Black Algae and High Copper

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Bhaskar

Well-known member
May 22, 2021
73
Houston
I used the Copper Ionizer and did not notice copper went high 1.5.
Pool wall and bottom is black color now. It looks like black Black Algae.
Please advice how to control the Copper or black Algae.
I used No Metal from Leslie pool and cleaned the filters, no luck.
 
Bhaskar said:
I used the Copper Ionizer and did not notice copper went high 1.5.
Pool wall and bottom is black color now. It looks like black Black Algae.
Please advice how to control the Copper or black Algae.
I used No Metal from Leslie pool and cleaned the filters, no luck.
Click to expand...
Copper can only be permanently removed from pool water by replacing the water.

Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Can you post some pictures of the wall and bottom that is black?
 
You first have to lift the copper off the surface of the pool using sulfamic acid in the water to get the copper into solution, then drain the pool to dump the copper, and then refill with fresh water.

Jack's Magic #2 Copper and Scale Stuff is sulfamic acid.

I hope you removed and trashed the copper ionizer.

Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Acid - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
Thanks for the suggestion. I have not started the treatment yet as per your suggestion.
Does the black Algae goes away after I refill with fresh water? When I try to brush now it does not go away.
 
Black algae has nothing to do with copper staining.

I don’t know what you have and am only responding to your statements.

www.troublefreepool.com

Black Algae

This guide provides a step by step procedure for eliminating black algae in your concrete or gunite pool. Read full post here.
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
 
ajw22 said:
Black algae has nothing to do with copper staining.

I don’t know what you have and am only responding to your statements.

www.troublefreepool.com

Black Algae

This guide provides a step by step procedure for eliminating black algae in your concrete or gunite pool. Read full post here.
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com
Click to expand...
I thought that Black Algae was due to high copper in the pool. There are no copper stains in the pool but lot of Black Algae so I thought was due to high copper. Please advice. Current Cupper level is at .8
 

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The plaster might be ruined and you might need to remove the plaster and have the pool replastered.

If it is copper, the only hope is a strong sulfamic acid treatment followed by a drain and refill if you can drain without causing the pool to pop out of the ground.

If sulfamic acid does not work, you can try lowering the TA to zero.

A strong acid wash might work, but it will damage the plaster and make it very rough.

If you do a sulfamic acid treatment or a zero TA treatment, take the equipment offline and drain the equipment until the pool is drained and refilled.

Sulfamic acid and/or zero TA might help and it might make it worse, so any treatment is a risk that you have to decide to take at your own risk.

Note: Acid treatments and draining are risky and you need to do your own research to understand the pros and cons and the risks and possible benefits.

Pools can float when drained and plaster can be damaged by acid and by drying out.

The lights can be damaged by acid treatments, so you will need to remove the lights or maybe replace them if they are damaged.

Other metal in the pool, like light niches, can also be damaged by acid treatments.

You are in a bad situation with no really good options to resolve this easily or inexpensively.

This is why we are so adamant about not using copper.

Get local professional advice about draining and acid treatments.
 
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STAIN SOLUTION #2 – The Copper & Scale Stuff | Jacks Magic

jacksmagic.com jacksmagic.com

Copper-Scale-Stuff-5lb-Clean-2-e1563896232209.png
 
Copper stains, when oxidized further by ascorbic acid or citric acid, will go from a reddish brown color to black. The black you are seeing is very likely NOT algae but copper oxide/hydroxide instead.

You should get the Jacks Magic stain test kit to be sure before you go buying hundreds of dollars in chemicals.
 
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Bhaskar said:
Thanks all for making recommendations.
Using this Jack's Magic #2 Copper and Scale Stuff is sulfamic acid and then emptying the pool will resolve my problem?
Please advice.
Click to expand...
Or it can kill your pool.
 
Bhaskar said:
Thanks all for making recommendations.
Using this Jack's Magic #2 Copper and Scale Stuff is sulfamic acid and then emptying the pool will resolve my problem?
Please advice.
Click to expand...
We need to be crystal clear.

No one is promising you that you can fix this without replacing the plaster.

We are not making recommendations.

Basically, you are in a bad situation with no good options.

We are trying to help you diagnose the problem and suggest possible solutions, but those solutions have costs and risks and they might not work and they might make things worse.

You have to do your own research and you have to decide what to do on your own volition.

You should get local professional advice before deciding what to do.

Anything you do is completely at your own risk.

20230404_131532_23-jpg.489947
 
Last edited:
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How old is the plaster?

Where is the ionizer?

I see a tab feeder, which can cause low pH and high chlorine in the heater when the pump is off.

Maybe your heater core is destroyed?

So far, all we have is a picture and no chemistry information and very little history.

What are the chemistry levels?

How fast did the stains appear?

Has calcium hypochlorite been used recently?

What chemicals have been added since the pool was built?

Have you had any local professional advice?

If yes, what do they say?

Can you remove the filter cartridges and show what they look like before cleaning?

full
 
JamesW said:
How old is the plaster?

Where is the ionizer?

I see a tab feeder, which can cause low pH and high chlorine in the heater when the pump is off.

Maybe your heater core is destroyed?

So far, all we have is a picture and no chemistry information and very little history.

What are the chemistry levels?

How fast did the stains appear?

Has calcium hypochlorite been used recently?

What chemicals have been added since the pool was built?

Have you had any local professional advice?

If yes, what do they say?

Can you remove the filter cartridges and show what they look like before cleaning?

full
Click to expand...
That was old picture...Ionizer was installed before the filter pipe. Pool is 2 years old. Local professional suggested to super chlorinate pool add Calcium Suphate
 

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