The RETURN of the Orange/Brown Stain!

[PopcornGirl]

I didn't say do what they said.

LOL!
hee hee...
Point taken!
But, even so, when my pool store supposedly tested my water for metals before, they told me there was no iron, but a lot of copper. Of course, this test was done AFTER they had me put Black Algaetrine in the pool and they didn't seem to make the connection -- even AFTER I reminded them!
<sigh>
If I had time, I'd go to a pool store I trust in a neighboring town, but alas, my children have my schedule completely BOOKED for the next 3 days!
Is there a do-it-yourself metal test kit for pools??

Marie, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
That's exactly what I needed to hear!
One question though: When you say,

When you put fill water in, put it in through the filter.

What do you mean? I'm not sure I understand what you are saying... Do you mean put it in through the skimmer? Like put the hose in my skimmer?
I'm sorry if I'm being dense; I was up with the baby half the night.
Thanks again!

[mbar]

No Summer, It was me - I meant your vacuum pole! Or anything long enough that will reach the stain. Put your hose in the skimmer of your pool when filling, so the water will go through the pump first before it gets returned to the pool . As for all the mistakes in my last post, I have no excuse, my babies are all grown up - maybe oldtimers disease!

[PopcornGirl]

Marie,

Don't worry; I knew you meant my vacuum pole & that does make sense about the water through the skimmer first... Thanks so much for your help!
Summer

[PopcornGirl]

Hey, Just wanted to let you know -- the Metal Out worked perfectly!
I did what you said -- poured in the whole bottle last night -- and this morning the stain was GONE!
My pool looks great & I am SO relieved.
Thanks again!

[waterbear]

LOL!
hee hee...
Point taken!
But, even so, when my pool store supposedly tested my water for metals before, they told me there was no iron, but a lot of copper. Of course, this test was done AFTER they had me put Black Algaetrine in the pool and they didn't seem to make the connection -- even AFTER I reminded them!
<sigh>
If I had time, I'd go to a pool store I trust in a neighboring town, but alas, my children have my schedule completely BOOKED for the next 3 days!
Is there a do-it-yourself metal test kit for pools??
Both Taylor and Lamotte make kits that check for both copper and iron. Taylor's (K-1264) is pricy at about $80. Don't know the price on the Lamotte (3611/EC-67). From my own experiences with both company's test kits their chemistries are good but LaMotte seems to cost more per test than Taylor. Hanna Instuments http://www.hannainst.com/products/prodline/testkits.cfm
also has an iron test kit for around $16 available from http://sciencekit.com/category.asp_Q_c_E_435180
Don't know too much about it. Ben sells a copper test kit. Maybe if there is enough demand he might consider a kit to test for iron.
Marie, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
That's exactly what I needed to hear!
One question though: When you say,
What do you mean? I'm not sure I understand what you are saying... Do you mean put it in through the skimmer? Like put the hose in my skimmer?
I'm sorry if I'm being dense; I was up with the baby half the night.
Thanks again!

As an alternative you might check out the test kits used for aquariums. I know Seachem has a test kit for iron for about $10. I use an aquarium testkit to check my pool for phospates. Works fine and gives me exactly the same results as the pool store. The chemisty involved is basically the same whether you are testing pool water or pond water

[vgg659]

Hello again. First of all, it is perfectly acceptable to use Metal Out for maintenance, such as when adding tap water, per the labeled directions.

But, I am surprised that you could have added enough iron to the pool by simply adding 1" of tap water to cause staining. Usually, iron accumulates from tap water over a span of time, because there's not that much iron in Baton Rouge's Water.

Could the iron be coming from some other source?

[rwkelleyjr]

I've got a similar problem and thinking now it's from the fill water. The only area in the pool where I have stains is where I put the hose into the pool...

I've done the Vitamin C test...It worked! Now what? I've read some threads from Marie, but getting conflicting information from my pool store.

Now they've sold me a Stain Test Kit to specifically identify what the stain is. I haven't used it yet since I already know that it's metal stain.

So here are some questions...

Pool Manufacturer's User Manual suggests using jack's Magic Pink or Metal Magic as a preventative, BUT how do I get rid of these stains to begin with?

Pool store suggested rubbing Jack's Magic Pink on the stains in a sock. the stained area is too big to rub with a sock IMHO. Is there something I can put into the water that will remove the stains or will I be forced to rub the stains directly for best results???

Salt Water Pool. Ph 7.4; TA 120 Cya: 22ppm

Thanks

[mbar]

Return the stain Kit. You can use ascorbic acid. Here are two links to web sites:

http://www.chemistrystore.com/Ascorbic_Acid.htm

http://www.msm-msm.com/store/agora.c...scorbic%20Acid

You don't need the stain kit, if the vitamin c worked, because vitamin c is ascorbic acid. The pink stuff is a sequestering agent. If you want to get rid of the stain, the sequestering agent sometimes works if you lower the ph to 7 - 7.2 and add more than enough of what the bottle tells you to add. After a day or so if the stain doesn't lighten, then you would have to use the ascorbic acid, and I can tell you how to do that if you decide that is what you want to do. Keep us informed.

[rwkelleyjr]

Thanks for your response, Marie. Not to sound Cheap, but it appears the Ascorbic Acid route would be much more economical choice too.

Can I go that route first? If so, how is it to be used?

Many thanks!

[mbar]

Ha, ha, that's why I went the ascorbic acid route myself - not cheap, just frugal. If you want to go the sequestering agent way first, you lower your ph down to 7., 7.2 and add the sequestering agent - the low ph helps the sequestering agent lift the stain sometimes if it isn't too embedded. I would try this first, because you have to put the sequestering agent in anyway with the ascorbic acid. Oops I just saw that you want to go the ascorbic acid way - How big is your pool? I used 1 1/2 lbs for my 16 x 32 pool about 16,000 gal. You have to lower your cl down to 0, if you want you can put in some polyquat, put the ascorbic acid in put your filter on circulate, let it go for about 1/2 hour, you will be amazed how fast it works. Put in enough sequestering agent, put the filter back to filter and let it filter for 24 hours. It will bring down your ph, so you will have to add borax after 24 hours. It will probably take a lot. Keep the filter running 24/7. After 48 hours start to add chlorine slowly. It will take a lot, because the ascorbic acid will eat up the chlorine. Keep checking and get it back to regular levels in your pool. Do not shock, or take your chlorine really high for at least 2 weeks (hence the algacide). If you have any questions feel free to ask!