We have been filling our 1700 gal Intex pool over the weekend. I read nearly all of the poolforum site and have taken pages of notes of notes. Now I have some questions. That site did not allow me to register. It directed me to this one. I am wondering if someone here can answer a question. I filled the pool to about 8 inches. After adding 1 1/2 cups of bleach the clear and clean water turned a dingy yellow. We have a filter system on our well that traps the silt, corrects for iron, and adjusts the pH. I am wondering if the color change is because of some iron that gets past the well filter. I have to fill the pool slowly, so as not to out run the filter. It is now about 1/2 full. I know I should get the good testing kit... but with this little pool I will try to make do with the 6 way drop kit. I added 2 oz of CYA today. I intend to finish filling by this weekend, then test. If it is the iron, I found TH brand of Metal Control. Will that work? How much should I use?
New pool queston
- Thread starter Lynsta
- Start date
It sure sounds like iron. You'll need to go to the pool store and buy a sequestrant to keep the metal dissolved in the water (you can't remove it) The sequestrant will give dosage directions on the bottle.
- Apr 8, 2007
- 1,616
- Pool Size
- 17450
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Usually its around 4oz per 10,000 gallons for the HTH and Iron Myte so divide from there. I would say just use a bit over 1/2 an ounce and add more if it still appears to have the discoloration after 2 hrs. Add the sequesterant BEFORE you add any more water - I would also buy an additional inline (on hose) rust/sediment filter unit like those made for an RV. Won't stop it all together but it will help with some from the well even if you have a whole house system that is supposed to filter out rust. The sequestering agent is the ticket though. Good luck!
An additional question on iron
I have the HTH product named Metal Control. The directions say to only add it when the chlorine level is below 1.0 ppm. The pH is above 8.2 now and the chlorine is above 5 now. I know chlorine will go down when the pool finishes filling.
The instructions also say to add only when pump is running. The pool is not full enough to run yet. I guess I will have to wait to add the Iron sequestor. How often do you think I will have to add it How will I now if I've added enough? Will it hurt us if I add too much?
I have the HTH product named Metal Control. The directions say to only add it when the chlorine level is below 1.0 ppm. The pH is above 8.2 now and the chlorine is above 5 now. I know chlorine will go down when the pool finishes filling.
The instructions also say to add only when pump is running. The pool is not full enough to run yet. I guess I will have to wait to add the Iron sequestor. How often do you think I will have to add it How will I now if I've added enough? Will it hurt us if I add too much?
- Apr 8, 2007
- 1,616
- Pool Size
- 17450
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
With an Intex pool that size, you can add the sequestering agent without the pump running if you get it adequately mixed in - that is use your skimmer net or brush to circulate the agent as you add it - its only about half an ounce so thats not a huge amount to mix in with the water (after the chlorine level goes down - don't add any more chlorine products until this is done)
Lyn,
Using muriatic acid, get your pH down to 7.2 - 7.4 and keep it there all the time. That'll really help your problem....a lot!
Using muriatic acid, get your pH down to 7.2 - 7.4 and keep it there all the time. That'll really help your problem....a lot!
Have you tested your well water with the pool test kit? You mentioned that your well filtration system adjusts for pH. What is the pH of your fill water? If it's over 7.6 going in you may always have high pH issues in the pool which can be managed with muriatic acid. At a pH of 8.2 your chlorine tests won't be accurate.
AnnaK
ETA: I had that wrong. Bad Anna! It is the pH test which loses some of its accuracy when the FC is 10+. Mea culpa.
AnnaK
ETA: I had that wrong. Bad Anna! It is the pH test which loses some of its accuracy when the FC is 10+. Mea culpa.
Thank you Dave S and annaK
Anna, good idea of checking house pH. I was trying not to bore you with the details, but I can explaine. When the pool was at 8 inches of water I added chlorine, water turned yellow, tested pH and it was below 6.8. I guessed that I had out run the pumphouse conditioner as evidedced bu the obvious iron and low pH. So, I read on a post the amount of Borax and adjusted down to the total gallon size of my pool. Dumb... I added 2 cups of Borax. Then with pool nearly full, I found the super high pH and got smart; house water is pH of 7.3. I wonder if the 12foot x 8 inches of water plastic pool has a low pH from the liner chemicles initially. It is full now. Soon I will buy some acid and retest. Then add acid. Then I will need to fix the total Alkilinity... It is way bad too... probably the stupid Borax.
Anna, good idea of checking house pH. I was trying not to bore you with the details, but I can explaine. When the pool was at 8 inches of water I added chlorine, water turned yellow, tested pH and it was below 6.8. I guessed that I had out run the pumphouse conditioner as evidedced bu the obvious iron and low pH. So, I read on a post the amount of Borax and adjusted down to the total gallon size of my pool. Dumb... I added 2 cups of Borax. Then with pool nearly full, I found the super high pH and got smart; house water is pH of 7.3. I wonder if the 12foot x 8 inches of water plastic pool has a low pH from the liner chemicles initially. It is full now. Soon I will buy some acid and retest. Then add acid. Then I will need to fix the total Alkilinity... It is way bad too... probably the stupid Borax.
We love details here! As often happens, an issue gets resolved only after we've heard the rest of the story 
Can't help with the iron, it's not something I have to deal with and have never learned about it.
Your post caught my attention because you mentioned the well water filtration system you have. Ours is fairly complicated also since we have sulfur producing bacteria in our well. Our water is heavily treated with a chlorine (bottled bleach) injection spray, then filtered through a very large carbon cartridge to remove the chlorine.
We fill the pool with the treated water which puts quite the strain on the treatment system but we don't have the plumbing in place to use untreated well water. That's on the list of things to do . . . some day.
Can't help with the iron, it's not something I have to deal with and have never learned about it.
Your post caught my attention because you mentioned the well water filtration system you have. Ours is fairly complicated also since we have sulfur producing bacteria in our well. Our water is heavily treated with a chlorine (bottled bleach) injection spray, then filtered through a very large carbon cartridge to remove the chlorine.
We fill the pool with the treated water which puts quite the strain on the treatment system but we don't have the plumbing in place to use untreated well water. That's on the list of things to do . . . some day.