What’s wrong with my pool?

[bls2019]

Let’s me start by saying this problem has plagued me since last season. Thought it was iron from reading forums here and the associated pictures. Had me convinced. Now I’m not sure what’s going on.

A little background. Purchased an Intex 22’ ultra frame/vinyl pool, leveled and laid sand, filled her up and was swimming shortly after. Water came out crystal clear from fill up (city water source). Halfway through last season, I started to get sediment on the bottom of the pool that continually got thicker and darker everytime I vacuumed it (to waste), which caused me top off with more city water. I have been using TFP from day one since I researched everything while waiting for the pool to be delivered.
I have pictures from last season when it was bad and then pictures from opening this season when the water came out tinged green. I have done everything except go to pool store for testing. I also had the city’s water report from 2018 attached to show a reading of .3 ppm copper. I have a CULator Ultra 4.0 in the pump as a last ditch effort and just did a citric acid treatment (1lb in 10k gallon) and brushed the liner to try to dissolve this whatever it is (thinking copper). David M at Periodic products is thinking o have copper, iron, AND possibly iron bacteria, in my water.

Main question since I’m not finding much when I search is how do I KILL this iron bacteria. Only thing I’ve found is for wells and involves a SLAM or using algaecide. Please help!! See attached pool readings.

 

[ajw22]

Iron-oxidizing bacteria - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

It does not look like you have brown slime from iron bacteria. Your pool looks good in the recent picture.

 

[bls2019]

After a few more hours of circulation the pool was indeed completely blue, yet slightly cloudy. I tested the water and besides eating all the chlorine and dropping pH .1 it stayed balanced. Added chlorine to get to my mark and barely made a dent. Using sequestrant today to keep copper at bay until hopefully the CULator does it’s job. If not then I’m ok adding sequestrant the rest of the season instead of vacuuming to waste every few days. There is some slight precipitation this morning but assuming that’s because I turned aeration back on overnight to raise pH and the chlorine did a little work as well. CC is still zero so I might chance not adding chlorine until after sequestrant is in water so I don’t have to start over. Water is freezing after the last few chilly nights and not truly concerned about algae at this moment. I will post pictures once I get Her back to her full glory, though I may need to rename my pool. Ironman doesn’t seem very fitting. Maybe lady liberty? ??

 

[JamesW]

It looks like mustard algae. I suspect that you probably have iron as well, which can make it somewhat confusing.

I would do a full SLAM to completely eradicate the mustard algae and then deal with any iron stains.

 

[bls2019]

It looks like mustard algae. I suspect that you probably have iron as well, which can make it somewhat confusing.

I would do a full SLAM to completely eradicate the mustard algae and then deal with any iron stains.

It completely went blue after a pound of citric acid with some residual cloudiness. As I’m adding chlorine back in, the tinge and sediment is coming back. I’m thinking copper unless citric acid kills mustard algae. Not sure since I’ve never had to SLAM except at opening the season because I’ve never had algae and I’m wondering if the high copper in the water had something to do with that since a lot of algaecides use copper? Idk

 

[bls2019]

Just wanted to update since I haven’t seen much about citric acid treatment (pool store out of AA) and read CA is better for copper. Ended up adding 1/4lb CA while pump was on recirculate, then another 1/4lb until water reached a nice blue color. Added my Jacks Blue and am at the 24 hour mark of starting CA treatment. Took me 6 doses (1.5lb) of CA to finally clear out all the copper in the water before adding the Jacks Blue and turning pump on filter. The attached pictures are numbered after each addition of CA and the final one is this morning after pump running for about 16 hours on filter after Jacks. Now I’m scared to start adjusting pH/Alk and adding chlorine. This pool has been nothing but trouble since mid season last year and not sure I can do anything about high copper with the local water company.

 

[Shirker]

Wow, that is quite a transformation!

not sure I can do anything about high copper with the local water company

I'm on well water with very high iron and we have iron eating bacteria. We installed an ion exchange iron filter for the house as well as a water softener a while back. That helps a lot but the bacteria still creates a bio film in our toilet tanks that I have to clean out regularly with bleach. I'm trying to add a little water from our well to the pool as possible. I have a cartridge filter that never needs back-washing and two rain barrels to collect roof runoff.

 

[bls2019]

We will be moving in a few years when the old man retires from military, so this is just my practice pool. As much as I’d love to install any kind of filter for the house/pool, it won’t pay off since we are moving soon. Once we do move and I get my unground pool, if needed there will be a house filter that has the capacity to fill a pool. Learning lessons as I go.