Unusual green stuff coming from salt water chlorinator

[codes4food]

Hi all.

We started using an Intex salt water chlorine generator this year. This model of their generator has a copper ion generator that is used to shock the pool.

Approximately two months (maybe 1.5 months) into using the generator I noticed that whenever I swapped in a new filter, the old filter was a kind of a green'ish blue color. About two weeks after the first green filter I noticed that the return pipe (coming out of the generator and going into the pool) is also the same green'ish blue color on the inside. About a week ago (two weeks after noticing the return pipe), I noticed two things: a) the return cover inside the pool is starting to turn green'ish blue; b) the inside of the generator has green'ish blue patches.

I took off the return pipe in an attempt to clean it. The green'ish blue stuff is some kind of residue that, for the most part, just wipes off. I took off the copper ion generator to get a look at it and there was a green'ish blue patch on the copper piece that goes in the water.

Right now the green'ish blue stuff seems to remain by the filter pump, the chlorine generator, and the return pipe. I haven't found any hint of the stuff in any other areas of the pool.

Has anybody encountered anything like this? Any idea what causes it?

Any input will be appreciated.

[waterbear]

Yeah, it's a copper salt (most likely copper carbonate) and it is one of the main reasons we do not recommend the use of ionizers or copper based algaecides. They stain pools and also can stain people! Copper is what turns hair green! Period! It can also stain pool surfaces blue/green (as you are seeing in your own pool) brown, black, or grey. Some copper stains are just about impossible to remove.
You are going to have the problem as long as you use the Intex unit with the built in ionizer. My suggestion would be to junk the unit and either manually chlorinate or, if you want to spend the money--assuming your pool is not just a basic pop up, invest in a better SWCG such as a Hayward/Goldline Aquatrol for Above Ground Pools. Most SWCGs do not include Ionizers. In fact, they only ones I can think of off the top of my head are the new Intex ones and the Zodiac DuoClear (which does not have an ionizer but does have a 'mineral' cartridge which also adds copper).