My experience with Diamondbrite Black Onyx

13 years ago

For years now, I've been lurking around gardenweb getting all sorts of good info. So, I've finally got some of my own that might help out some fellow garden-webbers.

I recently remodeled a very weird and ancient pool. The pool was a concrete bottom with fiberglass panel sides. The bottom of the pool was painted a dark grey, the panels were painted black. It was one ugly pool, but I really did love the color of the water.

So, it's been remodeled and plastered. The PB figured black onyx would get me real close to the color we had, so that's what we went with - 100% black onyx.

The first few days it had water, it was bit alarming. It looked exactly like clear water in a black bottom pool - no where near the lovely dark teal that it was before. We brushed it (twice a day, very diligiently). The dust was black and made the water an opaque charcol grey. Not pretty.

After about 4 days, the water got clearer and it started looking like blue water again. We are still brushing and vacumming and the water is clear now and the dust is white, not black. Everyday it looks nicer. The PB says it will continue to change for a few more weeks. It's been about 10 days since the plaster went in. It's definately getting lighter.

I'm not seeing the aggregate yet, it still looks pretty flat. I'm not sure when that'll show up. We haven't put chemicals in yet. PB says the salt is going to cause a good bit of mottling. I'll be glad to see it. I had it in the old pool and it gave it a very organic, almost marble look.

I hope that's helpful to someone. If you're getting DiamondBrite Black Onyx and don't know what to expect, it could make for a bad day to see it on day 1. I'll update as things progress.

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Comments (4)

schmackster
13 years ago
I actually am a vinyl liner builder in Spring, TX but was involved in the gunite pool arena for 15 years. I will offer a couple of comments. First of all, mottling is not caused by salt. Mottling is caused by different hydration levels of the plaster curing. If you want some real technical information, look up national pool plaster's council in google.

You should see a big change in the plaster in 48 hours, but only if the builder ordered an acid bath. Brushing diamond brite without a strong acid bath will NOT bring out the color. You need to do both. Check with Diamond Brite's website for start up information. Some builders will actually scrub the pool floor and walls with an extremely strong acid solution and then rinse thoroughly, neutralize, and drain the scrub solution out. This gives the look immediately instead of 48 hours later.
chillcatjen
Original Author
13 years ago
Update: It's been a couple of months. The pool is lovely again. It's back to the teal sort of color we had before. My experience was nothing like schmackster posted above - I suppose there's so many details, any could change the experience. There was no big change in 48 hours. It took at least a month or more for the color to come into it's own. We did have the acid bath and rinse after plaster and before putting the water in. I assumed this was standard procedure.

Mostly because of laziness, I didn't put the salt in until about 6 weeks later. I don't see any mottling - which I would be fine with, but the pool seemed to lighten up. But that may have been coincidence.

So, all in all, if you don't love the black onyx right away, hang in there. If you experience is like mine, it'll take a bit.
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fav306
12 years ago
I am going through a similar situation right now - we went with the French Gray and after the acid bath it looks black!!! I'm hoping this lightens up!? Any feedback is appreciated :)
Sarah Freele
8 years ago
I am considering the Diamond Brite in Onyx for my pool. I am curious after so long how you like it? My contractor wants to add grey to the onyx. Not sure why. Did you use 100% black onyx?