Purple Spots on Bottom of liner

[cb24]

So prior to finding this site I was following advice from the pool store to balance the new trucked-in water on my first ever pool. I had absolutely no clue what I was doing as I never had owned any type of pool before I had this one given to me. Well long story short the people told me to buy both alkalinity increaser and ph increaser which shot my ph through the roof (I didn't know they both essential did the same thing) which forced me to buy ph decreaser to bring the ph down . So after reading here I bought a test kit and was able to get the water chemistry stabilized on my own. Now I am left with a couple of small issues. I have a couple of white streaks which resemble bleached out areas on the bottom of my basic blue liner. As well as some magenta/purple spots. I am pretty sure these were from some of the powder not dissolvingand settling on the bottom of the pool. The 2 questions I have are:

1.) Do you think there is any way to fix the stains?
2.) Do you think that any of the chemicals could have damages the liner by settling on the bottom.

The second question is the most important. I think I can live with a few purple polka dots.

Thanks in advance

 

[Bama Rambler]

1. Whether you can fix the stains really depends on what caused them. Can you list what all you've added to the pool and how you added it?

2. There are chems that will damage the liner. Once you list the chems you added and how, we might be able to figure out if any of them may have damaged the liner.

 

[cb24]

They had me increase alkalinity and ph as well as using a metal sequestrant (hedp according to msds). That's what the computer told the teenager at the counter I needed so I used both. I already knew I could use Arm & Hammer baking soda for alkalinity, they sold me HTH ph up (which is just sodium carbonate according to msds) I didn't know that raised ph also so I took their word for it that I needed it. After that they sold me the HTH ph down product on label it says sodium bisulfate. For sanitizing I have just been using 12% bleach. The spots appeared after I used the ph down. What I suspect is that there was some undissolved baking soda on the bottom, because after I broadcast it I had to use a brush to mix it back up after it settled. I think that may have cause the white streaks. I suspect the magenta spots was from the ph down possibly landing on the baking soda as I didn't vacuum in between.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Did you just broadcast the pH down into the pool? If so did it sit on the bottom?

If the pH down sat in a pile on the bottom, it caused a very low pH pocket right on the liner that could cause damage. Do you see any wrinkling or puckering of the liner where it sat?

Why did they have you add sequestrant? Do you know that there are metals in the water?

 

[cb24]

I did just broadcast over the pool, that is what the directions said. I only did 2 lbs in total and although I don't believe it sat in the bottom of the pool I can't guarantee there wasn't a clump or 2. I know for a fact that there was a bunch of baking soda that sat in the bottom, but there was a lot more of that. I do have some odd wrinkles on 1 spot in the bottom of the pool, but that is nowhere near the purple spots not is it near the area where I mostly broadcast from. Though it is possible the pump carried it over there. I thought I did a pretty good job to ensure there were no clumps. The only other chemical I put in the pool was CYA which I used the sock method on.

What kid of damage if there is any are we talking about. Is it something to be concerned with now, or down the line?

Chris

 

[Bama Rambler]

It sounds like you don't have anything to worry about from the chems you added. The purple spots you see may have been caused by the baking soda but probably didn't cause any permanent damage. It may be staining and might go away in time.

 

[cb24]

So basically even if it did sit on the bottom and bleach an area out are we assuming that because it was a one-time and not long term issue that permanent damage is not completely likely? Honestly I wouldn't even worry so much about the liner cost but the $600 of water I need to get trucked in is more the kicker if I did need to replace it from a stupid mistake. I would just hate to see my 2 month old liner deteriorate because I got bad advice from the guy at my local pool store. I will not make that mistake twice. I don't think I'd be able to get pictures, but I may give it a shot.

 

[techguy]

I had some chemical caused damage on my old liner. I had some white patches and some "brain wrinkle" patches. I lived with them for a couple years. They did not leak.