Stain on Skimmer

[ald2002]

Hi there! Hope I am posting in the right place. I noticed an orange stain on the bottom of my skimmer (see photos). Any idea what it can be? Thank you.

 

[needsajet]

I'd be fairly certain that's an iron stain. Try pulverising around 10 plain vitamin C tablets and putting the powder in an old sock. Use that sock to hold the vitamin C against the stain and see if it lessens.

It may be fairly easy to take the weir out of the skimmer. If so, you can do the same thing outside the pool water.

I have an iron issue in mine. I bought some ascorbic acid from a health food store, dissolve a few tablespoons in a half-bucket of plain water, remove the white plastic fittings and dip them in the bucket. The iron disappears immediately. I then discard the water in the garden.

Nice to meet you via TFP

 

[ald2002]

I'd be fairly certain that's an iron stain. Try pulverising around 10 plain vitamin C tablets and putting the powder in an old sock. Use that sock to hold the vitamin C against the stain and see if it lessens.

It may be fairly easy to take the weir out of the skimmer. If so, you can do the same thing outside the pool water.

I have an iron issue in mine. I bought some ascorbic acid from a health food store, dissolve a few tablespoons in a half-bucket of plain water, remove the white plastic fittings and dip them in the bucket. The iron disappears immediately. I then discard the water in the garden.

Nice to meet you via TFP

Thank you! My bf thinks it is iron too. I will follow your suggestions. Thank you. Nice to meet you.

 

[ald2002]

I'd be fairly certain that's an iron stain. Try pulverising around 10 plain vitamin C tablets and putting the powder in an old sock. Use that sock to hold the vitamin C against the stain and see if it lessens.

It may be fairly easy to take the weir out of the skimmer. If so, you can do the same thing outside the pool water.

I have an iron issue in mine. I bought some ascorbic acid from a health food store, dissolve a few tablespoons in a half-bucket of plain water, remove the white plastic fittings and dip them in the bucket. The iron disappears immediately. I then discard the water in the garden.

Nice to meet you via TFP

Follow-up question. What is the possible source of iron? I am not on a well. My fill water was add by way of a water truck.

 

[1poolman1]

Follow-up question. What is the possible source of iron? I am not on a well. My fill water was add by way of a water truck.

Unless the water truck tank is a plastic, iron can come from it. The water source for the tank truck likely has iron in it. There is iron in virtually all domestic water supplies. The chemicals added to pool water can cause it to come out of solution and show up like your pool.
If you remove the stain, most likely it will come back without a good sequestering agent added to the pool.

 

[ald2002]

Unless the water truck tank is a plastic, iron can come from it. The water source for the tank truck likely has iron in it. There is iron in virtually all domestic water supplies. The chemicals added to pool water can cause it to come out of solution and show up like your pool.
If you remove the stain, most likely it will come back without a good sequestering agent added to the pool.

Unless the water truck tank is a plastic, iron can come from it. The water source for the tank truck likely has iron in it. There is iron in virtually all domestic water supplies. The chemicals added to pool water can cause it to come out of solution and show up like your pool.
If you remove the stain, most likely it will come back without a good sequestering agent added to the pool.

Thank you! I am sort of a newbie. Is there a brand of sequestering agent you recommend?

 

[1poolman1]

Big name is GLB Sequa-Sol.

 

[ald2002]

Big name is GLB Sequa-Sol.

Thank you so much! Its interesting since i also am starting to have a scale problem. Wondering if the issues are related?

 

[Texas Splash]

ald, along with the actual iron content in the water, your chemistry can play a part. An elevated FC and/or pH can also influence iron suspended in the water to change color or find a new home (walls, plastic skimmer, etc). For those reasons it's important to be mindful of your chemistry, not just for algae prevention, but to keep the iron from getting angry.

Stains in Your Pool

The stained pool is beyond embarrassing. Our in-depth Guide to remove stains in your pool will help you to remove the stains and prevent them in the future.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[ald2002]

ald, along with the actual iron content in the water, your chemistry can play a part. An elevated FC and/or pH can also influence iron suspended in the water to change color or find a new home (walls, plastic skimmer, etc). For those reasons it's important to be mindful of your chemistry, not just for algae prevention, but to keep the iron from getting angry.

Stains in Your Pool

The stained pool is beyond embarrassing. Our in-depth Guide to remove stains in your pool will help you to remove the stains and prevent them in the future.

www.troublefreepool.com

Thank you! I have a constant battle with my pH and check it daily every am. Here’s my most recent complete test results. This am pH was 7.8 and added muriatic acid. Assuming I need to walk into the dreaded pool store to have my water tested for iron. I am struggling with efflorescence, some scale and now iron. So grateful for this forum since I need help!

 

[Texas Splash]

Your numbers look pretty good for a salt pool. If you try to lower the pH it will probably pull the TA a bit too low. You may need to increase the TA a little bit first. When you do your pH acid applications, you might try smaller more frequent doses to not influence the TA too fast. No need to go to the pool store. You already know you have iron.

 

[ald2002]

Your numbers look pretty good for a salt pool. If you try to lower the pH it will probably pull the TA a bit too low. You may need to increase the TA a little bit first. When you do your pH acid applications, you might try smaller more frequent doses to not influence the TA too fast. No need to go to the pool store. You already know you have iron.

Thanks! I will test my TA in the am so I will know how much baking soda to add. Next, I will pursue vitamin C in the sock to remove the stain, then the AA treatment and sequestering treatment. Does this sound like a decent plan? Will work on this after my 4th of July party lol. Also, (hope you don’t mind my many questions), for the AA treatment, what is the best way to reduce the chlorine in a SWG? THANK YOU!!!!

 

[Texas Splash]

Is the skimmer the only place you see staining? If it's just a few localized locations, the Vitamin C in a sock will be enough. But if the staining is wide-spread, then yes, an AA would be most efficient. But then you have to ask yourself a couple questions.

If I do the AA, will I:
1 - Exchange most of the water in hopes the new batch of delivered water is iron free?
2 - Keep the same water and use a sequestrant?

Also keep in mind that summertime is risky (IMO) for an AA simply because of the low FC required. Sure, you can use a Poly 60 algaecide to help prevent an algae bloom, but if you can wait, fall or early spring cold water may be better if you can live with the stains for a while. Certainly up to you.

Ascorbic Acid Treatment - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[ald2002]

Is the skimmer the only place you see staining? If it's just a few localized locations, the Vitamin C in a sock will be enough. But if the staining is wide-spread, then yes, an AA would be most efficient. But then you have to ask yourself a couple questions.

If I do the AA, will I:
1 - Exchange most of the water in hopes the new batch of delivered water is iron free?
2 - Keep the same water and use a sequestrant?

Also keep in mind that summertime is risky (IMO) for an AA simply because of the low FC required. Sure, you can use a Poly 60 algaecide to help prevent an algae bloom, but if you can wait, fall or early spring cold water may be better if you can live with the stains for a while. Certainly up to you.

Ascorbic Acid Treatment - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Thank you! I have orange iron stains in the skimmer only. I will treat that area only. Is it ok if I use the sequestrant to prevent future stains? Thanks for the additional info on AA super helpful and important.

 

[Texas Splash]

Is it ok if I use the sequestrant to prevent future stains?

Of course. Along with Poolman's recommendation in Post #7, you can refer to the following I got form another expert here on the forum.

Your best and most reliable method of metals management is to add sequestrant to the water and replenish it periodically. Sequestrant is a chemical that binds to the iron in the water so that it can't form stains or turn brown. Sequestrant breaks down slowly, so you need to add more regularly. ProTeam's Metal Magic and Jack's Magic the Pink Stuff (regular), the Blue Stuff (fresh plaster), and the Purple Stuff (SWG) are some of the top sequestrants. You can also find other brands with similar products, some of which are noticeably less expensive. Sequestrants based on HEDP, phosphonic acid, or phosphonic acid derivatives are the most effective.

 

[ald2002]

Of course. Along with Poolman's recommendation in Post #7, you can refer to the following I got form another expert here on the forum.

So many thanks to you, @1poolman1 and @needsajet for ALL if your guidance. I am slowly enhancing my knowledge and confidence!

 

[needsajet]

Follow-up question. What is the possible source of iron? I am not on a well. My fill water was add by way of a water truck.

Mine comes in via the added salt. I learned by getting distracted and not brushing the salt around one time. It was easy enough to remove the stain with ascorbic acid, and I learned where it's coming from, which was a positive. I likely get a wee bit from surface runoff during heavy storms as well.

 

[needsajet]

I am slowly enhancing my knowledge and confidence!

You're doing great with your pool. Well done!

 

[needsajet]

If you're ever thinking about exchanging the water, that's a good time to do an ascorbic acid treatment to the pool. You may find you can remove enough iron by just focusing on the plastic which really attracts it (weir door, skimmer basket, intake and return fittings, pump basket (if you see any of those turning brown)). You can use the vitamin C bucket method to remove the iron, whiten everything up, and discard the water in the bucket. Each time they stain, followed by removal, takes out a wee bit of iron.

You'll read on the sequestrant bottle that the iron will be trapped in the filter after sequestration. IMO, that's manufacturer/marketing over-stating reality, but I suspect you will trap some. The cartridges can also be rinsed to get rid of some iron.

If it gets much worse, consider the whole pool ascorbic acid/sequester/drain/replace method. How much $ was your delivered water? For now, it's kinda good to see it in an obvious and easy to treat place. It's now your canary in the coal mine for iron.

 

[Snoobug]

You can try the sequestrant but also try a skimmer sock and polyfil in the skimmer for when the sequestrant breaks down.