So... seasonal pool, 4th season. I know I have iron in the water and last season got a protocol for treatment more or less worked out. I finished filling the pool Thursday, bumped he pH up to 7.6, added the metal treatment and let that work overnight. I added 2 pucks to the skimmer and shocked the pool Friday morning. The water was still clear Friday night. FC was above 5, pH was 7.2, TA was 80. I added baking soda to bump the TA up a bit. Also, my wife wanted a bit more water in the pool so I added more. Saturday morning TA was 100, pool was clear, ph was 7.2. We used the pool in the afternoon. Last night it we got thunderstorms so I shocked the pool this morning and cleaned the leaves out. pH had fallen to 7, FC was still above 5, water was clear. I added soda ash to boost the pH. We went swimming this afternoon. ph was 7.2, FC was above 5, CYA was 30. I was feeling pretty good since I hadn't had the water issues I've had the last few seasons. Soon after we got out, the water started changing color. It is now brownish, but it is clear. What the heck is going on? I assume it is the chlorine reacting with iron or copper, but why all of a sudden? Do I just need more sequestrant? I thought once the initial treatment was done I only needed a few ounces a week. I don't want to just dump the stuff in when it is 20 bucks a bottle.
This Is Getting Annoying, Colored Water!
- Thread starter crokett
- Start date
What is your daily chlorine source? PH doesn't just fall on it's own unless you are using acid or tablets... your TA of 80 was fine unless you are using tablets.
When you just want to boost PH then use Borax rather than soda ash.
Yes, try more sequesterant. Who knows "why now"... just see if that does the trick (and post back to let us know if it does).
When you just want to boost PH then use Borax rather than soda ash.
Yes, try more sequesterant. Who knows "why now"... just see if that does the trick (and post back to let us know if it does).
Right now I am using tablets because they also add the CYA. I did not know they lower pH. I boosted TA because the sequestrant I use lowers both TA an pH. I though the pH was getting lowered by the sequestrant. The two pucks I added are almost gone. After that I will start with bleach. I will add more sequestrant, but I'm an engineer and I don't like 'it just happens'. :-D
Ok, just for anybody else struggling, I talked to a guy who works for the manufacturer of the sequestrant I use. He thinks my biggest problem is the filter is too small, which is very possible. I could see Intex doing this for cost reasons. My pump takes an 8" long by 4" dia filter. I don't know what the square footage is, he thinks it is about 25' sqft which he says is too small. He suggests changing/cleaning the filter more frequently than I am doing or upgrading to a larger system. The larger system won't happen this summer. I did change the filter yesterday afternoon and it appears to have made some difference overnight. He also said the pH change from swimming yesterday could color the water.
The regular Intex filters are very small and not so good at filtering, and that can be a problem. But I don't see that having anything to do with your brown transparent water issue. No filter will filter out dissolved metals in the water.
Dissolved iron in the water will turn the water a clear transparent yellow/brown/green when the PH is high and when the FC level is high, or more commonly when some combination of both are high at the same time. This can be prevented by using enough sequestrant. How much sequestrant you need depends both on the brand of sequestrant and how much iron there is in the water.
Dissolved iron in the water will turn the water a clear transparent yellow/brown/green when the PH is high and when the FC level is high, or more commonly when some combination of both are high at the same time. This can be prevented by using enough sequestrant. How much sequestrant you need depends both on the brand of sequestrant and how much iron there is in the water.
Yesterday afternoon I changed the filter and I put another 16 oz of sequestrant in the pool this morning. The water is still tinted a little but looks much better. So right now I have 48oz of sequestrant in a 4500 gallon pool, granted 32 oz was added Thursday night. So I guess my conclusion is I need a whole lot of sequestrant. The only other question is why did the water change so suddenly after swimming? On the phone he suggested a pH change. Late yesterday morning I did bring the pH up, so maybe that did it?
Ok, so I think I have been shooting myself in the foot here, but have a question... I picked up a SWG and 240lbs of salt this weekend. I added the salt Monday evening and spent time brushing. Yesterday morning the salt looked all dissolved. pH was 7.4, FC was ~4. My Taylor kit goes has ranges, highest range for FC is 5-10. I have been using tablets. The two I added at pool startup were gone, so I dropped another one in yesterday morning. My wife called in the afternoon to say the water was colored. It occurred to me that Saturday when the water changed color I shocked the pool after swimming. I tested the water last night, FC was off the scale, somewhere above 10. I took the tablet out last night. I am assuming the color came back from having an insane amount of chlorine in the pool. If I don't do anything else but let the chlorine level drop, will the color go away on its own, or do I need to treat with sequestrant again?
Sounds like you need a better test kit. One thing I don't see is a set of test results. Can you post a full set?
Since you have iron in your water (& it appears to be a lot) any time your pH goes up or you raise the FC up the water is going to turn. Which sequestrant are you using and does it require that the FC be lowered when adding it?
Since you have iron in your water (& it appears to be a lot) any time your pH goes up or you raise the FC up the water is going to turn. Which sequestrant are you using and does it require that the FC be lowered when adding it?
My test kit is a Taylor K2006. Chlorine tests are ranges. Top range on the scale is 5-10.
pH is 7.4
TC is well above 10. FC is also above 10, or at least the CC test doesn't change the color from the TC reading
TA is 110. My well water is naturally around 100.
CYA is 30 but is still rising
I have been laboring under the assumption that once I add the sequestrant for the season I am good, except for maintenance. I guess that is not true. I would appreciate a better explanation of how it works. On a high level at least I know the sequestrant bonds with the metals to prevent the chlorine from reacting with them. I just assumed it would stay that way all season, minus whatever maintenance doses I needed to add. I did not know about the pH rising causing the color change. Can you explain why? In any case, this most recent color change happened with no movement in pH, I just dropped a puck in the strainer basket. FWIW, the water seems to stay clear at FC of 3-5.
I am using Lo-Chlor Metal Gone. In the past I have tried Metal Free and the Sea Klear variety but Metal Gone seems to be the most effective for me. There is no mention on the bottle of FC needing to lowered when adding, but it says it will lower pH and TA. It did lower my pH but I have not seen the TA go down. Right now I have 32 oz in a 4400 gallon pool with dosage rate being 8oz per 7500 gallon. I am concerned about adding too much. I took the puck out. If I let the chlorine drop, will it clear up on its own or do I need more sequestrant?
pH is 7.4
TC is well above 10. FC is also above 10, or at least the CC test doesn't change the color from the TC reading
TA is 110. My well water is naturally around 100.
CYA is 30 but is still rising
I have been laboring under the assumption that once I add the sequestrant for the season I am good, except for maintenance. I guess that is not true. I would appreciate a better explanation of how it works. On a high level at least I know the sequestrant bonds with the metals to prevent the chlorine from reacting with them. I just assumed it would stay that way all season, minus whatever maintenance doses I needed to add. I did not know about the pH rising causing the color change. Can you explain why? In any case, this most recent color change happened with no movement in pH, I just dropped a puck in the strainer basket. FWIW, the water seems to stay clear at FC of 3-5.
I am using Lo-Chlor Metal Gone. In the past I have tried Metal Free and the Sea Klear variety but Metal Gone seems to be the most effective for me. There is no mention on the bottle of FC needing to lowered when adding, but it says it will lower pH and TA. It did lower my pH but I have not seen the TA go down. Right now I have 32 oz in a 4400 gallon pool with dosage rate being 8oz per 7500 gallon. I am concerned about adding too much. I took the puck out. If I let the chlorine drop, will it clear up on its own or do I need more sequestrant?
Sequestrant breaks down over time, thus the need ongoing maintenance doses. Another aspect is that the more metal there is in the water, the more sequestrant you need to have to bind to all of it. And finally, not all brands of sequestrant are equally good. Some are much more effective than others and some use up a lot more chlorine than others. You have to add about three times too much before there is likely to be a problem.
If the FC level drops, you need to add more chlorine, but not more sequestrant.
If the FC level drops, you need to add more chlorine, but not more sequestrant.
The K-2006 uses the FAS-DPD test which is a drop test and you count the drops till the water turns clear. There are no ranges.
JasonLion said:
The sequestrant uses up chlorine? Now I'm really confused. Also, I am seeing some things on the web that if your FC level is too high, the sequestrant won't work as well?
As far as dosage rates, all the products are based on the size of the pool. I've talked to 3 different manufacturers and no one can tell me how to adjust for the metal PPM in the water. Stuff on the web I see says to assume 1 PPM? I know mine is higher than that.
Yes, some but by no means all sequestrants consume chlorine when they are added.
The standard dosage listed on the package is usually for 1 ppm of metals in the water. If your metal level is higher you will very likely need more sequestrant than what the package directions say to use. Using the standard dosage for each 1 ppm of metals in the water is a good starting point, but the actual amount required varies from that.
Do you know what your iron level is? If so, how did you get that number?
If you have sequestered all of the metals, it doesn't really matter what the FC level is. Where the FC level gets involved is when you have sequestered most, but not all, of the metals. Then high FC levels can cause stains when lower FC levels would not. It can also take longer for the sequestrant to bind to the metals while the FC level is high.
The standard dosage listed on the package is usually for 1 ppm of metals in the water. If your metal level is higher you will very likely need more sequestrant than what the package directions say to use. Using the standard dosage for each 1 ppm of metals in the water is a good starting point, but the actual amount required varies from that.
Do you know what your iron level is? If so, how did you get that number?
If you have sequestered all of the metals, it doesn't really matter what the FC level is. Where the FC level gets involved is when you have sequestered most, but not all, of the metals. Then high FC levels can cause stains when lower FC levels would not. It can also take longer for the sequestrant to bind to the metals while the FC level is high.
Thank you. That last explains a few things.
The iron PPM last year was 4 I think. I had a pool place test it. It is high enough that I get stains from time to time in the bathtubs. I will take some tap water in to get it retested at a different place. I got the pool water tested 2 days ago, the iron content read 0. I'm not sure if that is cause the Metal Out was doing its job or a faulty test. Their test also said a TA of 0 ad they wanted to sell me something to raise it, but my Taylor kit has been saying 110 since I opened the pool last week, plus my well water has always read right around 100.
The iron PPM last year was 4 I think. I had a pool place test it. It is high enough that I get stains from time to time in the bathtubs. I will take some tap water in to get it retested at a different place. I got the pool water tested 2 days ago, the iron content read 0. I'm not sure if that is cause the Metal Out was doing its job or a faulty test. Their test also said a TA of 0 ad they wanted to sell me something to raise it, but my Taylor kit has been saying 110 since I opened the pool last week, plus my well water has always read right around 100.
Bama Rambler said:
Sorry, typo. I have the K-2005. There are 2 chlorine tests, first is for FC and the gauge has ranges. second test is for TC.
Now last question, at least for a while... :-D I added more sequestrant yesterday and pulled the puck from the skimmer. FC dropped from somewhere north of 10 to 4 PPM as of a bit ago. The water is now clear. Is that because of the sequestrant, or the chlorine is being used up so it is no longer reacting with the iron, or both? IOW, supposing I were to toss some chlorine in, color the water and do nothing else. Would the water clear up on its own once the chlorine is used up?
The sequestrant is why the water cleared. If you have enough sequestrant it will handle having a higher FC level.
You should consider buying the FAS-DPD stand alone kit. That will make your kit equivilent to a K-2006+.
You should consider buying the FAS-DPD stand alone kit. That will make your kit equivilent to a K-2006+.
Thank you. I will also look into the better kit. I get my supplies from a commercial pool place and I think they have that kit.
Thank you. I will also look into the better kit. I get my supplies from a commercial pool place and I think they have that kit.