I have a 24' pool that is 52" deep. I tested my chemicals this morning and the copper level was 3.0 (the highest on the test strip), alkalinity was a little on the low side, and the PH was ideal. We have a salt water system with an ionizer. I am not sure what to do about the copper level being high and the alkalinity being low.
new pool owner....copper level question
- Thread starter wedagnashville
- Start date
Take out the Ionizer. It is adding copper to your pool.
Can you post a full set of numbers, your water test results?
Can you also post all the details of your pool equipment, and so forth.
Was your test performed by you or at the pool store?
Can you post a full set of numbers, your water test results?
Can you also post all the details of your pool equipment, and so forth.
Was your test performed by you or at the pool store?
Oh I see. Test strips aren't very accurate.
I had a problem with copper, and came to learn it was coming from my ionizer system "the Pool Frog" it was called.
Algecide can also contain copper. Did you put in algecide recently?
I had a problem with copper, and came to learn it was coming from my ionizer system "the Pool Frog" it was called.
Algecide can also contain copper. Did you put in algecide recently?
Also, where are you located and do you close your pool for winter?
The high copper could have come from a pool closing kit if it contained copper algeacide.
The high copper could have come from a pool closing kit if it contained copper algeacide.
frustratedpoolmom said:
...located in nashville, tn...no just got the pool installed about a month ago...did not put algeacide in recently...test was performed by me...my pool instructions told me to turn off my ionizer if copper levels were too high...what should the copper level be exactly on a pool my size?...
o ppm...
edited, I need to elaborate a bit.
I have a bit left in mine. It doesn't "hurt" anything other than possibly causing stains, or green hair on blond children
Some well water will have metals in it and there isn't much you can do about it other than sequester it.
Ionizers use metals as another source of algea defense, but they put metals into your pool. They tell you that you will use less chlorine. Eventually your metals will get too high and your chlorine too low and you will develop algea problems, green hair problems, etc. Pool stores will keep selling you an ionizer cartridge in the same shopping trip with you buying a metal sequesterant and they won't bat an eye. It's directly contradictory.
For 5 years we had an ionizer and each year our pool got more and more out of balance and problematic, and the pool stores were absolutely useless and full of misinformation and did nothing to help, in fact they made it worse and I wasted hundreds of dollars on chemicals I didn't need that the Ionizer and pool store were the underlying cause of the problems.
BBB is all you need. Truly.
edited, I need to elaborate a bit.
I have a bit left in mine. It doesn't "hurt" anything other than possibly causing stains, or green hair on blond children
Some well water will have metals in it and there isn't much you can do about it other than sequester it. Ionizers use metals as another source of algea defense, but they put metals into your pool. They tell you that you will use less chlorine. Eventually your metals will get too high and your chlorine too low and you will develop algea problems, green hair problems, etc. Pool stores will keep selling you an ionizer cartridge in the same shopping trip with you buying a metal sequesterant and they won't bat an eye. It's directly contradictory.
For 5 years we had an ionizer and each year our pool got more and more out of balance and problematic, and the pool stores were absolutely useless and full of misinformation and did nothing to help, in fact they made it worse and I wasted hundreds of dollars on chemicals I didn't need that the Ionizer and pool store were the underlying cause of the problems.
BBB is all you need. Truly.
You can test your fill water. Did you fill your pool from a well or other source?
You will need to a metal sequesterant.
If your fill water is copper free, you can do a partial drain to lower the amount, and then use a metal sequesterant. But if the fill water is the source of the copper don't bother with that step.
Metal sequesterants can be found by doing a search on here, I don't totally understand the science of it... it deactivates the metals so they can't stain things, like blond hair and your pool surfaces. But it's a routine maintenance thing. Once you have copper in your pool, you will always have it and have to use the sequesterants.
Ionizers are nothing but trouble. I highly advise you lose it, really.
You will need to a metal sequesterant.
If your fill water is copper free, you can do a partial drain to lower the amount, and then use a metal sequesterant. But if the fill water is the source of the copper don't bother with that step.
Metal sequesterants can be found by doing a search on here, I don't totally understand the science of it... it deactivates the metals so they can't stain things, like blond hair and your pool surfaces. But it's a routine maintenance thing. Once you have copper in your pool, you will always have it and have to use the sequesterants.
Ionizers are nothing but trouble. I highly advise you lose it, really.
Typically a copper system maintains copper levels between 0.3 and 0.5. Your level is way too high. Copper only goes away through water replacement or by staining the pool. If you avoid stains it will be a long time before you need to turn on the ionizer again.
By the by, most people around here don't like copper systems at all. They are prone to staining and require chlorine in addition. It is simpler and less expensive to use chlorine alone and avoid the copper and it's risk of staining all together.
If TA is low, you should raise it with baking soda.
One last thought, the test strips can be wildly inaccurate occasionally.
By the by, most people around here don't like copper systems at all. They are prone to staining and require chlorine in addition. It is simpler and less expensive to use chlorine alone and avoid the copper and it's risk of staining all together.
If TA is low, you should raise it with baking soda.
One last thought, the test strips can be wildly inaccurate occasionally.
DO NOT RAISE THE TA WHEN THE COPPER LEVEL IS AS HIGH AS YOUR OR YOU WILL STAIN! SEQUESTER THE COPPER FIRST AND GET RID OF THE IONIZER! Sorry for shouting but your copper levels are WAY too high.. most ionizers recommend levels of .3 to .6 when used with silver and .9 to 1 ppm when used alone. What is your pH right now. A full set of test results would be helpful.