Copper stain? If so, how to remove.

[threelittlebirds]

Hi pool folks

Moved into a house in February with a pool. We had an inspection but know no history of the pool itself except it’s fairly older (some asbestos on the deck). Since February, I’ve been bringing in pool samples every week and cleaning and balancing the water myself (it’s pretty fun).

A few weeks ago I noticed these spots. I was told to do two tests:

1. Rub the stains with a chlorine tablet. If the stains are removed, then it’s algae. This didn’t work.

2. Rub the stains with a vitamin C tablet. If the stains are removed, then it’s a mineral stain. This didn’t work either.

I was then told to try with a hard brush and elbow grease to remove the stains—and we tried our hardest and it didn’t work. The only solution that we tested was with a power hose but that took the plaster off of a test area. Whoops!

So I took my handy GoPro and took some shots. I was then told these are copper stains caused by possibly copper pipes, possibly older plaster, possibly having a higher pH (at times getting to 8.0 but I mitigated quickly), and possibly because I’ve been filling our water with a hose.

So a few questions:
1. What do you think this stain is? Pic attached with hand for size reference. If the vitamin C tablet didn’t remove the stain, then what could it be??
2. If it is copper, are there any other reasons why I’d have copper aside from what’s listed above?
3. How do you remove copper? I was told to use No Metal or Leslie’s Scale and Stain Remover, add a culator (I already have a larger one in since March but they should be good for 6 months and it’s only been 4). By the way, does an auto filler help with not adding copper to the pool?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Vitamin C removes iron metal stains, not minerals.

Use Jack’s Stain ID Kit.

Sulfamic acid removes copper stains. Read Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

Copper is put in algaecides, mineral systems which are sometimes used, and other pool chemicals often saying “Blu” on the label, none of which we recommend using.

 

[Bperry]

View attachment 513766Hi pool folks

Moved into a house in February with a pool. We had an inspection but know no history of the pool itself except it’s fairly older (some asbestos on the deck). Since February, I’ve been bringing in pool samples every week and cleaning and balancing the water myself (it’s pretty fun).

A few weeks ago I noticed these spots. I was told to do two tests:

1. Rub the stains with a chlorine tablet. If the stains are removed, then it’s algae. This didn’t work.

2. Rub the stains with a vitamin C tablet. If the stains are removed, then it’s a mineral stain. This didn’t work either.

I was then told to try with a hard brush and elbow grease to remove the stains—and we tried our hardest and it didn’t work. The only solution that we tested was with a power hose but that took the plaster off of a test area. Whoops!

So I took my handy GoPro and took some shots. I was then told these are copper stains caused by possibly copper pipes, possibly older plaster, possibly having a higher pH (at times getting to 8.0 but I mitigated quickly), and possibly because I’ve been filling our water with a hose.

So a few questions:
1. What do you think this stain is? Pic attached with hand for size reference. If the vitamin C tablet didn’t remove the stain, then what could it be??
2. If it is copper, are there any other reasons why I’d have copper aside from what’s listed above?
3. How do you remove copper? I was told to use No Metal or Leslie’s Scale and Stain Remover, add a culator (I already have a larger one in since March but they should be good for 6 months and it’s only been 4). By the way, does an auto filler help with not adding copper to the pool?

Thanks in advance!

Quick tip to try and save you some grief. The pool store water testing and advice can be pretty awful. If they sold you a culator, you wasted your money. Did they give you a test report showing metals in the water?

Copper gets in the water lots of times using Clorox chlorine tablets or algaecides, not from municipal water supplies. The only way to get rid of copper is to drain it and replace with new water. You can get the stain ID kit mentioned above to help know for sure.

TFP won’t be able to give you much advice on water chemistry using pool store tests but would recommend you get one of the two recommended test kits so you can test yourself. The TF-100 is the best option.

 

[threelittlebirds]

Quick tip to try and save you some grief. The pool store water testing and advice can be pretty awful. If they sold you a culator, you wasted your money. Did they give you a test report showing metals in the water?

Copper gets in the water lots of times using Clorox chlorine tablets or algaecides, not from municipal water supplies. The only way to get rid of copper is to drain it and replace with new water. You can get the stain ID kit mentioned above to help know for sure.

TFP won’t be able to give you much advice on water chemistry using pool store tests but would recommend you get one of the two recommended test kits so you can test yourself. The TF-100 is the best option.

Thank you. Yes I’ll get the test kit. The pool store test said copper is 0.5ppm. A couple weeks ago it was .2ppm.

FWIW, Other problems were phosphates at 315ppb and pH at 7.9.

All in all, I’ll get the test kit. Draining the pool and adding water sounds pretty awful given the price of water where I live!

 

[threelittlebirds]

Welcome to TFP.

Vitamin C removes iron metal stains, not minerals.

Use Jack’s Stain ID Kit.

Sulfamic acid removes copper stains. Read Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

Copper is put in algaecides, mineral systems which are sometimes used, and other pool chemicals often saying “Blu” on the label, none of which we recommend using.

Good to know! Great information, thanks. I’ll check out the kit and the link you sent.

 

[Bperry]

Thank you. Yes I’ll get the test kit. The pool store test said copper is 0.5ppm. A couple weeks ago it was .2ppm.

FWIW, Other problems were phosphates at 315ppb and pH at 7.9.

All in all, I’ll get the test kit. Draining the pool and adding water sounds pretty awful given the price of water where I live!

The phosphate level of 315ppb is not a problem and neither is a pH of 7.9. Any pH starting with 7 is fine.

The phosphates aren’t a concern if your water is properly chlorinated. If you follow the TFP method you’ll not need to worry about them.

The pool store metals test is the only one TFP members might hesitatingly trust and 0.5ppm copper is at the high end of staining likelihood. But the stain ID kit would be worth trying to identify it. Maybe it’s not copper and if copper really is down to 0.2, maybe no need to drain it.

 

[ajw22]

FWIW, Other problems were phosphates at 315ppb and pH at 7.9.

And who told you those were problems?

Pool Store advice is often not in the customers best interests.

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[JamesW]

A few weeks ago I noticed these spots.

Which spots are you referring to?

I see some spots that looks like rust from something dropped in the pool.

Iron stains from iron in the water are normally widely distributed.

The brown stains look like something from iron pieces dropped in the pool and allowed to sit.

Maybe some work was done to get the property ready for sale as is common.

Maybe roofing or other work that dropped metal pieces into the pool and the pieces were not cleaned out right away.

Iron stains from metal pieces tend to penetrate deeper into the plaster than iron stains from iron in the water and they do not resolve as easily as more superficial iron stains.

Try leaving ascorbic acid on the stains longer.

You also have some bluish stains but nothing that looks definitely like copper.

Can you pull the filter cartridges and show them before and after cleaning?

Can you show the whole pool and the system?

 

[threelittlebirds]

And who told you those were problems?

Pool Store advice is often not in the customers best interests.

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

“Problems” meaning the pool store test highlighted those and suggested methods to get them within their ideal range. Ie add No Metal, Muriatic acid, and No Phos.

I normally take their advice with a grain of salt and input results in the Orenda app. I rarely follow their advice but utilize their testing services weekly.

 

[JamesW]

Stain ID Kit | Jacks Magic

jacksmagic.com

 

[ajw22]

“Problems” meaning the pool store test highlighted those and suggested methods to get them within their ideal range. Ie add No Metal, Muriatic acid, and No Phos.

We only recommend using Muriatic Acid.

Recommended Pool Chemicals

Which should I buy? TFP's recommended pool chemicals are cheap, easy, and won't unbalance your pool water.

www.troublefreepool.com

Non-Recommended Pool Chemicals

These pool chemicals should not be added to your pool. Save your money and frustration and avoid these chemicals!

www.troublefreepool.com

I normally take their advice with a grain of salt and input results in the Orenda app. I rarely follow their advice but utilize their testing services weekly.

I suggest you adopt TFPC and do not try and mix pool are methods.

Pool Care Basics Archives

Your one-stop shop for all things TFP to include: ABCs of Water Chemistry, Recommended Chemicals/Levels, Test Kits, Troubleshooting, and much more!

www.troublefreepool.com

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