I have never had to use well water to fill a pool before and was unaware of all the issues associated with using a well. I have attached pictures to illustrate my point later but the summary is I need advice on how to proceed from this point. Everything I am currently doing seems to help but only marginally. I filled my pool and noticed a brown tint to the water. My wife and I did some research and discovered it was iron in the water. As we were unprepared for this we decided to empty the pool to start over. I stopped draining it around a foot deep and wanted to see if brushing and vacuuming would help. That was five days ago and my pool still looks like the pictures. The brown comes off when I go to brush it but it seems like the vacuum is having minimal effect. Should I drain it completely and hand clean everything (using Vitamin C or other suggested cleaning methods) or should I continue what I am doing until I get it all out? The first image is what happens after I brush and the second image is how it looks after everything I have brushed settles (usually in between changing out brush and vacuum).
First time with well water, need advice on how to proceed
- Thread starter Gromph
- Start date
Hi, welcome to TFP! Is this sediment coming into the pool from the well water? Do you have another source of water you can use to fill the pool? What kind of filter and vacuum do you have?
That almost looks like sediment being dredged up from pulling too much water from well too long.
The brown yellow ting to the water is Def iron. Once chlorine is added the water may actually turn brown as it reacts with the iron. Unless you have a different fill source like city water then you just have to fill it up and then work with it. You can buy filters that screw into the end of the hose the trap the silt and sediment.
As for the iron in the water, you have to get a product called metal out or some other brand of a metal sequesterant. It suspends the iron in the water and will help it get filtered out. Also an old t-shirt in the skimmer, if have one on your pool, will help filter out the iron faster. A sand filter will usually do a good job of pulling out the iron but it will take a little while. It'll also make vacuuming up dirt off the bottom a breeze. Those cartridge filters that come with pop pools aren't the greatest at catching fine silt.
Our previous pool we filled off our well and we battled the brownish yellow nasty iron laden water for 6yrs. It cleared and looked good but if we didn't stay on top of adding the sequesterant we would start to get staining on the liner and steps. Any top offs or water additions meant more chemicals to prevent the fall out.
It can be done and maintained but it is definitely a continuous process when the fill water is full of metals.
The brown yellow ting to the water is Def iron. Once chlorine is added the water may actually turn brown as it reacts with the iron. Unless you have a different fill source like city water then you just have to fill it up and then work with it. You can buy filters that screw into the end of the hose the trap the silt and sediment.
As for the iron in the water, you have to get a product called metal out or some other brand of a metal sequesterant. It suspends the iron in the water and will help it get filtered out. Also an old t-shirt in the skimmer, if have one on your pool, will help filter out the iron faster. A sand filter will usually do a good job of pulling out the iron but it will take a little while. It'll also make vacuuming up dirt off the bottom a breeze. Those cartridge filters that come with pop pools aren't the greatest at catching fine silt.
Our previous pool we filled off our well and we battled the brownish yellow nasty iron laden water for 6yrs. It cleared and looked good but if we didn't stay on top of adding the sequesterant we would start to get staining on the liner and steps. Any top offs or water additions meant more chemicals to prevent the fall out.
It can be done and maintained but it is definitely a continuous process when the fill water is full of metals.
I guess I’ve been lucky with my high iron well water. I add chlorine, it oxidizes the iron (turns water a nasty brown/orange) but filters out with the sand filter running a few days.
I do try to minimize the iron by filling with softened water (have to stop and recharge the softener several times during the initial fill)
I do try to minimize the iron by filling with softened water (have to stop and recharge the softener several times during the initial fill)
Thank you to those that responded.
to Zea3: I have just the basic intex filter with cartridge and it is sediment/iron from the well. The brush I’m using seems to get the spots off the vinyl but ends up turning it into little “balls” that my Kokido vacuum (attaches to the end of a telepole) sometimes picks up.
I have not added chlorine as I read conflicting information on its reaction to iron and whether it was a good or bad thing.
The plan is to start over, clean the vinyl (with vitamin c or other cleaning agents, not sure which at the moment) and to filter the water coming from the garden hose on the second fill up. After that, we were planing on dealing with the remaining sediment/iron as best we could. I am unsure if that should be our goal, which is why I wanted to get peoples opinion here.
- - - Updated - - -
Thank you to those that responded.
to Zea3: I have just the basic intex filter with cartridge and it is sediment/iron from the well. The brush I’m using seems to get the spots off the vinyl but ends up turning it into little “balls” that my Kokido vacuum (attaches to the end of a telepole) sometimes picks up.
I have not added chlorine as I read conflicting information on its reaction to iron and whether it was a good or bad thing.
The plan is to start over, clean the vinyl (with vitamin c or other cleaning agents, not sure which at the moment) and to filter the water coming from the garden hose on the second fill up. After that, we were planing on dealing with the remaining sediment/iron as best we could. I am unsure if that should be our goal, which is why I wanted to get peoples opinion here.
to Zea3: I have just the basic intex filter with cartridge and it is sediment/iron from the well. The brush I’m using seems to get the spots off the vinyl but ends up turning it into little “balls” that my Kokido vacuum (attaches to the end of a telepole) sometimes picks up.
I have not added chlorine as I read conflicting information on its reaction to iron and whether it was a good or bad thing.
The plan is to start over, clean the vinyl (with vitamin c or other cleaning agents, not sure which at the moment) and to filter the water coming from the garden hose on the second fill up. After that, we were planing on dealing with the remaining sediment/iron as best we could. I am unsure if that should be our goal, which is why I wanted to get peoples opinion here.
- - - Updated - - -
Thank you to those that responded.
to Zea3: I have just the basic intex filter with cartridge and it is sediment/iron from the well. The brush I’m using seems to get the spots off the vinyl but ends up turning it into little “balls” that my Kokido vacuum (attaches to the end of a telepole) sometimes picks up.
I have not added chlorine as I read conflicting information on its reaction to iron and whether it was a good or bad thing.
The plan is to start over, clean the vinyl (with vitamin c or other cleaning agents, not sure which at the moment) and to filter the water coming from the garden hose on the second fill up. After that, we were planing on dealing with the remaining sediment/iron as best we could. I am unsure if that should be our goal, which is why I wanted to get peoples opinion here.
This is us too. Except we need the 5 gallon bucket filter to help get the oxidized iron out.
We get our top off water from mother nature. Were lucky to have only needed a top off once or twice in 3 years. Today might be our third time. I have a house prefilter, but it's pretty much useless.
For us, this is an easy and cheap solution.
johnnysnok
Well-known member
Add a chelating (sequestering) agent, to your pool water to help clump the dissolved metals together. A chelating agent is a chemical compound that reacts with other elements to form more stable complex molecules. Then remove the clumps of metals from your pool with a pool vacuum.
Amazon and most pool stores have different brands. One brand is called metal out. I had the same problem years ago and used a chelating agent and it worked well!! It kind of clumps up all of the iron together and I did not drain my pool to use it.
Amazon and most pool stores have different brands. One brand is called metal out. I had the same problem years ago and used a chelating agent and it worked well!! It kind of clumps up all of the iron together and I did not drain my pool to use it.
Sequestrant keeps the metals in solution, it doesn't allow the metal to filter out. When the metals stay in solution they are prevented from staining surfaces and discoloring the water. Additional sequestrant needs to be added throughout the swim season as it breaks down over time and loses effectiveness if not replenished.
You can proceed one of two ways. You can refill the pool and add sequestrant, Metal Magic is a good one, then add chlorine and balance the pool. The second option is to refill the pool, add chlorine and filter out the rust that forms when the iron drops out of solution. The diy bucket filter works well in this situation, but it takes a few days to filter everything out. Once the rust is gone balance the water. This video show how to make a diy bucket filter How to get rust out of pool water - The easy way - No more brown water! - No more red water! - YouTube
You can proceed one of two ways. You can refill the pool and add sequestrant, Metal Magic is a good one, then add chlorine and balance the pool. The second option is to refill the pool, add chlorine and filter out the rust that forms when the iron drops out of solution. The diy bucket filter works well in this situation, but it takes a few days to filter everything out. Once the rust is gone balance the water. This video show how to make a diy bucket filter How to get rust out of pool water - The easy way - No more brown water! - No more red water! - YouTube
Since your just using the basic cartrage filter go out and grab yourself a few more filters. This way you can swap them out a couple times a day when trying to filter out the iron. Rince them and have them ready for the next swap. After you are done you can use a chemical filter cleaner and clean them up and have them for when you need to do a filter swap..
Thank you again to everyone who responded!
To give everyone an update, my wife and I drained the pool, cleaned it really well and began refilling this afternoon. The pictures below illustrate what is happening. I went out and bought two whole house filter housings with a 5 micron filter cartridge per housing. The idea was to get as much contaminates out as possible. I am assuming that the brown water is from metal (iron) in the water that has not been oxidized and therefore the cartridges cannot catch it. Zea3, you mentioned that adding the sequestrent is one route, would it be better, based on the pictures, for me to finish the fill up and do the diy bucket solution? I'm not sure what is happening to the water which is why I'm confused as to how to proceed...
Also, it wouldn't let me post it because I exceeded the limit but the water is sort of staining the vinyl the same color (it is splashing off the step because I have the filters resting on the ladder).
To give everyone an update, my wife and I drained the pool, cleaned it really well and began refilling this afternoon. The pictures below illustrate what is happening. I went out and bought two whole house filter housings with a 5 micron filter cartridge per housing. The idea was to get as much contaminates out as possible. I am assuming that the brown water is from metal (iron) in the water that has not been oxidized and therefore the cartridges cannot catch it. Zea3, you mentioned that adding the sequestrent is one route, would it be better, based on the pictures, for me to finish the fill up and do the diy bucket solution? I'm not sure what is happening to the water which is why I'm confused as to how to proceed...
Also, it wouldn't let me post it because I exceeded the limit but the water is sort of staining the vinyl the same color (it is splashing off the step because I have the filters resting on the ladder).
I would try the bucket filter. Its not real expensive to set up and you can rinse out and reuse the polyfil in the bucket.
- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
My well has high iron in it and I was able to successfully remove the iron from the pool using polyfill, and I just helped another guy on the forum remove iron from his pool as well. Check out the link in my signature about it. Also, if you ever have to refill your pool, try to fill for a couple hours, then stop for a couple hours, and keep repeating that. This helps to keep your well from draining to low and, in my experience, reduces the sediment and iron that you pull out of the well.
Some or that could still be very fine sediment particulate passing the filter too. But you definitely do have iron!!
Just have to continue filling so you can start filtering out the iron. The bleach /chlorine will cause a lot to oxidize and fall out of suspension and end up on the bottom. Definitely get the filter bucket materials all rounded up now and get it set up to start helping to pull all that out. The longer it stays unaddressed it is going to continue to stain everything.
Just have to continue filling so you can start filtering out the iron. The bleach /chlorine will cause a lot to oxidize and fall out of suspension and end up on the bottom. Definitely get the filter bucket materials all rounded up now and get it set up to start helping to pull all that out. The longer it stays unaddressed it is going to continue to stain everything.
Is that a well that is used or just used occasionally? id be concerned if that was a daily use well for your home... You can do one of the suggestions above to fill and shut off water to let well recover or turn the water flow down. May take a few days to fill but will get less contaminates. The well i was using sat all year and i would just use it for filling the pool. After the first year i would let the hose run at a slow but steady flow over night for a couple of nights to flush the well.. Made a huge difference the more i used prior to filling the less contaminants i would get. My water would never turn purple, or brown until i added chlorine kids used to love the purple water..LOL
- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Man I'd be nervous about getting in that, lol.Lol.. can't remember what mineral caused that one.... at least I did not come out stained purple
- May 3, 2014
- 58,792
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Purple in the pool water world is related to Copper Cyanurate. Not sure why that would be in a well.
- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
Maybe if they had old copper pipes instead of PVC and a lot of copper was leeching into the water, plus they chlorinated with tabs all summer and their CYA was sky high. Might be enough to create enough copper cyanurate, though they would probably have already had a lot of issues with that much copper.
Looks like a dark purple could also be a lot of manganese.
Thank you again for the advice and responses, it has been a tremendous help.
I have now run into greenish blue water (picture below). I have small amounts of sediment on the bottom of the pool that I have been brushing/vacuuming up so I believe I have most of the iron (unless told otherwise based on the picture) out of the pool. My question is, once again, how do I proceed? It looks like I now need to start balancing my pool chemistry but I do not want to prematurely start doing that only to possibly have to deal with iron in a couple days. Should I keep running the bucket and hope it clears up or should I stop the bucket and start balancing chemistry and let the sequestraint do the rest of the work on any potential fragments of iron? Thank you again for all of your help and advice.
I have now run into greenish blue water (picture below). I have small amounts of sediment on the bottom of the pool that I have been brushing/vacuuming up so I believe I have most of the iron (unless told otherwise based on the picture) out of the pool. My question is, once again, how do I proceed? It looks like I now need to start balancing my pool chemistry but I do not want to prematurely start doing that only to possibly have to deal with iron in a couple days. Should I keep running the bucket and hope it clears up or should I stop the bucket and start balancing chemistry and let the sequestraint do the rest of the work on any potential fragments of iron? Thank you again for all of your help and advice.
- Jun 22, 2017
- 861
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45
You should be able to balance your pool and run the bucket at the same time. I tested my water before filtering with polyfill in a bucket and tested afterwards again. I didn't notice any decrease in any of the tests, so filtering shouldn't hurt you balancing.
Sorry but I don't remember, do you have a recommended testing it yet? If you're confused by any of the tests, or just want more thorough instructions, read the link in my signature about extended test directions.
Speaking of signatures, can you add one that contains information about your pool?
Sorry but I don't remember, do you have a recommended testing it yet? If you're confused by any of the tests, or just want more thorough instructions, read the link in my signature about extended test directions.
Speaking of signatures, can you add one that contains information about your pool?