New pool owner needing help. 13,000 gallon gunnite saltwater pool, filled with city water. I'm right at a year of pool ownership and have always had crystal clear water. Parameters are typically spot on but anytime there's been a minor issue, it was low chlorine or high PH and I would remedy that. Not sure if this was the cause, but I shocked the pool a couple months back and within a day or two I noticed some brown streaky stains. I tried to rub some Vitamin C on a stain on the swim deck, to no avail (rubbed a couple tablets pinched between fingers on stain till tablet was gone). Would that have been enough time? I've also tried rubbing a chlorine tablet on it... That did nothing at all. At worst, PH was arguably a little high (8.0) when I shocked it. Any advice? Thank you in advance!
Brown streaky stains?
- Thread starter KingArthur
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,837
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Welcome to TFP! 
If a chlorine tablet and Vitamin C tablet did nothing, I would be concerned about scale, especially since your pH has been a bit high at times. How are you testing the water? Can you provide a full set of water test results?
Also see ----> Pool Care Basics
If a chlorine tablet and Vitamin C tablet did nothing, I would be concerned about scale, especially since your pH has been a bit high at times. How are you testing the water? Can you provide a full set of water test results?Also see ----> Pool Care Basics
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,837
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
I appreciate the reply! I use test strips daily and take water in to have it tested bi-weekly. I have not removed the SWG since it was installed last year, but can pull it later today. I'll also get the water tested as well and post accurate readings. Those stains pretty much showed up overnight. You can only see them when it's not sunny... If the sun's out, pool looks sparkling clean.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,837
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
That's odd.
Be advised we really encourage owners to test their own water. Test strips are horrible and free local store testing (or advice) not much better. It's in your best interest overall. The link below may help.
Swimming Pool Test Kits Compared
What pool test kit should I buy? Why not use test strips? Our recommended test kits will pay for themselves in no time!
www.troublefreepool.com
Why did you "shock"?.........was it because of the stains. they are VERY hard to see in your pics.
Can you post current test results?
Can you post current test results?
Thanks for that, I'll look into the link you posted.That's odd.
Be advised we really encourage owners to test their own water. Test strips are horrible and free local store testing (or advice) not much better. It's in your best interest overall. The link below may help.
Swimming Pool Test Kits Compared
What pool test kit should I buy? Why not use test strips? Our recommended test kits will pay for themselves in no time!
I'll post current test results as soon as I can get by the pool store, likely won't be till tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll look into the link Texas Splash shared. I shocked it when I was getting it ready for swim season. Those stains weren't there before that and haven't gotten worse. They stick out like a sore thumb when it's overcast outside. In my pic #11323 you can see where the jet is blowing and the same brown staining is at the outside edge of the flow pattern.
Here's the water test results from pool store. I'm about to put in some muriatic acid and have the salt to add as well.
FC- 1.64
TC- 1.76
PH- 8.2
CH- 200
TA- 153
CYA- 50
COPPER - 0
IRON- 0
SALT- 2600
FC- 1.64
TC- 1.76
PH- 8.2
CH- 200
TA- 153
CYA- 50
COPPER - 0
IRON- 0
SALT- 2600
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,837
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
So by now you know we really frown on pool store testing due to inconsistencies, but let's assume for a moment those numbers are close. Here's what I would say:
- FC is much too low and you're open to organic staining or algae. The FC should always be balanced to the CYA as noted on the FC/CYA Levels.
- PH too high; I think you are addressing that already.
- TA a bit elevated, but with consistent pH control (acid) the TA should fall as well.
- CH low. A minimum of 250 is needed, 350 recommended.
- CYA a bit low for a salt pool. TFP recommends a CYA of 70 to help preserve the FC created by the cell.
Take this feedback and info only as we always encourage you to test your own water with a TF-Series test kit (or Taylor K-2006C). Do that first and then adjust the levels. Hope that helps.
- FC is much too low and you're open to organic staining or algae. The FC should always be balanced to the CYA as noted on the FC/CYA Levels.
- PH too high; I think you are addressing that already.
- TA a bit elevated, but with consistent pH control (acid) the TA should fall as well.
- CH low. A minimum of 250 is needed, 350 recommended.
- CYA a bit low for a salt pool. TFP recommends a CYA of 70 to help preserve the FC created by the cell.
Take this feedback and info only as we always encourage you to test your own water with a TF-Series test kit (or Taylor K-2006C). Do that first and then adjust the levels. Hope that helps.
Identify the stain as organic (see if a tri-chlor puck lightens it) or inorganic (crushed vitamin C tabs will lighten it) and report what you find.
It sounds like calcium scale but that's a wild-*** guess.
It sounds like calcium scale but that's a wild-*** guess.
I appreciate the responses. Ordered a TF-100 kit so I'll recheck parameters when it arrives. In terms of the staining, if it's calcium scale, how does one get rid of that? I've tried the puck and vitamin C (assuming that I tried looking enough).
Autocorrect, rubbing not looking. That is correct though, no affect.
Last edited:
Negative, autocorrect changed the word rubbing to looking. Neither rubbing the chlorine puck nor vitamin C powder had any affect on the stain. That's assuming I rubbed the stain long enough? Is there a minimum amount of time it should take to remove the stain?
Test results using K2006 kit:
PH- 7.4
TA- 150
CH- 210
CYA- 47
FC- 5.0
CC- 0
SALT- 2800
PH- 7.4
TA- 150
CH- 210
CYA- 47
FC- 5.0
CC- 0
SALT- 2800