Remove copper through shocking?

[Jimmy_from_NZ]

Evening all,

Currently helping someone who's kids have been getting green hair from too much copper in the pool. My understanding that the main choices were either changing some water out to dilute the copper levels, or to use a chelating agent to keep the copper in suspension.

However it's been mentioned to me that I can just shock the water and the copper will come out of suspension and form into rust coloured particles on the floor that can be vacuumed out. Is that right? If so, how high do I need to take the FC to ensure it knocks the copper out of suspension?

FC is 2.7ppm
pH is 7.4
CYA is 25ppm
Copper is 1.0ppm

Cheers,

 

[zea3]

As far as I know you cannot remove copper by slamming (super elevated chlorine levels). Some folks with smaller pools have used that method to remove iron, but it filters out instead of forming solids that can be vacuumed out.

It is important to know where the copper is coming from. Do they use products that contain copper to sanitize the pool? Is copper naturally in the water supply? If they are using copper products then they should stop. If copper is in the water supply then using a sequesterant is the best option. There is a product called the Culator that has some success removing copper and other metals from pool water, but it can be expensive. Refilling the pool with copper free water is the best solution.

 

[duraleigh]

Elevating the chlorine (pH) to bring the copper out of suspension with perhaps a couple of results.....

1. It may do as you heard somewhere and then you can vacuum it out.

2. It is just as likely (perhaps more so) to come out of suspension and adhere to your pool surfaces forming copper stains that may be IMPOSSIBLE to remove.

In short, that's a bad idea.

As zea3 said, your best bet is to replace some water and get the copper down so low that it is irrelevant.

 

[Jimmy_from_NZ]

Thanks, I thought I was on the right track.

They were using a Floatron (ionizer) *and* a copper based algaecide. Neither will be used in future and we will replace some water.