Last year, my water was crystal clear for the summer, but I did noticed my liner appeared to be yellowing a bit. Thought I would try an AA treatment at the end of the season, but never got around to it. This year, opened my swamp early, got it cleaned up and balanced... but the yellowing on the liner started working on my psyche again and I decided to do something about it since it was still a bit chilly for swimming. I read and reread the AA Treatment section and found that I was intimidated to try it. I searched for products that might be easier and I found Stain Free and Metal Free... promising an easy solution with pages and pages of positive reviews. I did the treatment according to the instructions (Almost no chlorine and low pH and a fiber additive to the sand filter). It did brighten the pool a bit, but not the miracle I thought it would be according to the reviews. I took some Vitamin C tablets in a sock and touch up areas that did not brighten up from the treatment (the white poles on my steps, etc.) At the end of the two day treatment, I started to bring my chlorine up as a 4-day heat wave was approaching. I also added some Baking Soda to adjust my TA and pH a little bit. Within a day or two, I had reached swimming pool nirvana with prisms dancing on my pool water. I did notice a high chlorine demand afterward, but did not know if it was from the treatment or the 93 degree days we were having. All seemed to be good.
Yesterday morning, I vacuumed my crystal clear pool, and when I returned later in the day... the pool looked awful. The water was still clear, but the whole pool had a dingy yellowish look to it. It might just be in my mind, but I thought it looked worse than before I did the treatment in the first place. I pulled the steps up to check the poles which had been bright white after the Vitamin C tablet wash, and sure enough, there was a tan hue to them on all areas underneath the water line.
I have read that after doing the treatment, you must maintain with the Metal Free on a weekly basis...and I was about due for this maintenance dose. I ran to Leslies to pick up a bottle and the guy said that I could put more in than called for since the stains reappeared. I put the whole bottle in and also added some dry acid to bring my pH down a bit thinking that raising my TA and pH last week may have led to the restaining. I think the pool looks awful, but my husband just took a look and said it's not that bad. I have my sons college grad party here next week and am hesitant to try again for fear I will totally screw everything up and no one will be able to swim.
Should I just wait and see if the Metal free will lift the stains over the next few days, lower the pH some more, pull some of my hair out or what?
My numbers FC 7
CC 0
pH 7.5 (had been closer to 7.8 before adding dry acid yesterday)
TA 110
Yesterday morning, I vacuumed my crystal clear pool, and when I returned later in the day... the pool looked awful. The water was still clear, but the whole pool had a dingy yellowish look to it. It might just be in my mind, but I thought it looked worse than before I did the treatment in the first place. I pulled the steps up to check the poles which had been bright white after the Vitamin C tablet wash, and sure enough, there was a tan hue to them on all areas underneath the water line.
I have read that after doing the treatment, you must maintain with the Metal Free on a weekly basis...and I was about due for this maintenance dose. I ran to Leslies to pick up a bottle and the guy said that I could put more in than called for since the stains reappeared. I put the whole bottle in and also added some dry acid to bring my pH down a bit thinking that raising my TA and pH last week may have led to the restaining. I think the pool looks awful, but my husband just took a look and said it's not that bad. I have my sons college grad party here next week and am hesitant to try again for fear I will totally screw everything up and no one will be able to swim.
Should I just wait and see if the Metal free will lift the stains over the next few days, lower the pH some more, pull some of my hair out or what?My numbers FC 7
CC 0
pH 7.5 (had been closer to 7.8 before adding dry acid yesterday)
TA 110
