Hello and welcome to TFP!
From your description, it sounds as though you have metals in your water from the source. Are you on a well by chance? In any case, metals in water is typically a pool management chess game, and there's a couple important things you must have or know to proceed:
- The proper test kit (TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C); either of those are those only two we would recommend (I recommend the TF-100 - link below)
- Post a full set of results from either of those kits noted above
- Review the TFP
Pool School - Metals in the Water and Metal Stains page.
- Add your pool info to your signature by going to the top of the TFP web page (just under the Pool School button) and select "SETTINGS". On the next page look to the left for a menu bar that says, “MY SETTINGS” and go to "EDIT SIGNATURE" to enter your pool and equipment info there. Or you can click
EDIT YOUR SIGNATURE. It will help us later.
If this is indeed metals (iron specifically), then your two most important chemical issues right now would be pH and FC. Don't sweat the TA right now, but definitely make sure to raise that pH to about 7.2 for now. You can increase pH simply with aeration if you like, but being below 7.0 is a bit harsh. Keep your FC around the 3-5 ppm until we know what your true "CYA" (stabilizer) level is. Again, you'll want to use one fo the recommended test kits to confirm.
Keep in touch and nice to have you with us.
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Also feel free to post a pic of your water. Have you tried linking your photos from Photobucket? That's what many of us do here on TFP. Upload your pics to Photobucket (free), then copy & paste the IMG code for that pic from Photobucket to your TFP post. Works great.
Also, you can try going to the bottom of your quick reply post where it says “Go Advanced”, and then down to where it says “Manage Attachments”. It may let you upload them that way. They may show-up large because you can't adjust the size of the attachment, but it may work.