Pool spots and spa overflow question

[hybridtrendz]

This is a 2 question post.

First question is about the spots my pool has, they have been there since I bought the house in January 2013. The previous owner said the spots showed up right away when they built the pool in 2005. I will try to post photos from January showing what they looked like at the start. I have done 2 doses of Jack's magic blue stuff, the spots lightened. Wondering if anyone knew what they might be. They look to be green and deep into the plaster. The spots were bad enough in the spa I could use a toothbrush on them and the spa would end up being green. I have heard it may be copper from my heat exchanger or algae embed in the plaster? I could believe either. The spots have only gotten better all year after I finally got control of the chemicals after reading the stuff on here.

Second question, the white plastic overflow pieces are becoming loose from the spa overflow. What options do I have in replacing them? I think these look cheap and the white color is not flattering. We really wish they wouldn't have used the brick color coping around the pool when they built it, but thats neither here nor there. Is there a catalog/book that sells this type of stuff?

Hopefully I can get the pictures to load

Thanks

 

[jblizzle]

Try rubbing a trichlor puck on the spots ... if they lighten/disappear then they are organic/algae stains. If not, put a sock of crushed up vitamin C tablets on a spot for a few minutes ... if they lighten/disappear then they are metal stains. Once ID'ed we can advise treatment.

As far as the spillover, I would suggest removing the plastic and getting some matching tile and grout instead. Most overflows I have seen just use the same tile as around the pool. Of course this kind of depends on what is behind the plastic.

 

[hybridtrendz]

Thanks, I will try the stains after work today and let you know.

I have to take the plastic off anyways, it has started to get loose from the spa. Figured I'd mess with it when it gets to winter, in case the pool is down for some time. In a perfect world, while I have it apart I'd like to make the spill-over wider.

 

[hybridtrendz]

The green parts of the stains were taken care of with the vitamin C tablet... There is still a spot left, but I think that may have been the original color of the plaster and the rest has faded? I have a few very black spots on the pool bottom. The vitamin c tablet erased those quickly.

What would be my next steps?

Thanks !

 

[hybridtrendz]

My PH has been in the 7.6-7.8 range fairly often recently. Would it be safe to assume if I keep my PH in the 7.2-7.4 range the spots should not get worse, and may actually lighten some of the stains if they are copper? I will be getting some AA to follow the process I found in the forums. I think my spots may be more of a copper base as the halo around some of the spots are a blue/green.

I will be more diligent about getting and keeping my PH lower as I now somewhat understand the relation of that and possible staining issues. Does anyone have a recommendation of a metal sequesterant to use while doing the AA treatment, and for maintenance doses? I would also like to keep my budget in mind, since I will have to add this weekly?

Thanks for all the good reading.

 

[jblizzle]

The metals article in Pool School lists the types of sequestering agent we recommend. I have no experience and can not remember offhand.

 

[ps0303]

Thanks, I will try the stains after work today and let you know.

I have to take the plastic off anyways, it has started to get loose from the spa. Figured I'd mess with it when it gets to winter, in case the pool is down for some time. In a perfect world, while I have it apart I'd like to make the spill-over wider.

What you should do is the portion that the water overflows on, replace the plastic with any color of marble like you find in your house for the window ledges. Seeing you're in Fl you probably have those type of sills in your house.

As for the metal staining, you need to determine where it's coming from. You show in your signature that you have a heat pump. You don't have a gas pool heater for the spa? If you do, then it sounds like the copper in the heat exchanger is being eroded into your water. Make sure to balance your chemicals correctly and as you mentioned, keep your PH in balance.