Green Hair Problem After Using Bioguard Smart Shock

[SnoopysGirl]

Hello all! My family has moved to a home with an in-ground, vinyl lined pool. We live in the upper midwest, and our pool is open from mid-May until mid-October.

Since this is our second seasoning owning a pool, I have learned a lot, but still have some questions. One in particular has come up recently:

Our pool has an automatic cover, but due to some pool deck problems, it is out of order until we can get the deck resurfaced and replace the motor, cover, and track. Last year, since we had a cover, our chlorine levels were usually high, so I did not shock the pool often - maybe once a month or once every three weeks.

This year, our pool is exposed to full sun and it has been very hot, so I have been shocking the pool weekly. We use BioGuard products. I use the pucks in our chlorinator, and I have been using the BioGuard algicide, along with Smart Shock.

I have noticed that my daughter and I have a green tinge to our hair this year. It is most noticeable in the two or so days after I shock the pool. I do know that the green color is caused from copper in the pool. I noticed that the BioGuard Smart Shock has copper in it - although a very small amount - but I think it is what is causing our problem.

When I called the BioGuard company, they assured me that the about of copper in the shock isn't enough to turn our hair green and that the likely cause is our pool heater. When speaking with pool dealers around the area, one mentioned that it is the heater, but then others say that a low pH in the pool would cause that problem, and also since it has been so hot here, the heater hasn't run at all, except in the early first week or two in June.

I am very confused and I am not sure if the BioGuard agent is telling me the truth. It seems like everyone has a different answer. Thank you for any and all help you can give me on this issue! Other than this issue, our water so far looks great

[CarlD]

Hi SnoopyGirl, and welcome.

The answer is disturbingly simple. Bioguard is unwilling to take responsibility for the adverse side effects of their products. This is no surprise. It IS the copper turning your hair green, nothing else. You need to stop using this product immediately.

The only Bioguard product I ever use is Stabilizer aka, CYA for Cyanuric Acid, when I cannot get it generically cheaper.

I suggest you read through our site, and our sister site, PoolSolutions.com and learn about the easy and cheap-to-use B-B-B system where you can get most of your pool maintenance products at your supermarket for far less.

As for cleaning out the copper, I'll let our metal-clearing experts help you with that. I've never had to do it.

For reference, you'll be asked to fill in details on your pool, it's size, filter type etc.

Then we'll ask you for a current set of readings on your water, which your pool store can give you (don't buy anything yet).

Carl

[BigDave]

Do you know your pH? If it's been low, you could be removing copper from your heater. I also wouldn't be surprised if some of the other products have copper in them. Copper is also likely to build up in the pool (until it comes out on your hair).

Your agent may not be lying to you but the truth is screaming in pain. If (s)he's been testing your water and advising you and (s)he let your pH go low enough to take copper from your heater (as suggested), then either way that agent has caused you green hair.

Can you trust that?

I can tell you this: the method of poolcare described here and at pool solutions.com is easy, effective, and relatively inexpensive. It is also liberating - you will be in charge of your own pool with no one to mislead you.

[SnoopysGirl]

Do you know your pH? If it's been low, you could be removing copper from your heater. I also wouldn't be surprised if some of the other products have copper in them. Copper is also likely to build up in the pool (until it comes out on your hair).

Yes, I do know the pH of my pool, and also the alkalinity. pH is at 7.7 alkalinity 130. Seems good to me. Where can I find the information about easy pool care?

[PoolDoc]

Post your pool info here:

Pool Chart Entry Form
Pool Chart Results

and get a good test kit ASAP:

HTH 6-Way Test Kit @ Walmart
Taylor K2006A (3/4 oz bottles) @ Amazon
Taylor K2006C (2 oz bottles) @ Amazon

We're seeing more and more cases where both BioGuard and Arch / HTH products are CREATING the problems they will then sell you fixes for; it's definitely becoming much hard to get plain unblended basic pool chemicals with few side effects. I can't prove they are doing this on purpose, but . . .

If you can't get the HTH 6-way immediately, at least get a cheap OTO / phenol red drops kit, and check your pH.

[PoolDoc]

Yes, I do know the pH of my pool, and also the alkalinity. pH is at 7.7 alkalinity 130. Seems good to me. Where can I find the information about easy pool care?

Seems good to me, too. If you haven't had a low pH (<7.0) in the past, the copper is NOT from your pool, but IS from either your fill water OR something you've put into the pool.

You can use HEDP to temporarily fix the problem:
HEDP is a liquid phosphonate that is pretty chlorine stable, and very good at keeping dissolved metals IN the water, instead of ON your pool surfaces. It can lift recent stains, OR it can be used along side of ascorbic acid, to keep the metals in the water, after the ascorbic acid is consumed by chlorine.

Jacks Magic The Pink Stuff 1qt (60% HEDP) @ Amazon
20% KemTek HEDP @ Amazon

and the CuLator product to actually REMOVE the copper from the water:
The CuLator product is a special patented plastic material, contained in a bag that goes into the skimmer, that can slowly take metals OUT of your pool water. We think it works, and have some evidence that it does, but not proof yet. (Not likely to be available locally.)

1 ppm Culator @ Amazon
1.5 ppm Culator sold by Amazon, shipped from Periodic
4 ppm Culator sold by Amazon, shipped from Periodic
Poolmaster 16242 Poolmaster Skimmer Basket Liner @ Amazon (to protect CuLator from being damaged by scum)

but, you need to get away from that BioGuard dealer. They screw up pools more creatively than anyone else out there, and pioneered the use of chlorine+voodoo blends that do 'who-knows-what' to your pool. Get a REAL testkit:

HTH 6-Way Test Kit @ Walmart
Taylor K2006A (3/4 oz bottles) @ Amazon
Taylor K2006C (2 oz bottles) @ Amazon

and take control of your pool!

[SnoopysGirl]

Post your pool info here:

Pool Chart Entry Form
Pool Chart Results

and get a good test kit ASAP:

HTH 6-Way Test Kit @ Walmart
Taylor K2006A (3/4 oz bottles) @ Amazon
Taylor K2006C (2 oz bottles) @ Amazon

We're seeing more and more cases where both BioGuard and Arch / HTH products are CREATING the problems they will then sell you fixes for; it's definitely becoming much hard to get plain unblended basic pool chemicals with few side effects. I can't prove they are doing this on purpose, but . . .

If you can't get the HTH 6-way immediately, at least get a cheap OTO / phenol red drops kit, and check your pH.

Thank you, pool doctor, I will get a good test kit. I usually use strips, but I also have an OTO/phenol kit, but I think I need to replace the OTO/phenol, as it is from last season.

Also, I entered in my information about my pool as requested. Let me know if any of my answers are unclear.

Seems good to me, too. If you haven't had a low pH (<7.0) in the past, the copper is NOT from your pool, but IS from either your fill water OR something you've put into the pool.

You can use HEDP to temporarily fix the problem:
HEDP is a liquid phosphonate that is pretty chlorine stable, and very good at keeping dissolved metals IN the water, instead of ON your pool surfaces. It can lift recent stains, OR it can be used along side of ascorbic acid, to keep the metals in the water, after the ascorbic acid is consumed by chlorine.

Jacks Magic The Pink Stuff 1qt (60% HEDP) @ Amazon
20% KemTek HEDP @ Amazon

and the CuLator product to actually REMOVE the copper from the water:
The CuLator product is a special patented plastic material, contained in a bag that goes into the skimmer, that can slowly take metals OUT of your pool water. We think it works, and have some evidence that it does, but not proof yet. (Not likely to be available locally.)

1 ppm Culator @ Amazon
1.5 ppm Culator sold by Amazon, shipped from Periodic
4 ppm Culator sold by Amazon, shipped from Periodic
Poolmaster 16242 Poolmaster Skimmer Basket Liner @ Amazon (to protect CuLator from being damaged by scum)

but, you need to get away from that BioGuard dealer. They screw up pools more creatively than anyone else out there, and pioneered the use of chlorine+voodoo blends that do 'who-knows-what' to your pool. Get a REAL testkit:

HTH 6-Way Test Kit @ Walmart
Taylor K2006A (3/4 oz bottles) @ Amazon
Taylor K2006C (2 oz bottles) @ Amazon

and take control of your pool!

Thank you very much for the product information and suggestions - will look in to purchasing the culator on Amazon.

[BigDave]

Yes, I do know the pH of my pool, and also the alkalinity. pH is at 7.7 alkalinity 130. Seems good to me.

Agreed, if your pool's been around 7.7 pH and 130 TA your heater is not the source of the copper unless, maybe, the chlorinator is plumbed in wrong. It should be the after the heater in the water's trip back to the pool and have a means (check valve) of stopping the chlorinator from flowing back to the heater when the pump is off.

Where can I find the information about easy pool care?

The Pool Guides on poolsolutions.com are a great place to start along with the forums: Using Chlorine and Chlorinating Chemicals, Testing and Adjusting Pool Water Chemistry, and (for your copper) Dealing with 'Minerals', 'Ions', Metals & Stains. And, of course, you'll need information about your pool water itself and for that you'll need a Taylor K-2006.

[SnoopysGirl]

*UPDATE* I purchased the Taylor test kit (as above) and spent the afternoon running tests. Here is what I have come up with (some test I did more than once to make sure the readings were accurate:

FC = 5 ppm
CC = 0.4 ppm
pH 7.4
TA = 190 ppm CaCO3
Calcium Hardness = 420
CYA = was very high - actually could not get an accurate reading it was so high.

The water in the pool is crystal clear, so I hesitate to do anything to it, but I am very concerned about they CYA levels. I should add that I think there is a tear in the vinyl liner (near the deep end steps - needs to be repaired), so I have to add water to the pool about every 2 days, and after I backwash. The water in my area is very hard and very alkaline, which I am sure has contributed to the higher than normal readings. I see that it is recommended to use the BBB system, but I am not certain I understand how it works. Are chlorine pucks not used at all? If not, then what is used in their place? I'd hate to mess up the pool at this points, since it does look good. And other than turning our hair green (I also purchased the Culator product), the water SEEMS perfect.

Please help, as my kids spend a lot of time in the pool and it makes me nervous thinking that they are exposed to a dangerous environment. Thank you!!

[Watermom]

Those pucks are the reason your CYA is so high. Re-run the CYA test but use some dilution to help figure out what the reading actually is. Take one part pool water and one part distilled water, mix, then use this to do the CYA test. Multiply your test by 2. If you still get a reading of 100, use one part pool water and two parts distilled but multiply the result by 3.

In place of the pucks, you can just use bleach for your source of chlorine. That is what many of us here on the forum do. Take some time to read a lot of the posts on the forum, especially the stickies at the top of many of the sub-forums. Also, go on over to our sister website www.poolsolutions.com and do some reading there.