The kids love to play treasure hunt with a handful of pennies. I noticed today some pinkish spots here and there on the floor of the pool. I am wondering if they are from the pennies or some kind of algea. I remembered reading that copper affected/was a bad chem in the pool. The FC was pretty low today, I immediately added enough chlorine to bring the FC to 6 and will shock it tonight just to make sure but does anyone actually know what it is? I couldnt scrape the spots off or anything, they seem like a stain.
Treasure hunt??
- Thread starter merritt11
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After 1982 pennies are copper-plated zinc (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper). The copper is unlikely to get oxidized by the chlorine very quickly, but if the penny was already corroded with exposure to the zinc, the zinc can corrode much more quickly (in days).
Quick note, the kids dont leave the pennies in there, they play with them and then bring them out when they get out. Still think it might be the pennies? The numbers are good (according to pool school) and the water is clear and clean. Just a little nervous.
I wouldn't think that it is copper. Copper can form a red or pink copper(I) oxide (Cu2O), but I don't think that I have ever seen it in a pool. Copper would normally be green or black. If it really is pink, and not orange, then I would suspect pink algae, which is actually a type of bacteria.
Sometimes bacteria (Streptomyces rubrireticuli), fungi (a Penicillium species) or chemicals under a vinyl liner can penetrate through the liner and cause stains.
Another possibility is manganese, which can create pink or purple stains. One source of manganese is potassium permanganate (manganese greensand) filters used to remove iron or hydrogen sulfide.
If shocking and brushing don't help, you could try putting some ascorbic acid on the stain to see what happens.
Sometimes bacteria (Streptomyces rubrireticuli), fungi (a Penicillium species) or chemicals under a vinyl liner can penetrate through the liner and cause stains.
Another possibility is manganese, which can create pink or purple stains. One source of manganese is potassium permanganate (manganese greensand) filters used to remove iron or hydrogen sulfide.
If shocking and brushing don't help, you could try putting some ascorbic acid on the stain to see what happens.
I'd grill those kids and see if someone was eating redhots or hot tamales or sweettarts or some other candy largely made of sugar and food coloring near the pool.
Koolaid turns their lips colors, and the whole package weighs about the same as 2 or 3 pieces of candy!
Koolaid turns their lips colors, and the whole package weighs about the same as 2 or 3 pieces of candy!
Still not sure what it is exactly but the cl and ph are perfect and the water is crystal clear, feels great. I cleaned the filter and vacced the pool yesterday. I shocked the pool last night. They dont appear to be spreading or doing anything at all really. I will just keep an eye on things. Funny, the idea about the candy though, they would surely love it if they had that easy access to candy but they are still little enough for me to have a measure of control over that.
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