10 Basic Facts about Pool Stains

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10 Basic Facts about Pool Stains

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1. Most pool stains are caused by dissolved metals -- iron, copper, manganese, silver. A few are caused by organics, from leaves or even from fungus UNDER a pool liner.

2. Pool stain removers do NOT REMOVE the metals from the pool.
Instead, they just temporarily MOVE from pool surfaces BACK into the pool water.Stains are NOT metal IN your pool water; stains are metal products ON your pool's surfaces. Consequently, it is possible to have a badly stained pool, with ZERO metal actually still IN your pool water.

3. Most pool stain removers contain chemicals that become phosphates, and fertilize algae. The ones that do NOT contain phosphates are NOT compatible with chlorine!

4. Solving pool stain problems STARTS with finding the SOURCE of the metals in the pool water. In order of frequency:

• Well water
• City water in areas with old iron pipes
• Copper based algaecides, or "ionizer" systems
• Corrosion of pool components, such as the pool heater, rebar in concrete, or wire mesh in fountains.

Even if you succeed in REMOVING the stains from both walls and water, if you don't control the SOURCE, the problem will just recur!

5. Both low pH (< 7.0) and salt from salt water chlorine systems contribute to corrosion (dissolving) of metal pool parts.

6. Higher pH (> 7.6) AND chlorine tend to make dissolved metals leave the water, and stain the pool.

7. [B Disappointing experience has shown that the CuLator packs remove too little[/B] to be really useful. Several years ago, when the "CuLator" product appeared, we hoped that they would actually succeed at REMOVING metals from pool water. Unfortunately, they didn't remove ENOUGH to make a difference.

8. It IS possible to remove stains from pools AND metals from pool water. I've done it, and so have some more skilled pool owners.

9. Unfortunately, the PoolForum stain removal process requires more attention to details, than most pool owners seem able to provide. Yet, there does not seem to be a better method.

10. Consequently, the BEST option for most pool owners is to try to PREVENT stains from occurring in the first place.

• Don't fill with metal contaminated water.
• Fill via a skimmer with a chlorine tab in it while the pump is running. (Tends to dump metals on the filter).
• Avoid cheap construction methods with UNgalvanized wire mesh or shallow rebar placement.
• Maintain pH levels between 7.2 and 7.8.
• Install chlorination methods DOWNSTREAM of the heater.
• Avoid copper pool products, including algaecides.
• Avoid phosphate (phosphonate) anti-stain products, lest you need copper algaecides!

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