Help with rust looking stains

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ScoobyDoo

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Jul 14, 2012
11
Bakersfield, CA
Tried a quick search but this topic is so varied. I have rust looking stains appearing at the bottom of my plastered pool. Not on the walls, just the bottom in random places. I put some vitamin C tablets on one of the stains and it actually turned darker! I jumped in my cold pool and attempted to wire brush it to no avail. I tried pouring bleach on a rag and holding it on the stain. Nothing.

I should add that I had something similar happen to me last year around this time. I didn't do anything and they ended up disappearing. But this year, there are many more stains.

What now? These are really ugly.

My FC is 6 ppm, pH was at 8, I've added some acid to bring back down and haven't retested. Alkalinity is 70 ppm.
 

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No sir. I've been a BBB guy since we got the pool (only 2 years old). I did take a sample of water to Leslie's to test for metals and they didn't find any for what that's worth. Is there something I can do to test if the stain is copper? I'm not sure where the copper would have come from.

Also - I did introduce borates last season using the 20 Mule Borax addition. Don't think that's related but its part of my pool chemistry.
 
I did some additional research on the site. I'm going to pick up some dry acid and try putting it on the stain. I understand that is the method for Cu testing. If that doesn't work, I'll pick up a Jack's Magic test kit and go thru it for identifying what the stain is.

If I'm on the wrong path, please let me know.
 
Is there a chance that the rebar in the concrete behind the plaster is not embedded deep enough and it is being wetted by pool water through the surface and rusting the rebar?

I don't have any knowledge of the pool build or much knowledge on how pools are built or otherwise but if it's just on the bottom, perhaps when the pool was built, the rebar/steel framework was not deep enough in the concrete or rose prior to fully curing?
 
I'm sure I'm just projecting my problems, but that spot looks like the stains I sometimes get from oak pollen. Or something related to those oak flowers falling in the pool. I'm never exactly sure why sometimes they stain and sometimes they don't. They form very fast and take a week to fade away. I have a bunch right now as our trees are at maximum flower dumping. I haven't tried putting trichlor on them, because I already know they're organic.
 
I dunno. I had this issue last year and the stains went away on their own. I would not believe its rebar but never know......

As far as trees, I have the pool surrounded by Queen Palms and Birds of Paradise. Don't think anything is from that. But again nothing for sure.

I did the dry acid trick. It is picking up the stain. Makes me wonder if I let the pH drift too high and that precipitates these stains.
 
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