Tried ascorbic treatment, but pool needs more

[trichards]

A little background on the pool. We moved in about a year ago and it had these stains the pool was cared for by local pool company, so not sure what they put in the pool. When I took over the pool I chlorinated with bleach and used baking soda for ph & akalinity. I changed the pool to salt and I have a pentair intellichlor system & automation panel and I can monitor the PPM of the salt from the panel. Do I still need the salt test strips? SWG is plumbed after the heater.

I have had the light out to change the bulbs and don't remember any corosion on the light.

I do test the water and add acid weekly to keep the ph in the 7.6 range and the alk is 80ppm. Chlorine is low now in the 1-2 ppm it was much higher 4-5 ppm prior to the ascorbic acid treatment. I'm using a kit bought at Home Depot. I will take some water in and have it tested for copper Friday or Saturday. I have never put any algecide in the pool or chlorine tabs in.

Pool pumps are plasitic housings.

I will get a new test kit shortly and I will call the water department on Friday.

Any other further advice?

Thanks for your help!!

[PoolDoc]

So the stains were present WHEN you moved in, and haven't gotten worse? If that's the case, it may be prudent to see what you can do to remove them.

If you are not adding copper, and are not getting new copper stains . . . you don't need a copper test. In any case, a copper test is not going to reliable, because you probably still have HEDP in the water.

• Getting a salt test is also optional. If you'd like one, that's fine. But it's not going to be essential, or help you remove the stains.
• Getting a K2006 is necessary, because (a) you need to get away from pool store tests, & (b) you need to be able to test your CYA levels, and accurately test your chlorine levels.
• Getting borate strips would be helpful, because dropping your carbonate alkalinity (baking soda) and replacing it with high CYA (per Pentair) and high borates make your pool less conducive to staining.
• You will need to maintain calcium levels, to protect your plaster.

But, a pH of 7.6 is not going to corrode your heater.

So, for now, keep your pH on the low end of the scale; avoid adding bicarb; get a K2006; get borate strips if it doesn't push your budget; and continue to use HEDP per the bottle label.

By the way, if you are considering acid washing, simply draining, treating the stains directly, and then pressure washing may be more than enough . . . and not nearly so hard on your pool.