Water went from clear to green in less than 24 hours

[kizerman]

I noticed yesterday afternoon my water looking a bit yellow. I tested the water and the results were:

FC: 2
PH: 7.4
TA: 70
CYA: 55

I had done an AA treatment for iron staining on my liner a couple weeks back and since then the FC had dropped low a few times so, thinking this was organic I brought the FC up to shock level. A few hours later the water began turning darker and this morning it is green.

The TA has been running low from the AA but that is about it.

I fertilized my yard with a phosphorus-free pre emergent yesterday AM and also added lime to the the lawn, however I have been doing this twice/year for 7 years and have not had any problems as I am always careful to stay well clear of the pool.

I don't normally believe in coincidences but I can't see how I could have contaminated the water. The timing does seems strange though.

Otherwise, no heavy rains in the past few days or any thing else out of the ordinary. Thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JohnT]

Yellow sounds like the iron was back. What kind of sequestrant did you use after the AA treatment?

 

[Bama Rambler]

Is it clear green or cloudy green?

Have you been maintaining the proper level of sequestrant after the AA treatment?

Your FC is low for your CYA so it could be organic. I suggest you run an OCLT to be sure.

 

[kizerman]

Yellow sounds like the iron was back. What kind of sequestrant did you use after the AA treatment?

This isn't liner staining, it's water color. I've dealt with iron stains and AA treatments many times and know how they work and this is unrelated. I am sequestering with Jacks Pink.

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Is it clear green or cloudy green?

Have you been maintaining the proper level of sequestrant after the AA treatment?

Your FC is low for your CYA so it could be organic. I suggest you run an OCLT to be sure.

It is clear and green. The pool is only 6' deep but I can see the bottom clearly. I was thinking organic but I would have thought it would clear overnight, not get darker.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I gotta agree with JT. Sure sounds like metals. Are you sure you're maintaining enough sequestrant? I'd up the dose and see if it clears it up.

 

[kizerman]

I gotta agree with JT. Sure sounds like metals. Are you sure you're maintaining enough sequestrant? I'd up the dose and see if it clears it up.

I don't see how that can be the case. They would be re-depositing on the liner, not turning the water green. I've dealt with iron and iron stains in the past and have never seen anything like this. They never effect water color, just liner coloring.

 

[duraleigh]

They never effect water color, just liner coloring.

That's incorrect. My water has turned green from iron the last three season openings.

Your water has suspended iron precipitate in it. Yellow iron and blueish water result in a greenish tint.

I would suggest you work on eliminating the source of the iron and that would allow you to stop using sequestrant altogether.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Take a little stroll around the forum searching for metals in the water and you'll see some pictures of just how much it can turn the water green.

Just because it's not normal for you doesn't mean that it isn't the case.

 

[kizerman]

Take a little stroll around the forum searching for metals in the water and you'll see some pictures of just how much it can turn the water green.

Just because it's not normal for you doesn't mean that it isn't the case.

I'll take a look but can it really happen that fast, literally in a matter of hours? In the past when i didn't have enough sequesterant in the water, the stain would slowly redeposit on the liner over the course of weeks

If this is metals discoloring the water is drain and fill my only option at this point?

 

[kizerman]

Also, since the water is discolored, am I correct assuming that now is a good time to drain some of it out since the iron is in the water and not on the liner?

 

[duraleigh]

I'll take a look but can it really happen that fast, literally in a matter of hours?

Well, of course, I wouldn't say it if I didn't experience it. My water changes in 30 minutes.

If this is metals discoloring the water is drain and fill my only option at this point?

It's your BEST option if you refill with metal free water.

 

[kizerman]

That's incorrect. My water has turned green from iron the last three season openings.

Your water has suspended iron precipitate in it. Yellow iron and blueish water result in a greenish tint.

I would suggest you work on eliminating the source of the iron and that would allow you to stop using sequestrant altogether.

My problem is that I cannot identify the source of the iron. I have done a drain and fill in the past to lower a high cya and this did not remove the iron or it returned.

My best guess to the source is a concrete stain that my wife had done a few years back. I returned home from out of town to find that she had someone stain the concrete decking around the pool. They got some on the coping which leads me to believe that some probably got into the pool water as well. That's my best guess anyway.

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Well, of course, I wouldn't say it if I didn't experience it. My water changes in 30 minutes.

It's your BEST option if you refill with metal free water.

What is the source of iron in your pool?

 

[duraleigh]

What is the source of iron in your pool?

Fill water. Chances are above 95% that's your source, too, despite what test results you may have received.

 

[kizerman]

Fill water. Chances are above 95% that's your source, too, despite what test results you may have received.

That's interesting. I fill from the town water supply, do you? I thought this was a rare source of iron in pools, am I incorrect there?

 

[duraleigh]

I fill from my well. Probably much more rare in municipal sources.

You still sound unconvinced? Got any ideas what else might be causing it?

 

[Bama Rambler]

If you don't have one, you should get a water report from them. It is common for public water to have some iron in it. Some places are worse than others. Some places even have their water reports online.

 

[kizerman]

I fill from my well. Probably much more rare in municipal sources.

You still sound unconvinced? Got any ideas what else might be causing it?

No, I believe you are probably right in which case draining and filling will do me no good. So will more Jacks Pink solve this? What do you sequester yours with? Thanks for your help.

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If you don't have one, you should get a water report from them. It is common for public water to have some iron in it. Some places are worse than others. Some places even have their water reports online.

I do get a report from the town and I have looked at the iron content and thought there was little or none but I'm going to call and double check. Thank you.

 

[kizerman]

Just to update...I'm trusting the experts on this. I also read up a bit and it seems having very clear yet greenish/yellow water (what I have) is typical, however rare, of iron discoloration.

I dropped the ph down to 7.2 and added a bunch of Jack's Pink Stuff. Gonna let the pump run overnight and see what it looks like in the morning. Fingers crossed.

I'm also awaiting a copy of my towns water report to see if it is the source of the iron, however by all accounts, this seems to be an unlikely source, which will confuse me even more.

Thanks guys for the info and advice.

 

[kizerman]

Still green this morning. Could this be from my FC level still being very high from bringing it to shock level 36 hours ago?

I know if you bring up your FC level too fast during an AA treatment it will cause the iron stains to reappear.

 

[Bama Rambler]

It could be the high FC, if it's high enough.

What is the FC now?