Freaking OUT! Brown stains on my gunite pool!

[dblomom]

OH! I just figured out how to access the test kit through your signature. I was doing it incorrectly before! Ugh, I'm really not this "slow" when it comes to computers ~ just when it comes to pool maintenance! Thanks!!!!

Amy

[Watermom]

Glad you got it figured out.

You can add the bleach by pouring it slowly in front of a return jet. Wait 15 or 20 minutes before swimming to let it circulate. You don't want to swim into a 'hot pocket' of bleach!

The advantage of bleach is that it doesn't add any other stuff to your water like some other forms can. (Plus, it is available everywhere.) Sometimes, other forms of chlorine are appropriate depending on the situation. If a pool also needs calcium, using cal-hypo adds calcium as it chlorinates. if a pool needs CYA, then using either dichlor or trichlor adds CYA as well as chlorine. BUT.... you have to be careful when buying these types of chlorine because some manufacturers are starting to add a lot of unnecessary and often undesirable ingredients to them.

[PoolDoc]

If you fill with the hose, and bucket tested the hose water . . . then you tested the right thing. (Some homes have softeners, and the hose water does NOT go through the softener -- so you 'did good'!)

I'm not sure about the CuLator. If the expense is not a problem, and you can get both it, and the skimmer socks, you might want to do so. It will indicate (over time) if it's absorbing iron. If it does, that tells you (a) there was iron still in the pool, and (b) you may still have a problem. So, right now, I'd recommend it only as insurance AND as an indicator or 'test kit'.

What puzzles me is where you iron came from, if not the hose water. Wait -- I checked the chart -- you had water trucked in, right? It's ENTIRELY possible that you had iron in the water you purchases, EITHER from the source, OR from a rusty tanker!

If you will need to use trucked water in the future, that's definitely something to keep in mind, and something for which you should make preparations.

[Watermom]

If you fill with the hose, and bucket tested the hose water . . . then you tested the right thing. (Some homes have softeners, and the hose water does NOT go through the softener -- so you 'did good'!)

You are right. I hadn't thought about that possibility. I was just thinking the hose and tap are both municipal water, so it doesn't really matter which one you test. I guess that's why you are the PoolDoc and I am just the queen bee... er, I mean the Watermom!!

[dblomom]

The HIGHLY anticipated arrival of my K-2006 has occurred! I am now the proud owner. I just tested everything, I have no idea what it all means, but here's what I have:

FC: 4.0ppm
CC: 0.2 ppm
pH: 7.2
total alkalinity: 90ppm
Calcium hardness: 320
CYA: 90ppm

OK, so I posted the metal results from my local water supply in a previous post. Also to clarify, my water was from a hose and not trucked in. So, now what?

I think my thread has sort of been back and forth so just to paraphrase, I am dealing with:
1) brown stains, which btw have not gotten any bigger or smaller during this whole process over the last few weeks. Also, just b/c I could, I kept the water in my "white bucket test" for over a week and never had any sediment in the bottom, ever
2) algae, which I scrubbed w/ a brush off of the edge of the pool while I was in it yesterday
3)perfectly, crystal clear water that my whole family has been in during this process.

Slowly but surely, I a might be learning! I really don't want to hire out the maintenance of my pool, I just really want to know what I am doing.

I do still need to order my CuLator & skimmer socks. I got so hung up on this K-2006, that I let that purchase go to the back burner.

THANKS!!!!!

[dblomom]

Should I start a new thread to get some direction on where to go now that I have the results up from my K-2006 test kit?
THANKS!
Amy

[BigDave]

Congratulations on getting your new k-2006 - it'll make life with your pool much better. One note: there's no need to use the 25ml sample for chlorine testing, the 10ml sample is fine and your reagents will last longer.

Your FC of 4.0ppm is too low for your CYA of 90ppm (hence you have algae). Per Ben's Best Guess Chart your normal FC is between 5ppm and 10ppm. Never let it go below 5 and I'd try to stay on the high side of the normal range.

One metal missing from the list above is iron. Brown stains may be Iron, may be something else.
Did you do the bucket test on pool water and hose water or just on hose water?

Your bucket (hose water) test showed no brown staining.
Your Vitamin C test brought a strange black/purple temporary stain but did not clear the brown stain.
The brown stain was somewhat lifted by a chlorine tab (trichlor, I presume).

Maybe you don't have a metal issue (sorry to disagree with you Ben).

Maybe the brown stains are algae (or something), and so is the stuff in your main drain.

If you didn't do a bucket test on your pool water, I'd recommend you do one now. If the pool water bucket test shows no staining, then I'd recommend you Shock the pool.

How have you been chlorinating? shocking?