Vitamin C Tablets with zinc ...

[BassPlayingDude]

My coupon wizard wife got 2 bottles of vitamin C tablets for free, one with zinc and one without. I put the non-zinc tablets into a tube sock, hit it with a hammer a few times and put it on some stained areas at the bottom of our pool. The results were amazing! My question is, is it ok to also use the tablets with zinc? Will a slight amount of zinc in the water hurt anything?

 

[Richard320]

Zinc may leave metal stains. Isn't that what you're trying to remove?

 

[BassPlayingDude]

Yup .. that's why I asked. Ok .. so the zinc containing vitamin C tabs are a no-go?

 

[Richard320]

Yup .. that's why I asked. Ok .. so the zinc containing vitamin C tabs are a no-go?

I wouldn't put 'em in my pool. Basic rule of thumb here: never add anything to your pool unless you know exactly what it is and what it's going to do.

 

[BassPlayingDude]

So this is bad advice?

http://www.poolspanews.com/facilities/maintenance/solving-stains_o

"[FONT=&quot]However, the addition of zinc in these types of systems can prevent corrosion and stop staining. Zinc is very low on the galvanic chart, and is one of the most anodic metals found. In salt chlorine pools, zinc can be added as a solid weight into the skimmer or attached in the circulation system. This slows or stops the corrosion of copper."[/FONT]

 

[Richard320]

So this is bad advice?

http://www.poolspanews.com/facilities/maintenance/solving-stains_o

"[FONT="]However, the addition of zinc in these types of systems can prevent corrosion and stop staining. Zinc is very low on the galvanic chart, and is one of the most anodic metals found. In salt chlorine pools, zinc can be added as a solid weight into the skimmer or attached in the circulation system. This slows or stops the corrosion of copper."[/FONT]

I don't know. I'm not a chemist. All I know is I don't want metals in my pool and since I don't know if those tablets will stain or not, I wouldn't use them.

I nominate you to be our guinea pig. Let us know.

 

[BassPlayingDude]

I'm going to go for it. I guess the worst case scenario is I have to use more Vitamin C. Planning on using a sequestrant once the stains are lifted anyway. Thanks!

 

[cfherrman]

A zinc anode should be installed outside the pool in constantly wet soil and hooked (I think) to the bonding grid.

Some searching and you will find what you need

 

[BassPlayingDude]

Awesome amigo. I will check it out. I think the staining was a one-time thing, more from stuff coming through my mesh cover than a metals problem in the water. We shall see. The vitamin C worked like a CHAMP! It even took off some stains that I didn't put the sock directly on. The stains first turned black ( which freaked me out because it looked worse than the original) then faded within 2 hours.

 

[BassPlayingDude]

Before:


After:

That ascorbic acid did eat some cholorine though, so keep that in mind if you do this. I had to add twice as much as usual to get to my 8ppm target.

Neutralization of Chlorine by Ascorbic Acid: https://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/html/05231301/05231301.html