Results of Ascorbic Acid Treatment for Stains

[JimK]

.....BUT, I know from my own experience that having calcium carbonate -- marble dust, plaster dust, or cal hypo residue -- DOES collect metal out of the water. Essentially, you end up staining the dust, instead of the pool.

.....

I wonder if that's where the metal in my pool went (recent bucket test revealed no metals). Up until this season (when I learned here only to shock when needed; ie cloudy, CC present, algae problem) I was "shocking" about every 2 weeks with cal hypo (2# of 68% each time). Each time the water would get cloudy, but clear by morning (I alway shock in the evening). Perhaps this was "grabbing" the metals so they could be filtered out?

[Cookieman]

To answer Marie's question on stains just on steps - the stains show up first (better) on steps because they are white. If left untreated, stains also appear on vinyl, skimmers, and even navigator. How do I raise the calcium hardness without going to pool store? Is it worth a try to get it to maybe 200. Would any of you recommend that before trying more HEDP or just up the amount of HEDP after ascorbic acid. I have been keeping FC low 2.0-3.5, but have started to raise my PH as it has been at 7.0 for nearly a month now trying this treatment. Going to start bucket test tomorrow. Thanks

[Cookieman]

On second thought, probably don't need bucket test at this point since I know meta is in water. Wouldn't bucket test be more appropriate after I treat again with HEDP product?

[Cookieman]

From Marie's and JimK's experience may be something to the calcium comment from JacksMagic, even though hard to explain. Time to order more HEDP - any preferences between KemTek vs. Pink Stuff? KemTek on sale on Amazon, but PinkStuff worked for JimK. Where do you get calcium chloride? Is that the product Pool Stores sell as Calcium Hardness Increaser - if I decide to try to up CH to around 200. Thanks for any thoughts or comments.

[JimK]

From Marie's and JimK's experience may be something to the calcium comment from JacksMagic, even though hard to explain. Time to order more HEDP - any preferences between KemTek vs. Pink Stuff? KemTek on sale on Amazon, but PinkStuff worked for JimK. Where do you get calcium chloride? Is that the product Pool Stores sell as Calcium Hardness Increaser - if I decide to try to up CH to around 200. Thanks for any thoughts or comments.

Just for clarity, I've never tried the Pink Stuff. I use the Purple Stuff which is formulated for salt pools (whatever that means).

When I was adding calcium, I bought it at the local pool store. I pretty sure it was refered to as Calcium Hardness Increaser.

[PoolDoc]

The Pink Stuff is 60% HEDP; the KemTek is only 20%.

[JimK]

The Pink Stuff is 60% HEDP; the KemTek is only 20%.

Is there anything you can think of that would make the Purple Stuff better for salt pools, like Jack's Magic states, than the Pink Stuff? On the surface it seems like at triple the concentration the Pink Stuff is a better value.

[PoolDoc]

It's possible that the "Purple Stuff" has some significant ingredient in it that's low enough in toxicity so that it doesn't have to be listed on the MSDS. The way the MSDS is written, strongly suggests that the "Purple Stuff" is nothing but a 20% solution of HEDP in water.

[Cookieman]

When using the HEDP ( Jacks Pink Stuff) after AA treatment, water gets cloudy - I assume because it binds the metal in the water - does this cloudiness indicate there is metal in the water? Or, would water become cloudy using HEDP if no metal present? Trying to make sure I get enough in it before adding back chlorine. Cloudiness begins to clear after a day or so on its own.