Testing for Copper

[ssrhodes6]

Hey Guys,

Any way to test for copper? I haven't used any algecide in 4-6 weeks, yet my daughters hair is still get a greenish tint to it.

Thanks!

 

[JasonLion]

There is a good test kit for copper, the Taylor K-1730. The K-1738 is also good, and is better for very high copper levels, but is rather more expensive.

 

[chem geek]

Copper does not break down so isn't going to go away in just a matter of weeks. It is reduced through dilution with water that does not contain copper.

 

[ssrhodes6]

Should I even bother testing for it? But, rather add something to just remove whatever is in there.

 

[chem geek]

If you test for it then knowing how much there is can be useful in your deciding whether you need to do a partial drain/refill or whether using a metal sequestrant would be reasonable. If it were very, very high, then water replacement would be better, but if the level is relatively low then a metal sequestrant could work until you get some natural water dilution from rain overflow or partial drain when you close the pool in the winter.

 

[ultra800_96]

If you test for it then knowing how much there is can be useful in your deciding whether you need to do a partial drain/refill or whether using a metal sequestrant would be reasonable. If it were very, very high, then water replacement would be better, but if the level is relatively low then a metal sequestrant could work until you get some natural water dilution from rain overflow or partial drain when you close the pool in the winter.

Exactly. My copper kit is on backorder from TFtestkits, but I do want to know what the level is. Finding out this spring after my pool turned Emerald, that our Municipal fill water has 1.2 ppm copper, that was the deciding factor in wanting to know what was in my pool. I haven't needed or used any algeacide in years, let alone copper based, so I knew it had to be coming from somewhere. I'm using a sequestrate this summer to get through, after getting my CYA in order & adding borates, along with using soft water 1" top offs, then doing a pretty heavy drain for my winter shutdown.

 

[ssrhodes6]

Thanks guys, I'll order a copper test kit tonight. Going to test my fill water as well. We have a water softener in the house, but the hose I fill with bypasses it. Do you recommend I fill the pool with the softened water?

 

[duraleigh]

Do you recommend I fill the pool with the softened water?

Posting a set of test results of your pool water is the only surefire way of saying, "yes", but the answer will likely be "yes".

 

[257WbyMag]

It may be hard for a household water softener to keep up with the demand placed on it by filling a pool. Topping off now and then would be fine of course.

 

[duraleigh]

I should have qualified my response but 257 caught it. Use you softener water to top off and maintain but, like he suggests, it will not have the capacity to fill the pool from scratch.

 

[civicturbo]

When I converted my pool last spring to salt water it had unknown aged water, cya of 100 from using pucks an d alot of hardness, I decided to do a full drain of all 20000 gallons for a fresh start. We have ALOT of badness in our water here in Las Vegas, that's why you see the white band around lake Mead where the water level dropped, I have my water softener set at 30 grains (it can go to 90) Its a demand unit and fonts gallons normally it goes thru 40 pounds or less a month of salt. It took several 40 pounders over the two days of filling! I didn't want the hardness in my water and have the autofill and outside faucet conneced to softened. I have since added a bypass for the faucet so I can choose soft or not.

The salt consumtion on my softener was small compared to the 90 dollars I spent at Sam's for salt for the pool.

 

[chem geek]

We have ALOT of badness in our water here in Las Vegas, that's why you see the white band around lake Mead where the water level dropped

The Las Vegas Valley Water District says your Total Hardness is about 288 ppm. Though high, the Calcium Hardness (CH) portion of that will be lower. Nevertheless, with evaporation and refill it can increase rather quickly over time. The Las Vegas Valley Water District says that 50-70 gallons per square foot is lost from evaporation so that's 80-112 inches per year or about 2 full pool volumes of water (if average 4.5 foot depth). So if no water softener were used, the hardness level would triple in just one year if the pool remained uncovered. It's a very dicey situation because you count on such evaporation to keep the water cooler during the day (otherwise the sun would heat it up). Your only other option would be to use a white or reflective pool cover, but if that were kept on most of the time then the water would get to the average of the day/night temps which would be too hot. If you kept it on only during the day and uncovered it at night, then the pool could stay cooler and have less than half the evaporation rate and hardness buildup. No easy choices here.

 

[vegaspool]

We have ALOT of badness in our water here in Las Vegas, that's why you see the white band around lake Mead where the water level dropped

The Las Vegas Valley Water District says your Total Hardness is about 288 ppm. Though high, the Calcium Hardness (CH) portion of that will be lower. Nevertheless, with evaporation and refill it can increase rather quickly over time. The Las Vegas Valley Water District says that 50-70 gallons per square foot is lost from evaporation so that's 80-112 inches per year or about 2 full pool volumes of water (if average 4.5 foot depth). So if no water softener were used, the hardness level would triple in just one year if the pool remained uncovered. It's a very dicey situation because you count on such evaporation to keep the water cooler during the day (otherwise the sun would heat it up). Your only other option would be to use a white or reflective pool cover, but if that were kept on most of the time then the water would get to the average of the day/night temps which would be too hot. If you kept it on only during the day and uncovered it at night, then the pool could stay cooler and have less than half the evaporation rate and hardness buildup. No easy choices here.

Today
High 102
Low 82
AVG 92............ Too hot? PERFECT

 

[linen]

Too hot

 

[vegaspool]

Too hot

Didn't the ice just come off the lakes?
How long until the eelpout festival ?
Too hot for MN............
I do miss the 3 months of good weather
and great people.

 

[civicturbo]

Vegaspool are you from Minnesota too? I was born and raised in Rochester, then moved to Winona then Minneapolis, left in 09 because of the cold and we like to do more outside than just 3 months but Darn I miss the people and the greenery.

I spose I should ask a on topic question. Is the copper test on tftestkits a good one? Anyone have 1st hand experience? I never trusted strips plus their expensive

 

[vegaspool]

Vegaspool are you from Minnesota too? I was born and raised in Rochester, then moved to Winona then Minneapolis, left in 09 because of the cold and we like to do more outside than just 3 months but Darn I miss the people and the greenery.

I spose I should ask a on topic question. Is the copper test on tftestkits a good one? Anyone have 1st hand experience? I never trusted strips plus their expensive

Yep, born and raised in North Branch then Minneapolis for college.
Nice weather here no squeeky snow for me.

Back on topic.
I like the green tint on my dogs tail.