The pool (diamond brite) started staining black

[Snewman]

Ok, so my pool is supposed to be a thing of enjoyment, right? ARGH! I am frustrated. FInally figured out (im a beginner) that the pool has copper, my local pool store (leslie's doesn't test for this without asking so I had no clue). I then found out where it came from that's right...ME I put in algaecide that had copper in it, WHOOPS! ANyway, when I shocked (live in S FLorida so every week) The pool (diamond brite) started staining a black. I Hit the Net ini search of answers. Tried, pink stuff (did NOTHING) then found this, the Ascorbic routine. I just put some Vitamin C tabs in and the area around the tabs turned nasty black/brown. What do I do? I also tried Metal Free, the Phos Free product they make worked great for a friend of mine. WHta am I supposed to do now? Thanks a million!

 

[JasonLion]

Ascorbic acid hardly ever works on copper stains. You usually need to do an acid wash to get copper stains off.

Sequestrants, like Jack's Magic The Pink Stuff, can prevent metals still in the water from depositing on the pool surfaces, but they won't usually remove metals stains that are already on the pool walls. Depending on how much copper you have in the water, you may need to keep using sequestrant to prevent the stains from getting worse. Metal Free is not nearly as good as the Jack's products.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

ANyway, when I shocked (live in S FLorida so every week)

Even in South Florida, a properly chlorinated pool doesn't require routine shocking. If you maintain your chlorine levels per the CYA chlorine chart, and never let it drop below the "min", you shouldn't have to shock at all...

Sorry about your staining.

 

[reebok]

if you decide to do the acid wash (which is recommended to be done by professionals, though there is a good thread here with pictures and descriptions of someone who did it themselves. I can't seem to find it right now though) then when you refill I highly recommend you ditch the pool store method of caring for your pool (trichlor tabs, algaecide and weekly shock) and use the method outlined here. there's no algaecides, no shocking or any of that other garbage, and your pool will most likely look better than it ever has. I recommend you read the chemistry section in pool-school/ your pool will make a lot more sense. a good test kit is also a must, as leslie's and pinch a penny and anywhere else are unreliable. good luck.