SLAM Worked-now the stains

[mattconn]

Hey all. New to the site this year and completed the SLAM process. Pool has never looked better honestly. However, last year we started to get random staining on the vinyl pool. The steps, walls and floor all would turn yellowish orange.

Last year when I was testing at the pool store still, we had some copper in the pool which we tried to eliminate pretty much all season. I would use metal free, get the copper down, then when we raised the FC level, the staining would be back again a week later. We closed the pool clean and figured we would figure it out next year.

Now we're actually at "next year", opened the pool, and the staining was back. Came across this wonderful group of people and adopted the TFP methods. Some highlights of what I did so far:

-brought cya down from 100+ to 70 by draining
-did the SLAM which has worked to perfection
-tested with the copper strips and still have a 0 reading on it

Now we come back from a 4 day vacation where my parents helped out with the pool well. Kept the chlorine levels where they're supposed to be. However in NJ, we had massive downpours for a couple days. No pool overflow but definitely a lot of rain.

I go to vacuum the pool today and bam, I notice the start of some staining on the fiberglass stairs and a little bit of the pool floor. I test with copper strips and still have a zero reading. I really need some help with this.

FC: 8
cc: <0.5
ph: 7.4
ta: 80
ch: 350
cya: b/w 70-80

To get the staining out we've used Leslie's stain remover which works great in getting out the stains. I added metal free. All my numbers seem okay but I just can't figure out this stupid staining problem and it's getting beyond frustrating. Pool water is crystal clear with no algae. No heater.

Sorry for the long post I just need to figure this out.

 

[pabeader]

We have a great article abouts stains. Check it out. You might find it's something completely different than you thought. Pool School - Metals in the Water and Metal Stains

 

[mattconn]

Thank you for that. After reading it, I did raise the ph a couple days ago while still adding the chlorine. This would cause stains to appear? And if yes, will it continue to do so?

 

[pabeader]

Yes. Unfortunately stains can be a long-term issue.

 

[Richard320]

Thank you for that. After reading it, I did raise the ph a couple days ago while still adding the chlorine. This would cause stains to appear? And if yes, will it continue to do so?

Yep. You're stuck on the merry go-round.

Ascorbic Acid (probably all that's in Leslie's stuff) will lift the stains. Problem is, the metal is still there, just dissolved. When the pH goes up, the stains reappear. Not the same stain fading in and out, just new ones forming in the same spots. So you add a sequestrant and all is well for a little while. Think of a sequestrant as the hard shell on an M&M. The chocolate is still there, it's just sealed up. Sequestrants do break down over time and with chlorine. The shell melts and the chocolate starts making a mess. So you repeat. Endlessly. The only way to stop it is to completely get rid of the metal and while there may be some chemical process to do it, I don't know it and draining is the traditional method. Also note that the metal test may not detect the metal if it's bound up to the sequestrant.

 

[mattconn]

If the ph stays right now where I have it at 7.4, I'm just completely screwed with reappearing stains now? If so, draining is the only option it seems unless I want to keep adding a lot of metal free weekly, etc.

 

[mattconn]

Hey all. Just to follow up. If I drain 1/4, refill and repeat 3-4 times, will this help the tendency for the pool to stain? Do I maintain chlorine level while doing this? Pool is crystal clear, no algae, I don't lose fc overnight, etc.