Intex type pool filled with manganese & iron

[PoolDoc]

There is no easy fix, especially for a pool with both manganese and iron in it. Here are your options:

A) - Drain, refill with purchased water (which may still have metals in it, from the truck). If you are metal free, you can go ahead and run a normal BBB pool . . . until you have to add water.

B) - Swim in brown water. Neither manganese or iron are toxic to swim in, or even drink (in moderation. Maintain adequate chlorine levels for sanitation. Use normal BBB methods. Very easy to do, but you won't want to wear any 'nice' swim suits.

C) - Go to the pool store, buy $100 - $300 more chems, mess around for a couple of weeks and then give up.

D) - Try to clean up. If you are able to get the water back to clear green . . . you probably can clean it up, but it will be somewhat labor intensive, and will take about $100 worth of chemicals plus a $60 testkit. Another downside? We haven't fully tested this, because none of the moderators have operated an Intex type pool with well water, and so far, we haven't had a PoolForum user who has followed all the way through on this.

If I seem a little weary of this, I am.

We have had a bunch of Intex-type pool owners with well water this year, and most of them have ended up opting for "E", as in you can choose "A", "B", "C" or "D", but they choose "E", because they don't like A-D, even though there is no "E".

We didn't create the mess you're in, and we can't make it easy for you. And, we can't help you, unless you are ready to face your reality, which is not ideal. Your situation is not your fault, but it's not ours either. We could have made it fairly easy, if you had asked us BEFORE you filled, but that opportunity has come and gone. Now,before we start spending time trying to help you, I want to know that YOU have made a choice and are committed to seeing it through.

We've all gotten sort of tired of trying to help people who, after we've spent hours in some cases trying to help for free, aren't willing to follow through in the end. I hope I don't sound heartless, but the fact is, we can only help you do stuff; we can't do it for you. And if you aren't willing to go the distance, there's no benefit for either of us in wasting time here.

PoolDoc

[JustLeigh]

Thanks for the reply PoolDoc - I appreciate that you took the time. I knew there would be no 'quick fix' for our problem or even a fix at all. We didn't do enough research prior to purchasing a pool. I thought you bought a pool, set it up, fired some water and chemicals into it and used it... I'm slowly and painfully learning the hard way! My husband is basking in the glory of constantly reminding me that ... " I told you so dear!" However, it is what it is and I will follow through or die trying!

I'm leaning towards options "B" and "D". I don't give up easily. I am determined to keep what water I already have in the pool, as clear as possible... for this summer anyways. I will continue to keep the chlorine level at optimum and continue to use my 'white towel, filter, sock" contraption when I notice the water starting to turn. I thought perhaps there was a chemical out there that could somewhat 'speed up' the removal process. Maybe, in time, before the summer is over, I will have succeeded in removing all discoloration manually and I will be this forums' first success story. I will let you know! Next summer I will make sure that I do not 'top off' the pool with our well water. Afterall, we learn from our mistakes.

Again, thanks for your time.

Leigh

[PoolDoc]

"B" is what I'd do, most likely.

Be aware that there's a fair chance you'll end up with permanent stains. Also, if you care about a swimsuit, do NOT wear it in that pool. Metal stains are very hard to remove from swimwear, without damaging the fabric. (Especially, Lycra.)

Also, research would not necessarily have helped you; only PoolForum and maybe TroubleFreePool would have given you correct information. The vast majority of swimming pool sites are focused on selling their chemicals, not on solving your problem. Even then, the 'method' I would have given you is unproven. The Intex pools are showing up in a lot of places with bad water (from a pool point of view), 'where pools have never gone before'!

But long as your pH is between 7.0 and 7.8, and your chlorine is in range (see Best Guess chart for the appropriate range), the pool is safe to swim in. And when it is hot enough, people's tolerance for discolored water goes right up.

One key point: you also need to know your stabilizer level: without that, you're not going to have the information you need. You may be able to get reasonable results from a pool store, but if not you will have to get a test kit . . . and strips really aren't accurate enough, when it comes to CYA.

Finally, I wouldn't rule out using well water. On small pools, you will have enough splash out, so that you will NEED to be able to 'top off' without hiring a water truck. So, use this summer to learn how to manage your pool . . . and make plans to do better next spring.