I need help!!! Newbie with stains. I did the vitamin c test and had a clean spot so I ordered ascorbic acid, took the chlorine down to zero, treated with 10 lbs of ascorbic acid (I went slowly at first, no change so kept adding more). PH is now 7.2, total alkalinity 180 water is cloudy and the stains look worse. The pool is 35000 gallons, I do fill with well water and I use a nature 2 cartridge. The pool was replastered about 4 years ago and the stains are a couple of years old, they were not real bad. (they are now) If the stains are not metal...what are they?
I need help!!! Newbie with stains.
- Thread starter KMX8YK
- Start date
I'm too new at this myself to suggest next steps, but I can offer reassurance that the cloudy water will improve even though you can't shock. I did the AA treatment last week, and my pool turned milky-cloudy as soon as I added the sequestrant. It got worse in the first 24 hours -- I could barely see bottom in the shallow end -- and then started gradually improving. By day 6 it was 95% clear -- basically clear but not as sparkling as it should be. I added SeaKlear that day. It's now day 8 and pool is clear. I'm haven't yet passed the OCLT, but I'm close. Only lost 1 ppm last night.
Welcome to tfp, KMX8YK 
Have you reviewed this pool school article?: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/metal stains
Did the stains become worse during the AA treatment, or after? If during, it is possible that you may have algae as well. If after, did you add an sequestrant at the appropriate time like the above article mentions?
I would stop using the Nature2 since that is adding metal to your water...which obviously you don't want!
Have you reviewed this pool school article?: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/metal stains
Did the stains become worse during the AA treatment, or after? If during, it is possible that you may have algae as well. If after, did you add an sequestrant at the appropriate time like the above article mentions?
I would stop using the Nature2 since that is adding metal to your water...which obviously you don't want!
Thanks for the quick response! I did review the article and did read all 5 pages of message thread related to the ascorbic acid treatment. The stains became almost black in some places immediately upon adding the acid, on the sides as well as ledges. Brushing had no effect, they lightened up just a bit in the ensuing days but they still look hideous. Although the acid did not remove any stain, I did add a bottle of sequestrant after the second dose of 5 lbs. The ph was 7.6 when I began, it went down to 7.2 after the first treatment but remained at 7.2 after the second treatment.Why would the PH not budge after adding that much acid? I have never had an algae problem, am pretty diligent about maintaing the chlorine level, free cholrine is usually ok and with the nature 2 I would have thought there should not be an algae problem??(I do realize if in fact the stains are metal, the nature 2 would be contributing and would get rid of it). I saw a picture in another post, the problem was identical but I did not see where he had resolution. Organic stains would come off with enough chlorine and brushing, right? I cant seem to find information on stains other than those 2 topics.
Organic. Place a tri-chlor puck on the stains for a few minutes and judge the reaction. If the stain lightens up a lot or disappears, then the stain is organic. If that fails, then crush up vitamin C tabs, put them in a sock and hold the sock directly on the stain for a few minutes. see if it lightens it or not.....that'll confirm metal stains if it lightens.
They are probably metal but you must correctly identify them first.
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