I took water sample to pool store , after test had a high copper 2.0ppm reading, found stains on parts of liner looking like stained drywall after water ran down it long and rough pattern, dark and lighter in and out, nothing like pictures on the web, The iron test reading was 0, the PH was low 6.8 ppm, TA was low got everything up to par, PH 7.4 , TA 60-80 ppm, salt 3600. Now looking at internet for removal of copper stains it tells me to drop all these setting, and try dry acid to remove these stains, but I thought the acid that was from improper PH TA and CYA causing the copper to come the pool heater heat exchanger, Right now I have a Culater and metal free sequester in the pool. The reason I'm asking whats next is because all I see on the internet is from 2013 or earlier and min. on copper stains most all about iron stains. Please advice me the best to way remove from vinyl liner, Stains 8-10 about 6 ins. wide by 1 to 3 ft. long, any spot treatments as to whole 18 by 36' ? need all help I can get. Thanks,
Copper staining on IG liner
- Thread starter Tdraym
- Start date
Read this article about stains in pools, the last section is about copper staining. Basically try using the dry acid, placed in a sock and hold it against the stain to lift it off.
Yes, pH below 7.0 for a sustained period of time will dissolve copper from a copper heat exchanger or copper pipes. The same low pH can also sometimes remove copper stains from pool surfaces, sometimes not. If you have a heater with a copper heat exchanger it is best to bypass the heater when pH is below 7.2. It can be difficult or sometimes impossible to remove copper stains from pool surfaces. I would try Proteam Metal Magic first to see if can lift the stain and sequester the copper. Then dry acid second. You will have to add sequestrant regularly because it will break down over time. The copper will not leave the pool until you drain the pool and add new copper free water.
I got the PH,TA,CYA and chlorine to the setting recommended to use a stain remover for copper stains, also used a metal remover (sequester) followed all directions, run pump, flush filter and so on. I see the stains have lightened up and removed about 1/2 of the darkness, but the outline is also still there. So What next? Right now I got all readings PH, TA, CYA, and increasing chlorine slowly as was told to. So if I want to get the rest of the stain out, Should I increase the amount of remover? I used 1 quart for the 21400 gal. pool as the instructions said. I seen the most action in less then 8 hours then almost no more change letting it work over 48 hrs. before cleaning filter. So is there one better than the other and let run in system longer? remember I don't have a way to bypass the heater so to low of PH and to high of acid can do more harm to heater, and all on salt system, the dry acid lowers the PH correct? Any more info Please, Thanks
Yes, to remove more stain use more stain remover. Definitely keep your pH at 7.0 or higher to protect the heater. Proteam metal magic is a popular sequestrant and stain remover. Be sure to keep FC at minimum or higher to avoid algae, [FC/CYA][/FC/CYA]
If you have the source of copper in the water identified and can be reasonably sure the heat exchanger won't leech any more copper into the water, once the stains are removed you should drain the water and replace it with copper free water if possible. That should remove enough copper to prevent the stains from returning. Since you have a liner pool you should never drain 100% of the water, so if you would like to do a partial drain and refill after the stains have been removed we can guide you through that process.