What do you mean about it still being in the pool and can return? I thought that once I put that stuff in there, that the filter picked it up or something. Does that mean I have to keep treating it? How do I get it out all together? I do not want GREEN Hair!! How did it get there in the first place? I did not think this was a common problem with an above ground pool.
I only used chlorine to treat the algae.
Whatt type of chlorine are you using? Before the board went down Ben had a post about one company putting copper into their chlorine tabs and calling them "double duty" to supposedly help fight algae. I am not saying your problem was definately caused by copper but a clear geen color appearing in clear water after a shock does sound like a metal problem and the fact that a seqestering agent solve it tends to confirm the suspiscion.Originally Posted by Lschaal
I only use liquid chlorine. I also have used super algi-gon, it's active ingredient is didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride- 50%. The metal remover I used was Metal Magic from ProTeam- 32 oz in a 22,000 gal pool. Do you think I should add more or just wait and see if it turns green again?
I wouldn't add anything else until you have a problem again. If it is metal that is the nature of the beast. If it's not metal I am completely baffled. Looked up the MSDS for the algecide and it's a linear quat. Biggest side effect is foaming. According to Ben the best algecide to use is polyquat but if you have an algae bloom shocking and maintaining shock levels until it is gone is the best way to treat it.
Other source of copper that is most commen is pipes used in heaters or in your fill water. Does your house have copper plumbing?
I think we do have some copper piping under the house. But what is most confusing to me is why now? We have had the pool for almost 4 years and never seen this before. I am guessing it may be something that builds up over time. Thanks for your thoughts and advice!!
It is something that will build up over time and whether and when it shows up is mainly dependant on pH and the amount of oxidizer in the water. Good luck and don't loose too much sleep over it. At best you now have free algicde in the water!I think we do have some copper piping under the house. But what is most confusing to me is why now? We have had the pool for almost 4 years and never seen this before. I am guessing it may be something that builds up over time. Thanks for your thoughts and advice!!
Metal treatments are sequestering agents. They bind to the metal ions in the water and "deactivate" them so to speak. This effect will wear off after time. pH is a large factor in this. In theory, as the metals fall out of solution they will precipitate in your filter but in reality they usualy do it in the pool. Copper will cause blue or blue green staining. Sorry to say that copper(like herpes) is forever. Anyone who has ever kept salt water aquariums knows this since copper is deadly to salt water invertebrates and is used to treat fish only tanks. Using Aquariums or equipment for invertebrates that have previously used for fish only tanks can prove deadly for the animals even if they are thoroughly cleaned! I have over 30 years experience in SaltWater aquariums and have seen it happen time and again!
It just means that you will probably have to use a sequestering agent in you pool when the green color returns. Not that big a deal.
As to how it got there--if you used an algecide to kill the algae it might have been copper based.
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