Green tinted water - Intex 15' X 48" Salt water system

[PoolDoc]

I wouldn't drain the pool, but I would let the chlorine drop. OTO 'orange' can be 20 - 40 ppm of chlorine. If your stabilizer is truly < 30 ppm, that is very high. You should read the "Best Guess" page, linked in my signature, so you can understand more.

Do this:

1. Test your CYA with the K2006 as soon as possible.
2. Operate your filter as much as possible --iron has to be removed as particles, either by vacuuming or filtering. Filtering is easier.
3. The green water is dissolved iron -- you can't remove it in that state.
4. Do not use any more "Clear View" (baking soda -- really!), Kee Trol or other pool chemicals, except chlorine and pH adjustment chemicals.
5. The fact that the bucket test is only showing small amounts of iron (reddish material?) is good - that means you should be able to manage your pool fairly easily, once you get the hang of it.
6. From now own ONLY fill via the skimmer or suction intake, and fill as slowly as possible. This will maximize the iron removed on the first pass.
7. Turn the salt system down, or off. Your chlorine is too high. Unless your CYA is > 100 ppm, OR you are having severe algae problems, you should stay out of the "orange" range.
8. Your family can swim, but wear old swimsuits. Skin is VERY chlorine resistant, far more than most swimsuits.

One scary thought: a cheaply made SWCG (like the Intex) could add iron to the water, at least in theory. It's only a guess, but it's one I'll have to check into.

[Xevious2001]

I have not put anything into the pool in 3 days (since I took the very high chlorine level) and the filter / pump has been running 24/7. I have not turned on the chlorination system at all. I did another chlorine test on the pool itself today (using the hth 6-way kit...the good kit is supposed to be delivered tomorrow) and the level appears to be down to 2 - 3 ppm now.

As for the bucket test -
Well Water - Still clear with a slight blue tint but I am now seeing quite a bit of very small black specs on the bottom of the bucket. There are two larger (but still small) specks that do appear orange (like an orange smear around them). The chlorine test resulted in an orange color. Oddly, the orange water has small specs of material floating in it like the drops I added did not completely mix or something.
Pool Water - Still clear with a yellow tint. I saw more specs of material (all with smears of orange around them) but considerably less than the well water bucket. Chlorine test had the same result as Well Water.

Seems pretty clear there is metal in my water. Once I have the better kit I will do the CYA test and get a more accurate chlorine test on the pool. Should I do a full set of tests with the new kit? Or is CYA and Chlorine enough to start?

[PoolDoc]

When you first get it, do a full set of tests.

However, with the very high chlorine levels, you'll need to modify the pH test. Purchase a gallon of DISTILLED (not "spring", not "bottled" => "distilled) at Walmart. Mix 1/2 cup of pool water with 1/2 cup of distilled water, and test the pH of THAT water. Take that reading directly.

If you have a high CYA level (sample is very cloudy after adding R0013 reagent), do another 1/2 cup of distilled + 1/2 cup pool water. Test the CYA level of that water, but multiple the result by 2.

[Xevious2001]

Ok. I will do a full set of tests and the diluted pH test (I already have some distilled water at home).

Not sure if you missed it in my previous post, but I did a chlorine test last night using the hth 6-way kit and the chlorine levels have come way down (3 days of nothing added to pool + lots of sunlight). The reading was 2 - 3 ppm. Just wanted to make sure you were aware of that just in case it changes how you want me to run the test.

[Xevious2001]

Got the K-2006 kit in and ran the tests -

Chlorine - 1.5 ppm
pH (just pool water) - 7.9 (color seemed between 8.0 and 7.8)
Total Alkalinity - 130 ppm
Calcium Hardness - 35 ppm
CYA - 35 ppm

Diluted pH test (1/2 cup pool water and 1/2 cup distilled - took sample from that) - About the same as the pH on the pool water. - 7.9

[PoolDoc]

At this point, here's what I'd recommend:

1. Use bleach to maintain chlorine in the 1.5 - 3 ppm range. 1 - 2 cup doses of PLAIN 8.25% bleach should be about right for now.

2. Lower your pH closer to 7.6. Use whatever you have. If you need muriatic acid, read the muriatic acid guide, linked in my blue signature block first.

3. Do not add anything to adjust your alkalinity or calcium.

4. Run your pump as much as you can.

5. Do NOT run the salt system -- disconnect the power to the cell.

6. Order new Filbur or Unicel cartridges for your filter. Links below. Read the filter cleaning guide.

7. Meanwhile, USE the pool and enjoy it.

8. If you have access to a Sams Club, buy their 24# pack of bags of dichlor shock; you'll use this once the water is all cleared up. Do NOT purchase from Kmart, Walmart, Lowes, Costco, or most other locations: they are selling blended and diluted dichlor. Use links below for dichlor if needed.

Good luck!

+ The OEM cartridges in Intex / Summer Escapes / etc. filters are not high quality. The Intex manuals recommend replacing them completely every 2 weeks. A BETTER option is to replace them permanently with 2 - 3 Unicel or Filbur cartridges, and rotating them through a cleaning solution. Properly maintained, these cartridges should last all season AND filter better. So even if they cost more per cartridge, they cost less per season! Learn to maintain them, by reading this post, Cleaning-your-Cartridge-Filter-wiithout-Damaging-It!

But, purchasing them is tricky. Amazon does not consistently stock them, and some of the 3rd party sellers are charging high prices and/or high shipping. So, check the Amazon link, but watch out for the prices and shipping costs.

It would be nice if you could just buy them elsewhere, but many of the online pool stores are listing Pleatco or other Asian made low quality filters, as "Unicel C-4607 type" or "fits Unicel C-4607". So shop carefully!

Here are the Amazon links:

Unicel cartridges: @ Amazon

Unicel C-4607 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex A or C)
Unicel C-5315 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex B Filter
Unicel C-3302 Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex E)

Filbur cartridges: @ Amazon

Filbur FC-3710 Antimicrobial Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex A or C)
Filbur FC-3752 Antimicrobial Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex B)
Filbur FC-3751 Antimicrobial Replacement Filter Cartridge (Intex E)

[Xevious2001]

So it really just comes down to filtering out the metal, which just takes time. I will read up on the filters (and other areas of the forum). Thanks for the help.