Greenish Yellow Water Won't go away

[Philippe_T]

Hello,

I started trying to open my pool 3 weeks ago, and when I introduced a shock treatment and a higher level of FC, the water turned greenish or yellow color. It is only a small reflection, I can see the bottom of the above ground pool easily (27 footer with 52 inches walls).

Now I tried all kinds of chemical products that a local company suggested and finally last night I decided to drain the entire pool.

I scrubbed the walls, and I used a vinyl cleaner on the entire liner. Then I redrained the remaining water.
So late last night I introduced bleach at 10.3% just a small quantity because it is still low, barely touching the sides on the walls.
So this morning the water is the exact same color that it was prior of draining the water.

I took two samples, one from the middle of the pool and one from the side of the pool (because it looks worst in the middle then it does from the side) and another sample from my tap water. (the water used to fill the pool is from a well).
And of coarse you can easily see visually which one is contaminated.

Now, what am I doing wrong here, should I have acid wash the entire vinyl surface??

Regards
Phil

 

[Butterfly]

Sounds like metals. Have you tried a sequesterant?

Have the pool store test for metals in your well water.

Welcome to the forum

 

[Philippe_T]

Locally they are not equipped really well, they canèt even test for CYA... So of coarsed they can't test for metals.
But prior to draining I tried a metal mineral treatment that they sold me, a Scale inhibitor, it did nothing...
Here is a pdf of what I used for the metals.

http://www.swimpool.ca/pdfs/Pool_secure.PDF

 

[stephanie4136]

Welcome to TFP!

I have been having an issue that sounds very similar to yours. I started with a swamp and shocked for 24 days, the water finally cleared up but it turned translucent green/yellow. I also have a well so I had my water tested for metals and tests came back 0, but metals don't always show up. Here is something JasonLion told me:

It is very common for pool store metal test results to be wrong. Also, when the water is colored the metal is mostly in microscopic crystals, not dissolved in the water, so they don't tend to show up on the test.

I got some ProTeam Metal Magic and added it yesterday afternoon and I have seen major improvement. I'm not sure about the type you used, although I have heard all sequestrants are not created equal. This was the first time in 3 seasons I've ever had his problem.

 

[Philippe_T]

Okay then I might take a trip to a place that can actually test the water properly tonight (about 2 hrs drive), I was so angry this morning when I saw the color of the water was the same has it was prior... My water was already heated! Ah well live and learn

 

[Bama Rambler]

If your water is clear but tinted then it's surely metals. Filling it from a well increases your chances that it's metals.

You have either not added enough sequestrant or not added the right type.

 

[Philippe_T]

OK, good to know.
Also I just looked at the pool water, and there is almost no TC, but I am in the process of filling it so... But the water is almost like a rust color brown/red.

Now, I realized I made a mistake by adding bleach while filling the pool. Should I drain the water once more (I just got a foot of water in it so far) and fill the pool completely before adding iron/copper treament then chlorine?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Don't worry about it. Just keep filling and add the sequestrant once it's full.

 

[Philippe_T]

So finally I went to a proper pool place, what a difference compare to the BS place that we have in our local town.

They think because the sand in my filter was never changed (its been at least 5 years) that It was not able to filter the water and that's why it was green to start with. The test showed no signs of metals, no manganese and no algae. But they are not sure why my well water is turning brown in contact with the liquid chlore...

Anyways they sold me a socks to put in the skimmer to help the sand filter out the water and after that I should change the sand in the filter once it is the right color.

 

[JasonLion]

It wouldn't have anything to do with the sand. Sand will usually last longer than the filter, and even if the sand was going bad somehow the water would turn cloudy, not colored.

Water that turns a clear transparent brown or yellow when you add chlorine is invariably caused by iron in the water and the solution is to add a sequestrant.

 

[zea3]

When chlorine reacts with the iron in the water it will turn a rusty color. When chlorine reacts with copper in the water it will turn yellowish, which looks green in a pool with blue liner or plaster. Either of these conditions can be resolved with sequestrant. You can purchase tests for copper or iron from TF Testkits if you would like to do your own metal tests.

The Jack's Magic line of products work well and can be ordered online if your local pool stores do not carry it.

 

[Philippe_T]

OK, I did the sand treatment yesterday and this morning the water was clear and no color. But I have not yet put any chlorine since...

I am trying to find a good metal sequestrant but I can't find the brand you mentionned.