Please help me diagnose this! Pink bacteria

[ghoover522]

Can anyone tell me what is growing on the skimmer area and the baskets. This happened at a time that the pool chlorine dropped to 2ppm. I have ordered some PhosFree that I will try out. I have a high iron issue in the water as well that results in constant re staining of my steps. I have been using The Pink Stuff for the metal staining on a weekly basis.

Pool is Vinyl Chlorine 16,000 gallons. DE Filter and Hayward chlorinator.

My latest test is below using the kit purchased on this site:
7/19/22
Ph 7.5
Calcium 120ppm
Free chlorine 6.5ppm
Chloramines 0ppm
Total chlorine 6.5ppm
Alkalinity 120ppm

 

[Shirker]

I have ordered some PhosFree that I will try out.

You most likely do not need this.

I have a high iron issue in the water as well that results in constant re staining of my steps.

There are lots of great article/posts here about treating iron stains.

Can anyone tell me what is growing on the skimmer area and the baskets.

While this could be some sort of bacteria bio film, it doesn't really look like it to me. Does it feel slippery? Does it wipe away easily?

My latest test is below using the kit purchased on this site:
7/19/22
Ph 7.5
Calcium 120ppm
Free chlorine 6.5ppm
Chloramines 0ppm
Total chlorine 6.5ppm
Alkalinity 120ppm

Having your own kit puts you well ahead on this. What is your CYA level? Knowing your chlorine level is great, but it does not tell the whole story without knowing CYA.

 

[Shirker]

I have been using The Pink Stuff for the metal staining on a weekly basis.

After a little Googling, this is now my suspect #1. You are using this product because of rust/iron stains? If so, that is a lot of work! I would focus on reducing the iron, then very carefully keep an eye on your ph and chlorine levels. Swings in ph and fc can cause iron to come out of solution. That is when staining occurs.

 

[anthonypool89]

what is growing on the skimmer area and the baskets.

I'd say that's pink slime...as you referred to in the thread title. Bacteria. I've seen that stuff lots of times - can be a fairly common issue with baqua pools especially.

 

[SoDel]

I agree with @anthonypool89 . I had a home on a well years ago. Iron content was high. Got the pink, iron eating bacteria on anything the water sat in.

Iron-oxidizing bacteria - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

As @Shirker asked, what is your CYA level?

 

[ghoover522]

I will get a CYA test done at the pool store. My latest test result using the TFP kit with the tube and black dot came back at 60ppm

 

[ghoover522]

@Shirker I have been unable to remove the iron from the water. It has entered from some fertilizer I am sure. The fill water has no iron, there is no iron products in the pool. The heater is copper core. I am about to drain the pool down to about 3,000 gallons and refill.

 

[Shirker]

It has entered from some fertilizer I am sure. The fill water has no iron

Are you sure it is iron? There is an citric/ascorbic acid test that might help prove it one way or another.

This is one of the very few times it might be good to go to the pool store for water testing.

 

[ghoover522]

It is 100% iron. I did the testing last year and this year. It is iron.

 

[ghoover522]

Here's an update with more pictures.

 

[Mdragger88]

I will get a CYA test done at the pool store. My latest test result using the TFP kit with the tube and black dot came back at 60ppm

The cya test is the one the pool stores get wrong more than right. Trust your testing.
Do all your tests with your own kit & post the results - results from a week or more ago really aren’t that helpful .
Also - if u want to rule out organics do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test
Iron can be dealt with if it causes problems when the fc level is increased.
Sanitation is priority .

If you’ve got iron in your fill water, use Polyfill to remove it

EDIT: Found out this method only works if your iron is oxidized already, meaning it’s got a dull or bright green tint to the water, or a nasty brown tint. If you know you have iron in your fill water, but it isn’t oxidized yet, bring your pool to shock level and it’ll turn the telltale green...

www.google.com

 

[ghoover522]

7/29/22
Ph 7.5
Calcium 300ppm
Free chlorine 1ppm
Chloramines 1ppm
Total chlorine 2ppm
Alkalinity 80ppm
Cya: 50ppm

 

[jeffchap]

Your FC is way too low. The bare minimum for CYA of 50 is 4 ppm.

You need to SLAM Process that pool and then maintain FC above 4 ppm at all times.

 

[ghoover522]

The Chlorine was at 4-5ppm but I did add in some Pink Stuff and about 1/4lb of Abscorbic acid to lift some terrible staining that has happened. The Chlorine will recovery to 3-4ppm by today or tomorrow.

 

[Shirker]

I would try to solve just one issue at a time for right now. Too many variables are changing. I suspect the "pink stuff" might be part of the problem.

 

[Mdragger88]

At the very least Raise fc to Target for your cya 6-8ppm with liquid chlorine ASAP
FC/CYA Levels
Tonight do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to rule out algae / organics
If u pass —> maintain the fc properly & deal with the iron
If u fail —> SLAM Process
& then deal with iron

Iron Fill Water Filter - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Or just proceed to SLAM being as your cc’s are elevated.
Sanitation 1st
Iron - after

 

[ghoover522]

I think I am going to drain the pool down to a few thousand gallons to take care of this iron that will not come out of the water and the high phosphates (1,200). From there, I am going to put new elements in teh FNS plus 36 because my current grids are from 2014. Then from there I can chlorinate and water and maintain. I am at a loss with the staining. I cannot have my pool appear to be stained. So plan would be lift stains with Abscorbic acid and then immediately drain the pool

 

[Mdragger88]

Can u take pics of the stains? The other pics look like pink slime/bacteria not metal stains.
Understand that even if u exchange some water to dilute the iron you will still need to do the SLAM Process to eradicate the pink slime.
Also Do u use a cover on this pool?

 

[Shirker]

If water is cheap in your area, no big deal. But I'm not convinced it is necessary. Look at mdragger88's recommendation from Saturday. Focus on one thing at a time. I fear anything else is just going to cost you time and money.

 

[PoolStored]

I think I am going to drain the pool down to a few thousand gallons

I would not recommend this solution. Vinyl liner pools should not be drained below leaving 12-18” of water in the shallow end. The liner can shift and get destroyed.

More reading:

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com