Vinyl liner stain, after being pool-stored

[rink5622]

I am new to the forum and hoping you can help me with my pool issue. During an issue of not being able to keep the chlorine level up I took water samples to a pool store.

I was told that calcium hardness was 80, that my phosphates were 1000+, the cya was 80 and there was 0 total chlorine. They said to drain the pool 6 inches, add 10 pounds of calcium hardness increaser, 1 bottle of phosphate remover, fill water and to shock the pool. I did every but draining the pool. The next day there were heavy deposits left in the shallow end and after being vacuumed left brownish stains and 0 chlorine.

Not happy with the results, took samples to different pool place. The first thing they asked was if anyone swimming had been in the tropics. My wife and I went with another couple to Jamaica. The pool place said the chlorine problem may be red or pink algae. Their test showed chlorine=0, PH=6.9, alk.=110, hardness=246. Said to add 1-lb. PH+ and shock with 2 gal. liquid chlorine. Next day water sample showed 0 chlorine. They said to use 4-gal. and shock again. Every day the deposits continued but got less with each day but continuing to cause stains. I would vac to waste and test myself. The next day chlorine was .5. Again told to shock with 4-gal. chlorine. Chlorine looked to be stable after 3 days and was told to be safe add 4-gal. more chlorine. Once chlorine leveled out, we got everything else in line.

By this time water looked good but liner was badly stained where the deposits wood settle and the rest of the liner took on a tea stained color. Reading one of you threads, I learned about the vitamin C tablet test and sure enough turned bright blue. Found ascorbic acid stain remover at a third pool store and worked great. 1-week later stain came back. They said I needed to use a filter enhancer to take what ever stained the liner out of the water. Again cleaned the liner as instructed using the filter enhancer and one week later, the stain returned. Cleaned a third time but was told to use another product to keep the staining from coming back.

Again the stain has returned. We have spent over $500 getting to this point and I am getting crazier.