Stinky Water - My Pool Smells Like Poop

[AnnaK]

Sounds like hydrogen sulfide. Are you filling directly from a well?

[waterbear]

Sounds like hydrogen sulfide. Are you filling directly from a well?

My thoughts exactly! It can also be coming from the sand filter. bacteria can grow under the right conditions (anerobic) in the sand that produce hydrogen sulfide gas. It's actually a pretty common problem with aquarium sand filters under anerobic conditions and can kill of an entire tank or pond when it happens. If you open the filter and the sand looks black in some areas (and has a strong sewer smell) then you have found the cause. IF it is hydrogen sulfide than chlorine is the answer but with a CYA of 80 ppm you are going to have to bring it up to a minimum of 20 ppm FC and possibly higher. I would also stick a garden hose in the open filter, turn it on and let the water overflow while CAREFULLY stirring the sand and breaking up any clumps with a broomstick or something similar. Be very careful NOT to damage the laterals on the bottom of the fllter. Once the overflowing water is clean you might want to dump a gallon of bleach directly into the filter sterilize the sand.

[PoolDoc]

Very interesting, Waterbear.

I've seen black sand like that, but not had any problems after initial clean up, but then I had low CYA on those pools. After the OP does what you say, using trichlor tabs in the skimmer could help continue to clean up any remaining pockets.

[AnnaK]

Another possibility might be ground water seeping in through the bottom drain. If the ground water runs through a sulfur vein it certainly would carry a bad smell. Bleach and more bleach.

[PoolDoc]

Possible, I suppose, but only if the main drain line is cracked. Normally if that's the case, you'll have a pretty serious leak when the ground is dry.

[AngelaGarciaG]

We do not fill from a well but instead from city water. We will start to bring up the fc ppm to 20 and will also open up the filter. Is there a trick to opening the filter we have never done it before.

I hope we done have a main drain leak. We have had lots of rain so I will wait for a dry spell but not sure where I would check the ground to be damp. Any thoughts here would be appreciate.

I will share results once we start to get chlori e up.

Thanks all for the insight!

[PoolDoc]

Is there a trick to opening the filter we have never done it before.

Yes. Tell us the exact make / model, or send pictures to poolforum@gmail.com.