What is THIS?? (pictures)

[MLock]

Opened my cartridge filter today to clean it, as my pressure was up 8lbs. This is what I found:

This is the runoff when I began to spray it:

It's the consistency of wet paint. What is it?? Pool is clear...

 

[zea3]

What all have you put in the pool lately?

 

[MLock]

Baking soda and washing soda. Quite a bit, trying to solve a pH and TA problem. Also have copper 3ppm. Is it copper? Did I get somehow lucky and have my copper filtered out?

 

[woodyp]

Please define what you added as "washing soda" for us. Borax?

 

[MLock]

Arm and Hammer Washing Soda. Sodium Carbonate.

 

[Richard320]

The turquoise tint certainly hints at a copper compound.

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Looks like a copper bound substance to me too.

Did you also add DE to the filter?

Scott

 

[MLock]

No sir, I haven't done anything to the filter. I assume with this much ... blue stuff, that would equal a whole bunch of copper, right? My heater is likely shot then?

Any idea how the filter caught it? I thought copper in pool water eluded filtration.

 

[MLock]

Took filter apart again, no additional blue stuff. Same question though -- with that much blue stuff, if it was copper, does that pretty much mean my heater is shot?

 

[Diver]

did you have any service done to your pool? i remember a post here regarding pool service when someone added some coloring to make the water look blue

 

[anonapersona]

I think the Clarifier in my cabinet is tinted blue, have you used any clarifier?

 

[MLock]

No clarifier, no service other than my own, so I know everything that's gone in there. It pretty much has to be copper from my heating element, I'm afraid.

Any other thoughts?

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

If the heater isn't leaking, it isn't shot.

Scott

 

[MLock]

If the heater isn't leaking, it isn't shot.

Pardon my newbie ignorance... where would it be leaking from? Just all around the base or something?