Brown Water in Pool

[Punchyhale]

This is not my pool but this is the same colour as mine. I have an 18x52" steel frame with a side filter. After shocking my pool the water turned brown. Used a chemical to remove this water started to turn green, added liquid chlorine now it's brown again.

I tested and got hardness 100, total chlorine 10ppm, total bromine 20ppm, free chlorine 10ppm, ph 6.2, total alkalinity 30ppm

I have bought chemicals that take out metal, ph up, ph down, water clarifier, flog or something it's called haha, and an attachment for my garden hose that removes metal. What I'm wondering are what steps do I take to treat this? Should I empty the pool and refill(takes about 3 days) using my hose filter, or do I add the metal out?

 

[Punchyhale]

Can anyone help?

 

[jblizzle]

Please add your pool details to your signature as described HERE as it will help us help you.

What test kit are you using?

You apparently have a lot of metal in the water ... while the water is brown, you may actually be able to filter it out. After that though, you need to add metal sequestrants to prevent staining. See Pool School - Metals in the Water and Metal Stains

 

[Punchyhale]

Just a 18x52 steel frame not intex but similar. I think I over chlorinated. But it was so bad was coming out of the filter brown. Only places here that sell them are out do I'm draining.

I bought stuff to remove metal and a hose filter that is supposed to clean the water as it fills. When though do I add the metal reducer chemical? While it is filling after or during?

 

[Texas Splash]

For some reason your images are not showing-up on my screens, but in any case .... please look at this thread and the other posts embedded within it:
Oh please help! Brown water New sand Filter pump.

There's a lot of great info there that should help. As Jason noted above, most of what we advocate here begins with the proper test kit. In your case (location), that would be the Taylor K-2006C. If you can't get one from the U.S., one of these may help:

A place that sells Taylor test kits and reagents in Canada is “Water & Ice North America Inc” in Cambridge ON.
Commercial Swimming Pool Supply. They also have a branch in Nova Scotia. (902) 883-9120
Also try: Aquatech Logistics at Aquatech Logistics Inc. 1-888-624-0919

 

[Punchyhale]

I am going to order a tf1000 kit, Im just using strips now. Next year were installing a 24' with everything including Hayward sand filters and heat pump, cost of about 8000$, but not unless we can get this right.
Ive been reading loads on here, just really wondering now when to add the initial chemical to remove the iron?

 

[Texas Splash]

Metals is a bit of an adventure but there's one standard thought process - either get fresh water from somewhere else, or try to pre-filter as much water (iron) before it enters the pool. Once that's done and the water is in, maintain chemical levels "immediately" to prevent algae growth and periodically use a sequestrant.

For the chemicals specifically (CYA, FC, and pH) you'll see that discussed in those links above. It's probably good you have this pool to learn from now before you upgrade. But once you crack the code on your water (metal content, amount of FC that can be used before color changing, etc), you'll get the hang of it. The TF-100 it a superb choice.

 

[Punchyhale]

That's what I keep hearing, haha. I'm thinking when I refill in the am Ill stick my hose in the filter with my hose filter attached. Between the hose filter and the pool filter hopefully it'll catch a lot. Get he chemical I guess I'll add half way through the fill and more when it's done. I took a pitcher of the water out and it's clearing up rapidly with system saver salt, does that make any sense at all?

also when I tested my well water everything was crazy significant lower then the pool, ph/chlorine/alkacitidy all way lower, so I'm assuming the 5liters of chlorine I added yesterday was the killer.

 

[Texas Splash]

Some water softeners do help. But yes, when we add chlorine too fast or too high it causes a reaction with the metal. That's why it's so important to manage the water chemicals immediately upon fill to ensure no algae, because to kill algae you have to increase chlorine (FC). Stick close to those links and absorb as much as you can. The test kit will be a huge part of your water management as well. Have a nice weekend.

 

[Punchyhale]

Thx man, I'll update with progress

 

[Swampwoman]

Punchy, do you have a whole-house water softener and enough hose to get to the pool from it? If so, try to fill from there until the softener needs to regenerate.

Also, for a more permanent outdoor filtering set up, here's a filter housing link at amazon...I'm sure you can find something similar in Canada...Pentek 150469 3/4 Scientific

- get a 1 mcron filter to go with it.

-- that way you can just replace the filter and use the housing for top ups.

Filtering will not get all the iron, so when done shocking/slamming (eg when chlorine goes down a bit) be sure to add a metal sequestrant.

 

[911medic]

Punchy, do you have a whole-house water softener and enough hose to get to the pool from it? If so, try to fill from there until the softener needs to regenerate.

This.

I had the same problem as you, OP. We have a well, and iron in the water. First year we had a pool, we filled with hard water and had it turn brown as soon as we added chlorine. Took forever to filter out.

Ever since, we fill with softened water. We fill until the softener needs to regenerate, pause while it does, then fill some more, etc, until it's done. No more brown water.