Question about orange/brown stain...

[vgg659]

I think we're neighbors.

I'm on Baton Rouge Water, use the same pool supply store, and we have the same problem. Sounds like water problems.

In the past, Parish Water (a.k.a. Baton Rouge Water) used local wells purchased from Capital Utilities to augment their water supply when necessary. These wells are notoriously high in iron; I know, because I used to be on one of them before becoming a Parish Water customer.

Anyway, back to your problem. I have the same stains, but I originally thought that it was tanic stains from live oak leaves and such. During Mardi Gras, we went to Colorado for a week. Upon returning, I had a large amount of live oak leaves in my pool. After cleaning it up, the stains appeared. So, I shocked at high levels, which is the prescribed method for getting rid of tanic stains. No luck.

So, I took a water sample to my friendly local pool supply store, but they were closed for the Easter holiday. I happen to have a quart of Metal Out, so I dumped it in. A day later, my stains have faded to the point of barely visable. I plan on another quart or two of Metal Out.

I have not had to top off my pool much, so I didn't think the iron came from the tap water. But, given your and my problem, and the common tap water source, I guess we have too much iron in our tap water and pool.

Good luck.

[PopcornGirl]

Whew! What a RELIEF!
I had NO idea about BR's water supply! That definitely explains a lot...
What a small world it is!

SO, I have another question for you... (did you read my post in the pool chemistry problems forum yet?) I have 2 bottles of METAL OUT and some OMNI Filter Aid. Can I go ahead and use those -- even with all the algae in my pool and my pH being so high??? What do you think?
I was thinking I might soak my filters overnight and spray them down really good tomorrow, then add the Metal Out & filter aid, then reclean the filters...
But there is SO much algae (live & die-off) in my pool right now, I'm kind of immobilized by fear of doing something out-of-step.
Thanks so much for your input! That helps clear up the metal mystery!

[duraleigh]

Summer,

Keep your info under one thread. Since you've started under the "pool water chemistry", I'd keep it there. It'll help everyone track your problem better.

Dave S.

[PopcornGirl]

Yes, I agree, Dave; Sorry about that!

I actually started THIS thread a couple of weeks ago... I just wanted to respond to my *neighbor*.

[vgg659]

Puzzling. My water test doesn't show any metals, including iron.

I'm now second guessing my iron deposits diagnosis, but my stains didn't seem to respond to high chlorine levels, and did seem to respond to 1 Qt Metal Out.

I decided to continue treating these stains as though they were iron deposits.

Yesterday's water test results are as follows:
FC 4.9 ppm
TC 4.9 ppm
CC 0 ppm
pH 7.8
Hardness 170 ppm
Alkalinity 140 ppm
Cyanuric Acid 30 ppm
Copper 0.0 ppm
Iron 0.0 ppm

My FC this AM was 2.0. This afternoon, it will be approaching zero, and I'll add the Stain Out, per the label directions. I'll repost.

Given the water test indicated no iron, the lingering question in my mind is that these stains could be tannins from the oak tree leaves, but I can't explain the lack of response from my high chlorine treatments.

[vgg659]

This AM, after allowing my TC to fall to .5 ppm, I added 4 lbs of Stain Out to my pool. Per the label directions, an hour later, I added two quarts of Metal Out. This afternoon, my pool is stain free.

Even thought the water test indicated no iron, my treatment for metal stains worked.

I do not know how I got the iron got in my pool, but I can only imagine I got it through the tap water, even though I haven't added that much water lately.

[PopcornGirl]

YAY!
That's great to hear.
My stains are gone now, too, and I'm praying that they don't come back because I have to add water frequently in the summer.
Good luck with yours; hope they are gone for good!

[Lenny]

I also used tap water to fill and I've had a few streaks, which look like iron, and a patch in the middle of the shallow end that looks like dirt but I can't brush it out. Also, the plaster doesn't look as clean overall as I think it should. It's less than 6 months old.

My levels are all good and the water is sparkling. I did use a bottle of "d-iron" which was left over from my friends at the pool store last year. It didn't help much. But I didn't intentially let me chlorine drop first.

I'm wondering whether I should do the same thing vgg659 did?

[vgg659]

>> I'm wondering whether I should do the same thing vgg659 did?

Absolutely. But, don't forget what I did.

1. First, I brushed and brushed.

2. Then I treated with elevated chlorine levels. Pretty standard advice on this forum.

3. Then, I got my water tested for metals (well, I tried, but the pool store was closed).

Since I had to wait the holiday weekend for the store to open, and I already had a quart of Metal Out, I dumped it in. I haven't done any maintenance treatments lately of Metal Out, so I figured it couldn't hurt.

4. Since I had already treated for biological stains (elevated CL), and nothing happened, and my stains responded to the Metal Out treatment above, I treated for a metal stain even though my water test (sample taken prior to Metal Out treatment) ultimately showed no metals. I used 4 lbs of Stain Out and 2 qts of Metal Out to treat my 25,000 gal pool, following label directions. By the way, following label directions is important when dealing with metals and chlorine.

So, begin at step 1, and I'm sure that you'll do fine. I'd be particularly interested in the results of your water test.

[Lenny]

Will do, vgg659. Thanks. I'll give it a shot and report back.

Lenny