Metal Control?

[FLNewsGuy]

Well, now that my pool is 99% under control (through proper use of my TF Test Kit and a real shocking job)... I've gotten curious.

I went to my local Pinch-A-Penny (They sell Taylor reagents) and was curious to see how their testing battery would compare to the one I performed that morning. They were WAYYYY off on everything... especially on the salt concentration. Mine is correct (3rd party verified) and they come in 2000 ppm's lower. Always. I know enough now not to trust their testing lab.

But they did show high Calcium Hardness. My pool does have have high CH all the time... but I haven't had a chance to do a partial drain and fill.

The teenager behind the counter immediately grabbed a bottle of their Suncoast Brand Ultimate Metal Control and Salt Solution, claiming I needed it to prevent staining of my pool's surface. The kid couldn't tell me what chemicals were inside it and how it would affect my other chemistry.

Anybody know what it would do? Should I even bother with it?

 

[zea3]

Could you post your test results? Do you have a test result for any metals?

 

[Bama Rambler]

What is your CH?

Unless you want to constantly add it to your pool you should drain and refill some of the water if it's very high. If it's not very high just keep your CSI negative and you'll be fine.

 

[FLNewsGuy]

What is your CH?

My TF Kit shows my CH north of 600 but Pinch-A-Penny said it 490.

I don't have a test result for metals. My other tests were all within normal limits:

FC = 5
CC = 0
pH = 7.6
TA = 100
CYA = 80
Salt = approx 3500 ppm (smack in the middle of the range for my Jandy SWG)
Pool Temperature ranges from 88 to 92 degrees (And heater is OFF)
I have not yet tried adding Borates, so I assume a test for that would be 0.

PoolCalculator says with these readings, my CSI is 0.17.

So, do I need this "Metal Control" agent?

Thanks all!

 

[Bama Rambler]

You're best bet is to drain and refill to get the CH down. What's the CH of your fill water?

If you don't want to drain right now you can actively lower your TA to about 60 and keep the pH at about 7.2 and that should help.

 

[jlong0608]

My water quality is terrible for pools where I live. I fought getting the chem right for about 3 weeks and my water was greenish and cloudy. I bought some metal out and threw a scoop in ran my filter for 24hrs and had crystal clear water. Unfortunately I have a lot of metal in my water so every time I need to add more water I have to add metal out also.

 

[chem geek]

Welcome to TFP!

In addition to using a metal sequestrant when you add new water, you also need to add some smaller amount regularly, usually weekly, because chlorine will slowly break down metal sequestrants thereby releasing the metal ions back into the water.

 

[FLNewsGuy]

Okay, so here are this week's readings:

FC = 3
CC = 0 (yay!)
pH = 8.2
TA = 110
CYA = 75
CH = 750
CSI (as per poolcalculator.com) = 0.94

I have not yet added a metal sequestering agent. If I add it, what does it do to pH/CYA, etc?

I am searching options for the drain/fill to lower that CH reading, though. My garden hose CH is also high and I'm guessing the foot of rain I'm getting everyt other day is also.

 

[Rossko]

for one get your pH way down - I'd say less than 7.5 and keep it there - that's the main thing driving your CSI up to scale level. I have high CH as well - have found not much I can do about it - exept "reverse osmosis" which seems a little; well I don't even know how to do that.

So I keep my pH on the low side of 7.5 and CSI will drop a little negative.