slimy, gelatinous strings of goo ruin a good dip.........

[heyred52]

I have a 52" X 24' Vogue above ground pool w/Hayward EP series motor

I closed the pool early last year because of these gelatinous threads I couldn't get rid of.

Just opened it and LO and BEHOLD, it did not die over the winter like I hoped it would.

Put 10# of chlorine in and the water is beautiful and blue but the goo remains... HELP!

[Watermom]

Hey there, heyred52, and welcome to the Pool Forum! I don't know what that stuff might be. It sounds kind of like what some people who use Baquacil sometimes complain about -- a type of water mold. But, I don't know. Maybe Ben will have an idea what it could be.

Can you post some current water testing results for us to take a look at -- taken with a drops-based kit, no 'guess strips.' Also, tell use what type of filter you have and exactly what all you have used in your pool, this season and last summer. (Ingredient names, not just 'shock.' Then, somebody here might be able to help.

If you can get a good picture of a close-up of the stuff that might also help. Send pics to poolforum@gmail.com and reference the URL of this thread.

[heyred52]

Thanks Watermom---------I'll get back to you!

[heyred52]

52" X 24' above ground Vogue Pool (10 years old)
Hayward Power Flo LX (new last summer)

I have only ever used granulated chlorine in the pool the last two years (very expensive....)

Opened 4 days ago
No leaves but slimy jelly-fish-like algae left over from last summer
Dark green

Put 10# granular chlorine in 3 days ago. Pool quickly turned light, slightly cloudy blue

Added 1.5 gallons bleach yesterday at dusk, jelly fish congealing into blobs and floating into filter basket but still on bottom and sides of pool (but it looks different from initial look)

Added another 1.5 gallons bleach early this morning

Got a HtH 6-way test kit (will order Taylor next paycheck...) and did testing this morning. As you can imagine:

Chlorine off the charts (red)
Ph 6.8
Alkaline was red (should have been green.....)
Cyanuric test couldn't be measured

Thanks! Love this site. I've been reading and reading---but I am still unsure where or what to do. All help appreciated.

[PoolDoc]

Can you take pictures of this, and send them to me at poolforum@gmail.com? Or post them on Picasa or Photobucket or something? You are describing something I've never seen.

Also, it's much easier to answer your questions, when we have the details about your pool in one place. We often 'waste' the first few posts back and forth collecting information. So, please complete our new Pool Chart form -- it takes about 30 seconds, but will save much more than that.
Pool Chart Entry Form (http://goo.gl/cNPUO)
Pool Chart Results (http://goo.gl/PXaLu)

Your pool holds about 13,500 gallons, so your PF=9, so a gallon of bleach will add about 4.5 ppm of chlorine. You might want to add 3 gallons of bleach (~15 ppm) in the late evening, rather than splitting it up. That way, all the bleach will be able to work on the 'goo', instead of losing some of it to sunlight.

[heyred52]

I actually found your site because of a posting by "Starfish", Cloudy pool/white stringy(snotty) stuff? (July 2011).

His discription is exactly what I am experiencing. I am unable to send a picture, but this sounds like the same stuff.

I vaccuumed this morning and will put the 3 gallons of bleach in tonight after sunset. More later. And thanks so much----I always feel very much alone and amateurish when it comes to the pool.....

[Watermom]

This forum will be a great resource for you. Keep us posted how it is going. We'll be here to help!

[heyred52]

added 3 gallons bleach at dusk last night.
took readings this morning: chlorine levels very high and Ph below 6.8

98% of the jellyfish-goo is gone and the water is crystal clear (a miracle after all my efforts/$$$$ last year!---THANK YOU!!!)

I have BBB ready await further instruction!

[BigDave]

6.8 is probably the lowest reading on your pH color comparator. I'd bring it up by adding a box of borax slowly in the skimmer with the pump running. Let it mix for a couple hours and read it again.

[Watermom]

Glad its much improved. Keep at it with the high chlorine levels. Order the good kit. Just saying that the cl is high doesn't really give you enough information. Also, as Dave mentioned, get the pH up above 7.0. Anywhere between 7.2-7.8 is fine. Don't wait days to do it. Add some Borax, let it circulate a few hours, retest, redose, repeat.

[waterbear]

with pH reading 6.8 or below and a pool that big (about 13k gallons) I would put in TWO boxes of borax right away, and keep monitoring pH every two hours and if still below 7.0 add another two boxes.
The fact that your TA was red initially instead of green indicates a pH that is probably below 4.0!
The low pH can damage your liner!
Once you get your pH above 7.0 post another set of test results!

[PoolDoc]

98% of the jellyfish-goo is gone and the water is crystal clear (a miracle after all my efforts/$$$$ last year!---THANK YOU!!!)

Don't stop, till it's 110% gone -- leave a little, and it will come back.

Consider adding 60 ppm of borates to your pool. This costs about $60 - 70 per 10K gallons, but makes your pool somewhat resistant to algae and such, and lasts till the water is replaced.

[heyred52]

i put two boxes in a couple hours ago and another 3 gallons of bleach a minute ago. I'll test in the morning and get more borax, etc., Thanks.

[heyred52]

Slime completely gone and water crystal clear.
Chlorine was completely gone yesterday so I put in 4c of granular chlorine (leftovers from last summer)
Ph reading was below 6.9 so I put in a total of 6 boxes of borax in the last two days.

This mornings readings: Ph 6.8, chlorine higher than 5 this morning (my tester only goes to 5)

So now how do I maintain what I have? Its been kind of hit or miss. Thanks.

[Watermom]

The best thing you can do to maintain this pool is to go ahead and take the plunge and buy the good Taylor K-2006 kit that we recommend. (See the testkit page in my signature.) Without it, you're going to constantly be saying exactly what you said in the post above, "my tester only goes to 5."

OR ---- I just looked at your information you put in the Pool Chart and see that you have the HTH 6-Way kit. Another option would be to purchase the FAS-DPD add-on kit that will give you the ability to test higher chlorine levels. The one you want is the K-1515 and is also on the testkit page.

Keep adding Borax until you get the pH between 7.2-7.8. After each addition of Borax, wait a couple hours, retest and redose.

Also, what is your CYA level? Are you only using bleach for your source of chlorine?

[heyred52]

sent son to get me the add-on kit.
Added two more boxes borax: Ph is 6.8, Chlorine is 3 (I added the last of my granular chlorine yesterday---4 cups)
CYA reading: didn't even come up to the first line, about a third of the way to "100" so I guess it is REALLY low.

there are light brown stains on the bottom of the liner now. any clues?

I await your COMMAND and thank you for your help!!

[aylad]

Keep on going with the Borax--if 6.8 is as low a pH as your tester can read, you're still probably way below that. Also, if you're using the "disappearing black dot" test for your CYA, and you didn't even get to the first line before the dot disappeared, then your CYA is REALLY high--not low! Look at the scale on the side of the tube--the lower the level in the tube, the higher the CYA. Try diluting your pool sample 1:1 with distilled or tap water,mix well, and test from that sample. You'll have to multiply your test result by 2, but you need to know the CYA level in order to know where your chlorine needs to be (Cl of 3 isn't high enough, I promist!) Take a look at the best guess chlorine chart in my sig...

[heyred52]

Ph still 6.8
Chlorine over 5 (maybe 6) after a gallon of bleach last night.
CYA was diluted as instructed and still did not come up to the "100" line---basically same as yesterday.

I was told at the Pool Store (sorry) that the "add-on" kits are no good, they don't carry them, they have a short shelf life, whatever..... So I will have to order one on-line or just buy the good one and be done with it. More later.

Water is clear.

Question: Borax is $5/box here and I have put in at least 10 so far. Is there a cheaper alternative?

[heyred52]

Just ordered the Taylor K2006 from this place: https://www.amatoind.com/index.php for $49.95 plus $9/shipping. Weeee!!!

[BigDave]

Keep adding Borax to raise the pH.

Remember 6.8 means 6.8 or less. Low pH is acidic and will damage your liner. This needs to be fixed right quick. A new liner will cost a lot more than the Borax you'll use.

Since we don't know your TA, we can't advise any alternative to Borax.

[Watermom]

Heyred ---- You are taking way too long to raise your pH! You've been reporting pH at 6.8 (which as several people have noted for you) means it could be much lower. Low pH can damage your pool. This should not take a week to bring up. Please start adding doses of Borax more often. Add, wait an hour or two, retest, redose, repeat. Janet has said it, Dave has said it, I've said it. I'm not sure you understand that this is critical.

[waterbear]

Order a K-2006, it has several improvements over the HTH test kit such as a higher precision pH test, the FAS-DPD chlorine test, a test for calcium hardness instead of total hardness (total hardness is a useless test for pools)
GET YOUR pH UP by adding borax. Low pH will damage your liner and equipment!!!!!!

While you are at it get a tube of LaMotte borate test strips so you can test your borate level. I suspect that you will be in the 30 to 50 ppm range once you get your pH up and that would be good to know. Having 30-50 ppm borate in your water has a lot of advantages, as PoolDoc said before. You will probably have to order the strips online also, since your pool store does not want you to do testing yourself because they know that if you start taking control of your water and have accurate test results they will lose money. I have worked in pool stores and know this to be fact. We were told NOT to sell test kits but to have them come in for testing every week since we could sell them something every time they came in!
The other possiblility is that your pH reagent is bad and giving you a false reading, another reason to get a K-2006 fast. However, I would not bank on that and would keep adding the borax. One easy way to tell is to add a tiny pinch of borax to yor pool water sample in the pH comparator and see if the color changes to a high pH color.

[heyred52]

I DO understand. I have put at least 15 boxes in since last week. I just got another 5 at the store today. I have NEVER in all the 12 years I have had this pool put in anything but chlorine and, until last summer, had no problems. I now have a light brown stain all over the liner. I am doing what you have told me to do. I will continue.


i'll try the borax test waterbear. I can't understand why the water has tested 6.8 all through the 12 boxes of borax.....???


the TA was red because I put in 10# of chlorine to shock it before I found your website...


(Edit by Watermom: 3 posts in the queue were combined into this one.)

[heyred52]

Borax test showed that testing kit is working.
Put in 3 more boxes of Borax.

Taylor K2006 on way

Chlorine 5
Ph is 7.2 (finally) BUT----------I have light brown staining everywhere (liner, ladder, etc.) this is new since adding borax for the last week

[Watermom]

Glad the pH is finally up there! I'm not sure about the brown stains being cause after Borax being added. I've asked Ben to jump into this thread.

(Good decision to order the K-2006, btw!)

[waterbear]

I have NEVER in all the 12 years I have had this pool put in anything but chlorine and, until last summer, had no problems.
By chlorine I will assume you mean trichlor tabs, which are extremely acidic. If what you say is true you were not putting in any baking soda to raise the TA nor anything to ever bring up the pH nor were you testing the water. Is that correct?

I now have a light brown stain all over the liner. I am doing what you have told me to do. I will continue.
We will deal with them once the water is balanced and you have a full set of good test results.

i'll try the borax test waterbear. I can't understand why the water has tested 6.8 all through the 12 boxes of borax.....???
Because your actual pH was way below 6.8 so it will register as 6.8 on the test because the test cannot register any lower. Once the actual pH rose above 6.8 did your test register the change in pH.

the TA was red because I put in 10# of chlorine to shock it before I found your website...
NO, the TA was red because the pH was extremely low, under 4.0 most likely and when that occurs TA will test at 0 ppm because all the bicarbonate in the water (which is what TA really is) has converted into carbonic acid due to the low pH.

(Edit by Watermom: 3 posts in the queue were combined into this one.)

Once you get the new kit post a full set of results.

[PoolDoc]

Ph is 7.2 (finally) BUT----------I have light brown staining everywhere (liner, ladder, etc.) this is new since adding borax for the last week

Unfortunately, this is probably purely an effect of the pH. Low pH dissolves metal, and keeps it dissolved. Higher pH causes it come back out of the water, as stains or precipitate. The fact that you had to add so much borax indicates that your actual pH was MUCH lower than 6.8.

One question you need to try to answer is, "How did that iron get into the pool?". There are two likely ways: it was in something you put into the pool, OR something has rusted or eroded badly. Is there any place in your pool or piping where the water contacts steel? You reported using utility water, and usually, utility water is NOT high in iron.

Anyhow, you may want to lower your pH back to 7.0, add a liquid stain/scale product, polyquat, keep your chlorine low, AND run your filter 24/7. I'm listing products from Amazon. You can buy from Amazon, or you can use the links to ID what you need locally. If you buy from Amazon, I'd recommend getting the stain/scale product next day, so you have it Friday.

The ascorbic acid stain removal page (http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?7923) explains how to do it.

Products for metal control and clean-up:

HEDP is a liquid phosphonate that is pretty chlorine stable, and very good at keeping dissolved metals IN the water, instead of ON your pool surfaces. It can lift recent stains, OR it can be used along side of ascorbic acid, to keep the metals in the water, after the ascorbic acid is consumed by chlorine.

Jacks Magic The Pink Stuff 1qt (60% HEDP) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003MYEU3E/poolbooks) @ Amazon
20% KemTek HEDP (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030BEI22/poolbooks) @ Amazon


Using polyquat during metal clean up accomplishes two things: it helps kill or prevent algae, letting you run lower chlorine levels, and it is a very good clarifier, that helps you filter out any small metal particles that may form.(Probably available from pool stores, and possibly some big box stores -- but you MUST learn to ID it correctly. See the polyquat page (http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/polyquat.html) for more info.)

Kem-Tek 60% polyquat (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030BEI0Y/poolbooks) @ Amazon
Nava 60% polyquat (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004BFV4EQ/poolbooks) @ Amazon


Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) can be used to remove copper and iron stains from pool surfaces, and put the metal BACK into your pool water. (Not likely to be available locally, except as Vitamin pills.)

Ascorbic Acid Powder (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0013OUMVO/poolbooks) @ Amazon
Ascorbic Acid Vitamin C Powder USP Pharma Grade 11 Lbs (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005ISFX7O/poolbooks) @ Amazon

The CuLator product is a special patented plastic material, contained in a bag that goes into the skimmer, that can slowly take metals OUT of your pool water. We think it works, and have some evidence that it does, but not proof yet. (Not likely to be available locally.)

1 ppm Culator (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003C5PNUW/poolbooks) @ Amazon
1.5 ppm Culator (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004Y6RK3Q/poolbooks) sold by Amazon, shipped from Periodic
4 ppm Culator (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B007AHDMTM/poolbooks) sold by Amazon, shipped from Periodic
Poolmaster 16242 Poolmaster Skimmer Basket Liner (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004XUIRQW/poolbooks) @ Amazon (to protect CuLator from being damaged by scum)

[heyred52]

Started getting a little algae on the bottom so I put a gallon of bleach in tonight.

Shortly after doing that, I got my taylor K-2006.

I have tested knowing the chlorine will probably be high. Here are my results (I watched youtube videos but still feel shaky on results). I will test again tomorrow morning.

.8 ppm free chlorine
.4 ppm combined chlorine
CYA 1.8 ppm
Calcium 90 ppm
Ph 7.2
Alkalinity 130 ppm

Thanks.

[aylad]

If you're getting algae on the bottom, then you need to shock the pool up to 12-15 ppm with bleach and hold it there until the algae dies. (you can test with the 10 mL sample instead of the 25 mL sample, and your reagents will last longer--for each drop you add, you'll multiply by 0.5 instead of 0.2, but that's close enough. I don't trust your CYA reading--did you use the disappearing black dot test? If so, you're not really going to be able to register CYA levels less than 30 ppm. Your other numbers don't look bad, though.

[BigDave]

I agree that you may be mis-reading the results - I can't imagine how you'd get 1.8 ppm CYA. If your Free Chlorine and Combined Chlorine are really .8 and .4 then you must be using the 25ml sample size and multiplying drop count by 0.2. You'll save yourself testing reagent by using the 10ml sample and multiplying by 0.5.

[heyred52]

how do I know how much bleach to use?

I used the disappearing black dot. I'll do another test this morning.

[BigDave]

With the CYA test, you add drops of the pool water / CYA testing reagent mixture until the black dot disappears. Then read the CYA level from the marks on the from of the test vial.

[aylad]

how do I know how much bleach to use?



Quoted from Pooldoc's post (#5 in this thread....)
Your pool holds about 13,500 gallons, so your PF=9, so a gallon of bleach will add about 4.5 ppm of chlorine. You might want to add 3 gallons of bleach (~15 ppm) in the late evening, rather than splitting it up. That way, all the bleach will be able to work on the 'goo', instead of losing some of it to sunlight.

[heyred52]

I am convinced the staining is from the gigantic amount of borax I put in the pool. I did not realize it didn't instantly dissolve when I poured it in and i let it just sit there. You can see where it sat and where it spread out to. I should probably have used the brush to move it around. (Incidentally, what I thought was algae was the staining).

Any ideas?

[PoolDoc]

I am convinced the staining is from the gigantic amount of borax I put in the pool. I should probably have used the brush to move it around.

Borax doesn't dissolve instantly, which is why we try to always tell people to add it via the skimmer. However, borax itself won't stain anything. What probably has happened is that the iron in your pool water was precipitated out when you added the borax that way. I've already covered the topic of iron removal pretty fully.

[heyred52]

Readings this morning:

I have repeatedly done the CYA test with the same results! The dot becomes invisible when only about 3/4" solution is added. The line on the back of the CYA test tube says 1.8

Ph 7.2
Free chlorine 3
Combined chlorine .5

I have read the posts on the staining and am gathering the incredients.
---Kem-Tek 338-6 Metal & Calcium Eliminator Pool and Spa Chemicals, 1 Quart
---Kem-Tek 311-6 Pool and Spa 60-Percent Concentrated Algaecide, 1 Quart
---Now Foods, Ascorbic Acid Powder, 2#

Is this sufficient to deal with the problem? I am just not sure of amounts to buy. Thanks.

[aylad]

I'll have Ben check back in and make sure that you have everything that you need...

Janet

[BigDave]

...The line on the back of the CYA test tube says 1.8...
I found the line you're talking about! It's molded into the side of my comparator as well. It's actually a measure of ml, mine reads 1.8, 4.5, and 9. Trouble is, this is well short of scale for CYA, you probably can't even see the level on the front CYA scale.

This indicates that your CYA is much higher. You can use the dilution method to get an approximate measure of high CYA. Dilute one pool water with 2 parts tap water (1/4 Cup pool water and 1/2 Cup tap water) perform the CYA test on this diluted sample and multiply the result by 3. If you're still above 100 CYA with the dilute sample, try 1/4 Cup pool water with 1-1/4 Cups tap water and multiply the result by 6.

[waterbear]

Those lines are ml measurements for doing dilutions with the DPD test. They must use the same comparator mold for all the 2000 series comparators so those lines are probably on all of them. With the DPD test (not the FAS-DPD test you can fill the comparator to the 4.5 ml line with pool water and then to the 9 ml line with distilled water for a 1 to 1 dilution which means the DPD test results are doubled. By using the 1.8 ml line and then filling to the 9 ml lline with distilled water the DPD test results ar multiplied by 5 to give an estimation of chlorine levels up to 25 ppm but with limited precision.

The CYA scale is the ppm scale on the front that goes from 30 to 100 ppm (or the molded scale on the OTHER side (the inside, not the outside) that goes from 30 to 100 ppm if you have a K-2005 comparator.)

Since you are lining up at the 1.8 ml mark you CYA is off scale. The 4.5 ml mark is about80 ppm CYA so your is MUCH higher. You are going to have to do the dilutions as BigDave suggested.

[PoolDoc]

Hi Red;

1. Go ahead and add a SINGLE dose of HEDP -- use whatever dose the label says.

2. Is the slime all gone, now? (Your borax is getting high enough, to help with that, by the way. If you've added over 12 boxes, you should be in the 'will make a difference' zone!)

3. To manage chlorine levels, with your CYA as high as it is, you'll need a K-1515. See the test kit page linked in my signature. The Best Guess page (also in my sig) will explain why. The alternative is to drain and refill, which I don't particularly recommend.

4. If the slime is all gone, you need to let your chlorine drop. But, with stabilizer that high it would also be to add a dose of polyquat, every 3 days. A quart contains 1.4lbs of polyquat (100%) so it has 1.4 x 9 = 12 ppm for your pool. 2 - 3 ppm doses are effective, or about 1 cup at a time. Depending on how quickly we can proceed, you may need another quart, since you can't have chlorine in the pool at the same time you have ascorbic acid.

5. Once the chlorine is below 0.5, and the HEDP and polyquat are both in the pool, you can add the ascorbic acid. Start with a 1lb dose, and see if that lifts all the stains. If it does, you can begin rechlorinating slowly. But continue to use polyquat till you have the chlorine up to Best Guess levels.

6. If you are going to use the CuLator to remove the iron from your pool water, you can put it in now, UNDER the skimmer sock. (The HEDP only holds it in the water -- as the HEDP breaks down, some of the iron will end up on your filter, and be backwashed out. But, some may re-stain your pool.)

BUT, before you start trying to add ascorbic acid, the slime MUST be gone, you must have a reasonable idea of what your CYA levels are, and you must have a K-1515.

Good luck

[BigDave]

3. To manage chlorine levels, with your CYA as high as it is, you'll need a K-1515.PD, HeyRed got his k-2006 in post #28. FC is also very low at present. I didn't advise moving it because you are working into stain / metals removal.

[heyred52]

dang, I wish I listened in chemistry class. This is confusing!

#1---the slime is GONE
#2---pool water is best I've ever seen
#3---stain is my only issue

What is K-1515 Ben?
And when you say with my "stabilizer that high" I need a dose of polyquat. What is the stabilizer?
I understand the polyquat dose as you suggest it.
How much HEDP?
Do I need a skimmer sock or can I just put this in the basket?
Can I wait until the end of summer to do all this?

forgive what may seem like idiotic questions. Thanks. Leyla


Question: Can I wait until the end of summer to remove the stains?

[jwhouse]

Stabilizer is the CYA levels. It will affect how quickly your CL will be broken down by sunlight and general effectiveness of CL sanitization. Generally recommended to keep that at 40-50ppm level but because yours is REALLY high, you will have to keep your chlorine levels much higher to be effective.

If you have read the best guess chart, you will see that your chlorine levels must remain between 8 and 15 at all times to prevent algae and other nasties from growing.
CYA LVL
100 - 200

CL MIN
8ppm CL

CL MAX
15ppm CL

SHOCK LEVELS
25-100ppm CL

Caution: red levels (the high end of the shock levels) are can be irritating to skin, can
damage hair, lighten pool liners and are very damaging to swimwear. Additionally, at these stabilizer levels, chlorine will drop VERY slowly. This can make the pool unusable for a long period.

[BigDave]

Hey, heyred; sorry about the masculine pronoun - I presume Leyla is feminine, no?
I can field a couple of you questions:
The K-1515 is the stand-alone Taylor FAS-DPD test kit.
Stabilizer is another name for CYA - so is conditioner.
...
...
The skimmer sock is to protect the CuLater packet from getting fouled by pool goo, shortening it's useful life.
...

[PoolDoc]

Thanks, Dave for the info and K1515 correction.

[heyred52]

How much HEDP?

Can I wait until summer's end to deal with stain?

Thanks

[PoolDoc]

Yes, you can wait till summer's end to remove the stains. However, you might want to go ahead and get everything you need to remove the stains, now, for two reasons.

First, it may be difficult to purchase what you need, in September. --I don't know that it will be, but I do know that many retailers are trying to clear out pool stock.--

Second, if you get it now, you can use small (1/3 - 1/2 recommended ) doses plus a CuLator (under a skimmer sock) to avoid having stains get worse.

From what I can tell from Periodic Products literature the CuLator bags do NOT have a life expectancy -- they are still good, till they've absorbed all the metal they can hold OR are gummed up with pool goo (thus, the skimmer sock).

Regarding the

[heyred52]

BEN-----HELP!!!

I am now thoroughly confused now with regard to exactly WHAT products I need to get. When I go on Amazon there are just too many similar products. I need a list (with brand names if possible) of exactly what I need. Is this possible?

many thanks. Leyla

[PoolDoc]

Sorry it's taken so long to respond, Leyla.

OK. Do this:

1. Get a bottle of Vitamin C tablets.
2. Put a few on a stained area, wait 10 minutes, remove, and then confirm that the stains are gone. (We don't want to use a stain removal process that doesn't work on YOUR stains!)
3. Do a COMPLETE set of tests on your pool water: FC, CC, pH, TA, CH, CYA, and report the results.
4. Do a metal bucket test on your FILL water -- presumably that's where your stains came from, but we need to check:

Bucket-test-for-metals (http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?16946)

Then, once we've confirmed that your stains are metal, and that Vitamin C will remove them, you can go ahead and get what you'll need.

I've copied the list of Amazon links that I gave you earlier, and put them below. For your size pool, you'll want
2 lbs of ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
1 quart of 60% polyquat
2 quarts of 20% HEDP or 1 quart of 60% HEDP (corrected!)
1 lb of sodium thiosulfate (to remove chlorine)
1 package of skimmer socks
1 or 2 1.5 ppm Culator units
1 gallon of muriatic acid (Lowes)
3 boxes of borax (Walmart)

The thiosulfate is not listed below, but here it is: Photographers' Formulary Sodium Thiosulfate, 1lb (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0045Y1H3G/poolbooks)

Before you buy anything, read the ascorbic acid stain removal page (http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?7923) and make sure you understand what you're going to be doing.

Products for metal control and clean-up:

HEDP is a liquid phosphonate that is pretty chlorine stable, and very good at keeping dissolved metals IN the water, instead of ON your pool surfaces. It can lift recent stains, OR it can be used along side of ascorbic acid, to keep the metals in the water, after the ascorbic acid is consumed by chlorine.

Jacks Magic The Pink Stuff 1qt (60% HEDP) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003MYEU3E/poolbooks) @ Amazon
20% KemTek HEDP (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030BEI22/poolbooks) @ Amazon


Using polyquat during metal clean up accomplishes two things: it helps kill or prevent algae, letting you run lower chlorine levels, and it is a very good clarifier, that helps you filter out any small metal particles that may form.(Probably available from pool stores, and possibly some big box stores -- but you MUST learn to ID it correctly. See the polyquat page (http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/polyquat.html) for more info.)

Kem-Tek 60% polyquat (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030BEI0Y/poolbooks) @ Amazon
Nava 60% polyquat (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004BFV4EQ/poolbooks) @ Amazon


Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) can be used to remove copper and iron stains from pool surfaces, and put the metal BACK into your pool water. (Not likely to be available locally, except as Vitamin pills.)

Ascorbic Acid Powder (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0013OUMVO/poolbooks) @ Amazon
Ascorbic Acid Vitamin C Powder USP Pharma Grade 11 Lbs (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005ISFX7O/poolbooks) @ Amazon

The CuLator product is a special patented plastic material, contained in a bag that goes into the skimmer, that can slowly take metals OUT of your pool water. We think it works, and have some evidence that it does, but not proof yet. (Not likely to be available locally.)

1 ppm Culator (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003C5PNUW/poolbooks) @ Amazon
1.5 ppm Culator (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004Y6RK3Q/poolbooks) sold by Amazon, shipped from Periodic
4 ppm Culator (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B007AHDMTM/poolbooks) sold by Amazon, shipped from Periodic
Poolmaster 16242 Poolmaster Skimmer Basket Liner (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004XUIRQW/poolbooks) @ Amazon (to protect CuLator from being damaged by scum)

[heyred52]

Thanks. I'll get back to you after I do what you say. Leyla