new to forum... metals question

Hi! First, thank you so much for all of the info on your website. I feel so much more equipped to deal with our pool than before. I'm in the process of getting our pool back in order after under-chlorinating it over the winter. I would like to go to bleach and borax when needed to up the PH (ph was extremely low but now at good levels). Last year, I dealt with some staining and green hair issues and realized that I had been using an algaecide recommended for mustard algae that perhaps had high copper/metals? Would that make sense? If my pool still has a high metal reading after adjusting the PH, should I use a metal-out product? I've learned the hard lesson that under-sanitizing the pool (which has a sand filter, btw) is a HUGE no-no so hopefully will not be dealing with the algae problems of before but would like to know how best to deal with any remaining metals issues. Thanks so much!

Copper algaecides are a common cause for pool metal problems.

Unfortunately, we have not been able to develop a consistently successful method of removing stains, and resolving problems with metals. So, while I can offer some advice that will probably help, I can't guarantee there all the stains will be removed.

Let's start with some basics.

1. Cleaning up, while the water is still cool and algae less of a problem, is a good idea.

2. You DEFINITELY need a K2006 kit, in order to manage things well, as you clean up.

3. Let us know whether the stains are a current issue for you -- getting the metal out is easier if you aren't too fussed about a few copper stains. For what's it's worth, those stains do tend to make the pool a bit more resistant to algae.

4. While removing metals, you do NOT want to rapidly raise the pH OR 'shock' the pool. Both changes can cause the rapid formation of stains.

5. Likewise, while removing stains and metals, running your pump 24/7 will help. But, if you can, you should adjust your eyeball returns so that water returning from the filter is directed out into the pool, and not against any pool surface.

6. "Metal-out" products do NOT actually remove metals from the pool; instead they TEMPORARILY dissolve the metals and KEEP the metals dissolved. But once the products break down chemically, the metals are released and tend to reappear. Ideally, they reappear on the filter and are removed with the filter is cleaned.

7. So . . . (a) order a K2006 kit (see link to t-kit page in my blue signature bar), (b) report test results once you have them, (c) avoid shocking the pool, (d) keep the pH low-ish (7.2 - 7.4) for now, (e) tell us what's important to you: removing all metals AND stains, or just avoiding recurrent problems this summer, (f) tell us if the mustard algae has been a recurrent problem, or was just a 1x issue.

Best wishes.

ok, will order k2006 kit as soon as I finish here :)

Not concerned about Copper staining. We bought the house/pool a year ago and the gunite already had some stains. I'd be concerned if I ended up with some huge ugly brown stain taking up the entirety of the pool, otherwise a few stains are just not that big of a deal. My daughter and I are blondes so I really just don't want to end up with green hair this year!

I shocked the pool the other day and thankfully did not see any stains result. The PH is already kinda low (7.2 - 7.4), I've been fighting to get it up to that level... My mistake, I wasn't monitoring the pool as much as I should have as the weather warmed. I seem to struggle with mustard algae at the beginning of the season. Again, that might be my mistake as I wasn't being as diligent as I should. Also have been looking at automatic cleaners (So, any recommendations would be great!) as I've been vacuuming "old school style" and organics would sometimes sit in the pool longer than they should have. Lets just say that I've learned my lesson! I've been running the pump 24/7 for the last week or two, but haven't backwashed more than once a week to avoid channeling in the sand filter. Eyeballs are now adjusted to push water straight out rather than against any walls. The water is in pretty good shape now other than kinda cloudy... I've been brushing it daily and vacuuming twice a week. Seems like the cloudiness is really fine particles that get stirred up... dead algae maybe? Thank you so much for your help and advice. I'll report results once I get the test kit!

You may want to do the DE filter test. All this requires is buying the smallest bag of DE filter powder you can, and adding a coffee can full of DE to a skimmer, when the pump is running, and then watching the pool returns for 5 minutes or so.

If DE powder shoots back into the pool -- your filter needs work (probably, more sand), and will not be able to remove dead algae from the water effectively. If the DE remains on the filter (as it should), it will temporarily boost your filter's ability to remove fine particles, including dead algae, but will also cause the filter to stop up more quickly and to need backwashing, sooner. So, watch your filter pressure gauge.