notice some gaps are starting to show behind the tile when looking from the top. I assume the grout will contiune to come out until the tiles fall off. Is there something I should do now before the tile starts falling off? Last year I raised the calcium hardness from around 100 to 150 to try to made sure that is not the problem. The other interesting thing is the crystalls formed over the winter when the pool water level was kept below the tile (with the exception of the two 2 foot snows we had in Maryland!). The pool is 8 years old.

Thanks for any advice!

[AquanooB]

post deletedI somehow managed to quote instead of reply.

[AquanooB]

Hello. New to the forum here. I'm unexperienced with pools for the most part, but have been setting tile for many years. I have seen the same buildup in shower floors when lots of lime was used in the final setting bed, I've even seen a drain almost completely closed off! Muriatic acid will clean it up nice, but continues to eat away at the grout and eventually whatever was used to affix the tiles to the pool. Something to possibly check into would be epoxy grout. Now I'm not sure if it is pool friendly, but it's pretty much inert, and wont have the leaching issues that cement based grouts do. I would have to sway against it being calcium hungry water in your pool, you guys are on top of that. With that said, removing grout can be time consuming depending on the size of the tiles, the grout spacing, and the amount of tile used.

I hope that helped and best of luck.

Aaron

** The old epoxy grouts were a major PITA to use, but the new ones like Spectra-loc (comes in a kit) are easy to use if you follow the directions.

[geeman]

Efflorescence, or a calcium build-up, on your tile is a sure sign of loose tile. Gently run the head of a hammer across your tile line. Loose tile will sound hollow. If your tile is loose, this will continue to happen until the tile is replaced.

[AquanooB]

Yes, what geeman said.... After scouring lots of posts here, It seems this is a common problem with in ground pool owners. If I had to tile my waterline, I would prolly use this: http://www.tilestoreonline.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=93-LATAPOXY-300

~and grout it all with: http://www.laticrete.com/architects/products/grouts/stain_resistant.aspx

Another problem is the crack opening up under the coping? Could someone post a picture of this for me? Do in ground pools settle that much, and does it eventually quit?

Thanks,

Aaron