Freaking OUT! Brown stains on my gunite pool!

[PoolDoc]

I know some of this is trial and error and I feel like I'm really getting the hang of the "error" part.

I'll have to remember that one!

OK.

1. Turn off the ozone generator; it just complicates things. If you can get money back do so, but turn it off regardless.
2. See if you can get the HTH 6-way kit at your Walmart (check availability)
3. If not, get a cheap OTO/phenol red test kit. You'll still need the K2006 (see the test kit info page in my sig), but the regular suppliers are currently out.
4. Lower your pH to near 7.0, using muriatic acid (guide page linked in my sig). Keep it in the 7.0 - 7.2 range.
5. Use PLAIN 6% household bleach to maintain chlorine levels in the OTO yellow to medium yellow range.
6. Remove tabs and ALL chemicals from your skimmer, feeders (if any) and system. Then, use the skimmer to add bleach, 1/2 gallon ONLY at a time.
7. Do NOT add anything to increase alkalinity.
8. DO get your pool store to check your calcium level, and tell us what it is.
9. I'm going to have to wait awhile for the stuff in your pool to break down, before we can use other stain chemicals. Otherwise, we could get into an unpleasant mix.
10. Consider using CuLator:

1 ppm Culator, direct from Amazon
1.5 ppm Culator, sold by Amazon, shipped from Periodic
4 ppm Culator, sold by Amazon, shipped from Periodic

We don't know that they work . . . but we think they do, and IF they do, they'll remove any metals that are STILL in your water.

If you get them, get this, too:

Poolmaster 16242 Poolmaster Skimmer Basket Liner

and put the CuLator UNDER the sock -- that way, you'll be able to use it till it's saturated with metals, rather than having it get plugged with pool goo.

11. See if you can get some polyquat locally (info here)
If not, you can get it here:

Kem-Tek 311-6 Pool and Spa 60-Percent Concentrated Algaecide, 1 Quart

You need to keep your chlorine low, to avoid further staining; the polyquat will help prevent algae for now.

12. Do a white bucket test for metals in your fill water -- we need to figure out how the metals are getting into your pool:

+ Get a WHITE clean 5 gallon plastic bucket.
+ Add 4 gallons of whatever water you fill your pool with
+ Add 1/4 cup of plain 6% bleach and 1/8 cup of baking soda. Mix and cover.
+ After 24 hrs, inspect for sediment. Note quantity and color. Recover
+ After 24 more hours, inspect again. Let us know what you find.

THEN

+ repeat the process with your POOL water.

. . . that's enough for now.

[dblomom]

waterbear/PoolDoc,

We have had a TON of rain (and bad storms) the last several days so my pool problems have been put on the back burner. We are supposed to have better weather this weekend so I hope to have something to report back with the information you provided in your post(s). Thanks!

Amy

[PoolDoc]

Just don't make the mistake many do, of letting chlorine levels drop when it rains!

[Watermom]

Funny, I was just thinking the very same thing!

[dblomom]

PoolDoc,

I'm looking at the links you provided and getting ready to place my order(s) on Amazon...
how do I know which CuLator product that you recommended of the 3 to purchase? I can't seem to figure out which one I need.

TYA,

Amy

[PoolDoc]

Did you do the bucket test?

The CuLator products are distinguished by how much metal they can collect. If you have a LOT of metal (lots of colored sediment in the bucket test) OR if you are pretty sure you have metals in your FILL water, you might want to get the biggest one. If you do NOT have much colored sediment, and do NOT have metal in your fill water, then the smallest will probably work.

But . . . either way, you probably want to get skimmer socks, to protect the CuLater from gunk that could otherwise clog it, and render it useless.

[dblomom]

No, I did not do the bucket test...yet But now that you've explained it again, it makes sense that I need to do that first.
Thanks, I'll get that done and report back.
Until then, thx!...
Amy