Brownish stains in cement pool

[brownsburg]

Hi.

Just opened the restored cement pool last Sunday and I have a question about brownish staining.

My Calcium hardness was low for the first few days at 40 ppm as I did not have a test kit to test it. I add Calcium Cloride yesterday and brought it up to 160ppm, which the high end of where my salt machine booklet says I should be, but low from what I see in other documentation. I've now tested for Alkalinity and it's at 40ppm.

The Calcium Cloride was added yesterday so I should be okay to add the baking soda today.

I'm pretty sure that the brown staining just below the pool tiles and on the white returns and skimmer is due to metals. Can the pool store test my water for metals?
We’re not on a well but I’m pretty sure that we have Iron in our cities water.

Is there a way of getting rid of the stains once the problem is found and resolved?

Clorination has been taking place with the SWG since Monday.

FC 1.8
TC .2
Calcium hardness 160
Alkalinity 40
PH 7.5

Pool 12000 gallons.

Thanks

 

[Bama Rambler]

Your pool store should be able to test for metals, but don't take a negative result as proof. You can also get a water report from your utility (most have them online now) and find out what's in the fill water.

You can try a vitamin C tablet on the stains to see if it lightens them. If it does they're metal. An AA treatment will get rid of them or if it's just in a few places, spot treating them might be better.

 

[brownsburg]

Does acidic acid mean that we lose use of the pool for a few days? Can it wait until the end of the season?

We just got in

 

[Butterfly]

Does acidic acid mean that we lose use of the pool for a few days? Can it wait until the end of the season?

We just got in

You can certainally wait 'til after swim season to do an AA (ascorbic acid) treatment. No problem.

You should concentrate on balancing the pool chemistry. The FC is too low and your SWG may not be keeping up. You should use bleach/liquid chlorine to help maintain FC until you get the SWG dialed in.

What is the CYA number?

TA and CH are too low. Adjust TA up to about 70 first, then wait a day or so and then adjust CH.

 

[brownsburg]

Does acidic acid mean that we lose use of the pool for a few days? Can it wait until the end of the season?

We just got in

You can certainally wait 'til after swim season to do an AA (ascorbic acid) treatment. No problem.

You should concentrate on balancing the pool chemistry. The FC is too low and your SWG may not be keeping up. You should use bleach/liquid chlorine to help maintain FC until you get the SWG dialed in.

What is the CYA number?

TA and CH are too low. Adjust TA up to about 70 first, then wait a day or so and then adjust CH.

For FC I find 1.8 to be perfect. It's mid way between the recommended 1-3ppm

CYA is too low to be read with my kit, below 20. This is appearantly normal for SWG systems.

TA will be brought up this evening, CH will be increased on the weekend.



By AA treatment, did he mean directly in the water or drain, wash, fill?

Thanks

 

[linen]

CYA is too low to be read with my kit, below 20. This is appearantly normal for SWG systems.

Not normal. You better check your swg user manual, I am seeing 60-80 ppm CYA, with 80 being "best".