Our pool was just opened today. We drained a small amount of water and noticed that the white plastic steps seem to be stained a rust like color that does not brush away. The skimmer also had rust colored debri on it, some of which brushed away. Also at the end of last year we noticed the metal ring around our pool light was looking rusted/corroded. Any idea what this could be from and how to get rid of the staining?
discolored/stained steps?
- Thread starter jmlodin
- Start date
Try holding a vitamin C tablet up against some of the stained plastic for 30 seconds and see if that reduces or eliminates the stain in that area.
How old is the pool? Anything new done to it last season?
Sounds somewhat like an electrical issue causing electrolysis.
A vitamin C tablet may clear the stain, which would indicate it's metallic. ETA: Jason beat me to it.
Sounds somewhat like an electrical issue causing electrolysis.
A vitamin C tablet may clear the stain, which would indicate it's metallic. ETA: Jason beat me to it.
The pool is 6 years old. Nothing new has been done. I don't have any vitamin c tablets so I will have to get some to try what you are suggesting. The steps below the water line are totally discolored, not just a small area here and there.
So if the vitamin C gets rid of the stain it is metals?
So if the vitamin C gets rid of the stain it is metals?
Ok I will try the vitamin C tomorrow. If it is metals, how did they get there and how do you get rid of them in the water?!
Thanks
Thanks
Metals can come from algaecides, pool heaters, well water, very old metal plumbing, and other pool store treatments such as mineral packs and ionizers.
Ok I put a vitamin C tablet on the stain and it went away. So I guess that means the stains are due to metals. What do I need to do now? I do have a jug of Metal Free from the pool store from my pre-BBB days! Is that what I need to use?
Thank you for the link. I have one follow up question. To take care of the metal problem we have to have chlorine at 0. We are currently in the process of shocking the pool because it was hazy upon opening yesterday. Is it ok to continue to shock until we have clear water and then do the metal treatment? Do the metals have anything to do with hazy water?
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Finish shocking first! The metals don't have anything to do with the haze, and you can't really deal with them til you get the pool clear 
If the vitamin C doesn't do it, it's likely organic.
Things I have used to combat this:
Time chlorinated water will cause it to fade but this can be a somewhat lengthy process.
Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser
Jack's Step Stuff
Scott
Things I have used to combat this:
Time chlorinated water will cause it to fade but this can be a somewhat lengthy process.
Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser
Jack's Step Stuff
Scott
Just bumping this one as I have steps that have brown/orange discoloration in two locations. Going to try some Vitamin C tablets tonight. I don't see stains anywhere else in the pool at least none that look the same or stand out. Could I just spot treat the area with tablets rather than a full pool AA treatment?
I spot treated my steps, returns, light niche, and drains. I put a emptied a bottle of vitamin c tablets in a panty hose, got the snorkel out and went to work. Took about 30 minutes and all looked as good as new.
We did not have any staining anywhere else, so the spot treatment made sense to me.
We did not have any staining anywhere else, so the spot treatment made sense to me.
I know this thread is old but I tried the techniques discussed here for a similar problem. It worked great. So, I'm posting some pictures for visual effects. The clean looking white spot on the second step in the bottom of the picture is where I let a single Vitamin C tablet sit for 30 minutes. It's perfectly clean! You may also notice that on the top of the picture at the second stop on the stair wall, there's a pretty clean looking section. That's were I took another vitamin C tablet and rubbed against the stain for about 2 seconds and it immediately started to disappear. It's amazing. So I order Jack's Magic Purple stuff for my SWG pool. I'll post that picture in couple of days once I get the results.
