Water turns green after adding chlorine

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J

JenniferBrinker

0
Jul 17, 2010
16
Ballwin, Missouri (suburb of St. Louis)
Hi all ... I have been doing BBB for several years now with great success. This is the first year I've run into this kind of problem and am seeking a little help. My pool water is crystal clear, but when I add bleach (using the regular household 6% variety) my water turns a nice shade of green -- well, more like green-blue.

Here are my most recent test results:

FC 3
CC 0.5
CH 200
CYA 60
TA 100
PH 7.4

I ran a sample to the pool store to test for metals, because I don't currently have those test kits available. Anyway, my copper and iron levels were 0. Total dissolved solids (whatever that means) came out to 1100. Phosphates were 300 (high according to the pool store), but I understand that test doesn't really mean a whole lot, if I am not mistaken.

I was doing some searching on the forums, and I saw one post that suggested pool store tests for metals are not very accurate. I also saw a suggestion that these types of situations require the use of a sequestrant. I have NO idea what that is. This is where I am seeking the most help, I think.

I also discovered a few days ago that the metal ring around my pool light looks a bit corroded. Perhaps rust? I haven't been able to get underwater to fully investigate, but I am wondering if this is culprit for the green water. My husband said the metal ring is too small to make a significant change like that, but I am not so sure. We also had a slight accident in the spring when some of the rain water from the top of the cover spilled over and mixed in with the pool water. Don't know if that means anything, but I'm throwing that out there, too.

So, where does this leave me? I have to say the water is beautifully clear, but this off coloring is really bothering me. I'm a little hesitant to get in until I know what's causing this. Thoughts?

(As an aside I mistakenly told the guy at the pool store that I use bleach and he said that was why my pool was turning green! All those "fillers" in the bleach cause that, he said. Ha, I know, right?)
 
Do you use well water? If you use city water look on their website for info on water quality and see what it lists for metals. Also did you use an algecide that contains copper to close or start up? Clear green water is usually a sign of copper in the pool. You can try adding a sequesterant such as Jack's Magic to see if that clears things up.
 
ProTeam's Metal Magic and Jack's Magic the Pink Stuff (regular), the Blue Stuff (fresh plaster), and the Purple Stuff (SWG) are some of the top sequestrants. You can also find many other brands with similar ingredients, some of which are noticeably less expensive. Sequestrants based on HEDP, phosphonic acid, or phosphonic acid derivatives are the most effective.

While the water is green the metals are in the form of micro-crystals, which will not show up on the test because they are not dissolved.

Lowering the PH is a way to clear the color temporarily, but it will come back if that is all you do.
 
I use city water -- will go and see what information I can find, thanks! I've been using city water to fill my pool for years, though, so I am scratching my head that I suddenly have this problem. (About half of it gets drained every year when we close, and then filled with fresh in the spring.)

As far as sequestrants, what do they actually do? Does it clump the tiny particles, which helps it filter out better? How much of this do I need to use and how often? Is it a one-time thing, or will I need to get several bottles and add it over time?

Glad to know I am on the right track anyway, I think! Thanks for the replies!
 
You guys think that might be the culprit?
Click to expand...
No. I have had the same condition in my pool for the last three start-ups each Spring. It goes away after a few weeks and doesn't reappear the rest of the swim season, regardless of the FC level.

To me, it is unexplained. Like you, I have used the same water source for 5 years prior to this with no surprises. Something is obviously precipitating out of the pool water when chlorine is introduced but my pool tests ZERO for both Iron and copper both before the green and after the green. I remain puzzled but I do believe yours will be transient and will go away even if you do nothing, if it's the same issue I have had.
 
Sequestrant binds to the metals in the water and prevents them from depositing as stains or coloring the water. The metals remain in the water, and eventually the sequestrant breaks down, so you need to add more occasionally.
 
I'm having the same problem, except we got the pool last year and someone told us to use bromine since it's easier on the skin. We have a large amount left. Our automatic chlorinator has not worked and I have used Aqua Chem Shock Plus last year with no problems. We were just starting to get our pool to the point where it was no longer green and just a bit cloudy when my husband took a sample to the pool store yesterday. It came back saying we had no bromine in our pool, yet the floating chlorinator was full and floating for 2 days. They said we needed to add 2 pounds of shock. I instead added bleach and it instantly turned our pool green. We have no iron or copper in the water results. I went to the pool store today and they said I needed to add 2 more pounds of non-chlorine shock. I did and it's still green, but it's only been a few hours. I'm getting very frustrated and my husband just wants to close the pool. Any help is greatly appreciated!!!
 

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I Just had this happen today when adding bleach for the first time this year.

Everything is in balance (Ta was 50, but now up to 70 again)

Nothing but rain from the sky has been filling the pool since last august.
And i've never had the water turn green (only looks slightly green in the deep end) before
when adding bleach.

I'll keep an eye on it, but it sounds like I'm experiencing same as Duraleigh.
 
This has been happening to me lately .I run the pool 24/7 .the only thing different this year is it looked like I had a slow leak ,so last fall I vacuumed and left the hose hooked up to the pump and in the center of the pool in case the water got below the skimmer .I'm wondering if there is copper wire in the hose,at first i thought it might be the chlorine I use 8.5 but cheap Dollar General I had a bloom and adder 6 gal and it took 3 or 4 days to blue up .I'm 18x33 oval ABG
 
This just happened to me. I let my CL get too low over the winter and then had to SLAM my pool. I could see the water turn green before my eyes. Maybe some of the members more knowledgeable about chemistry can phrase this much better than me. The injection of chlorine into water with iron in it causes the iron to become a filterable particle. So, you have basically made the iron somewhat visible (likely not to the naked eye). Well, the color of that iron particle is slightly yellow, and what do yellow and your blue pool water make? GREEN! Once your filter gets hold of those iron particles the green will dissipate in a couple of days. Alright you chemistry buffs, don't beat me up too much...
 
OTPirate said:
This just happened to me. I let my CL get too low over the winter and then had to SLAM my pool. I could see the water turn green before my eyes. Maybe some of the members more knowledgeable about chemistry can phrase this much better than me. The injection of chlorine into water with iron in it causes the iron to become a filterable particle. So, you have basically made the iron somewhat visible (likely not to the naked eye). Well, the color of that iron particle is slightly yellow, and what do yellow and your blue pool water make? GREEN! Once your filter gets hold of those iron particles the green will dissipate in a couple of days. Alright you chemistry buffs, don't beat me up too much...
Click to expand...

Interesting Yes the green did make me thing of copper the yellow blue is green :O) but the hose in the pool for months is the only difference that I know of .I haven't cut the hose ,but can't imagine using copper any more it's expensive hose is 10 years old though

Thanks OTPirate ECU?
 
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