This is no doubt a problem with the owner! ME!
I thought I had a handle on dealing with my iron stains after two seasons of it.
I asked for help on 4/21/15 about rebalancing my TA after my stain removal and thought all would be fine.
I have no issues keeping water balanced. It's the stains this year!
I think I identified the issue but am coming to the experts for diagnosis.
On 4/21/15 these were my numbers:
PH- 7.8
FC-0
CC-0
TA-60
CH- 60
CYA-30
Jason Lion and Jbzizzle told me pretty much the same thing: Get the PH down to around 7.2-7.5 , go ahead with sequestrant and start raising Cl slowly. Worry about upping the TA to about 70-90 ( I believe) after the previous is done.
I got the Ph down to 7.2 and started with the Cl at 2. Kept adding each a.m. as it lost down during day by about 1. Over a week Ph climbed to 7.5 and I let it ride. Kept adding Cl each a.m. for a goal of 2 -3, thinking I could push it on up a bit. Started seeing some faint staining in "favorite" spots. Added more sequestrant. ( Jack's the Pink Stuff). Stain faded a bit but not totally. Thought I'd give the pink stuff a day or so to work and try to keep Cl about 3. Each a.m. before sun hit pool I had lost about 1 on my Cl with no CC. Then added Cl for goal of 4 one a.m. I had backwashed and added a good bit of county water from hose pipe that same morning. Next morn I had even all over staining. Added all the Pink Stuff I had- 1 quart- and no fading of stain. Ph remained at 7.5.
During this week and a half or so period, I backwashed once and added water several times due to sun, heat and a slow leak I have at my pump. I kept up maintenance doses of poly 60 and pink stuff too. I kept trying to think of the source of the iron which I've never been able to figure out. Staining seemed worse after the backwash and adding water which is county water, no iron, from hose pipe. Probably had nothing to do with it. I was still in search mode and thinking I was doing everything right at that time. BTW: I've searched the forum on trying to find source of iron stains with not much luck for anything that applies to me. I may do another post begging for help on this one at some point.
This is what I think I did wrong after going back to look at how to do the stain treatment per Mbar:
First of all I did not put my filter on recirculate with the AA and sequestrant. It was on filter the whole time. Reason was, I had taken a little AA just to see if some of the stain would go away and it did with just a couple of handfuls. Really surprised me that it took so little. Idiot me! I should have gone immediately and turned to recirc.
Of course I didn't keep my Ph down to 7.2 with the whole process either. I also pushed the Cl above the lowest suggested on the Best Guess chart.
I started all over.
let Cl drift to 0 ( No addition of Cl for a day accomplished this as it was usually 2 each morn near the end. Next a.m. was 0)
Took Ph down to 7.2 (I had hoped lowering Cl & Ph might lift some stain but it didn't even with 6 quarts of Pink Stuff in it all tolled)
Added another quart poly 60 just for insurance.
Filter on Recirculate
Added 2 small handfuls AA. Stains gone in less than 10 min.
Left pool on recirculate until I could get more pink stuff.
Ph drifted up to 7.5 twice while waiting for pink stuff. Added muriatic acid per pool calc.
Added 3 quarts Pink Stuff yesterday evening. Ph was 7.2 at that time.
Left pool on recirculate overnight. Put it on filter this morning.
Rain last night. Water is cloudy but usually is after adding sequestrant.
Numbers today:
Ph- 6.8
FC-0
TA-50
CH-50
CYA- 25
I use bleach and baking soda. I'll start adding bleach today and a little CYA to bring that up to 30.
I know the TA is low. I don't want the Ph up so should I wait again on the TA?
Years ago, my dear father-in-law, used to respond to questions he didn't really want to answer in this way:
" I don't think I know, all there is to know, about that."
This would make the inquirer stop for a moment to think about what my father in law had just said.
I love his remark and use it myself when applicable. It appears to be such with the STAINING OF MY POOL!
Have a great day!
Joan
I thought I had a handle on dealing with my iron stains after two seasons of it.
I asked for help on 4/21/15 about rebalancing my TA after my stain removal and thought all would be fine.
I have no issues keeping water balanced. It's the stains this year!
I think I identified the issue but am coming to the experts for diagnosis.
On 4/21/15 these were my numbers:
PH- 7.8
FC-0
CC-0
TA-60
CH- 60
CYA-30
Jason Lion and Jbzizzle told me pretty much the same thing: Get the PH down to around 7.2-7.5 , go ahead with sequestrant and start raising Cl slowly. Worry about upping the TA to about 70-90 ( I believe) after the previous is done.
I got the Ph down to 7.2 and started with the Cl at 2. Kept adding each a.m. as it lost down during day by about 1. Over a week Ph climbed to 7.5 and I let it ride. Kept adding Cl each a.m. for a goal of 2 -3, thinking I could push it on up a bit. Started seeing some faint staining in "favorite" spots. Added more sequestrant. ( Jack's the Pink Stuff). Stain faded a bit but not totally. Thought I'd give the pink stuff a day or so to work and try to keep Cl about 3. Each a.m. before sun hit pool I had lost about 1 on my Cl with no CC. Then added Cl for goal of 4 one a.m. I had backwashed and added a good bit of county water from hose pipe that same morning. Next morn I had even all over staining. Added all the Pink Stuff I had- 1 quart- and no fading of stain. Ph remained at 7.5.
During this week and a half or so period, I backwashed once and added water several times due to sun, heat and a slow leak I have at my pump. I kept up maintenance doses of poly 60 and pink stuff too. I kept trying to think of the source of the iron which I've never been able to figure out. Staining seemed worse after the backwash and adding water which is county water, no iron, from hose pipe. Probably had nothing to do with it. I was still in search mode and thinking I was doing everything right at that time. BTW: I've searched the forum on trying to find source of iron stains with not much luck for anything that applies to me. I may do another post begging for help on this one at some point.
This is what I think I did wrong after going back to look at how to do the stain treatment per Mbar:
First of all I did not put my filter on recirculate with the AA and sequestrant. It was on filter the whole time. Reason was, I had taken a little AA just to see if some of the stain would go away and it did with just a couple of handfuls. Really surprised me that it took so little. Idiot me! I should have gone immediately and turned to recirc.
Of course I didn't keep my Ph down to 7.2 with the whole process either. I also pushed the Cl above the lowest suggested on the Best Guess chart.
I started all over.
let Cl drift to 0 ( No addition of Cl for a day accomplished this as it was usually 2 each morn near the end. Next a.m. was 0)
Took Ph down to 7.2 (I had hoped lowering Cl & Ph might lift some stain but it didn't even with 6 quarts of Pink Stuff in it all tolled)
Added another quart poly 60 just for insurance.
Filter on Recirculate
Added 2 small handfuls AA. Stains gone in less than 10 min.
Left pool on recirculate until I could get more pink stuff.
Ph drifted up to 7.5 twice while waiting for pink stuff. Added muriatic acid per pool calc.
Added 3 quarts Pink Stuff yesterday evening. Ph was 7.2 at that time.
Left pool on recirculate overnight. Put it on filter this morning.
Rain last night. Water is cloudy but usually is after adding sequestrant.
Numbers today:
Ph- 6.8
FC-0
TA-50
CH-50
CYA- 25
I use bleach and baking soda. I'll start adding bleach today and a little CYA to bring that up to 30.
I know the TA is low. I don't want the Ph up so should I wait again on the TA?
Years ago, my dear father-in-law, used to respond to questions he didn't really want to answer in this way:
" I don't think I know, all there is to know, about that."
This would make the inquirer stop for a moment to think about what my father in law had just said.
I love his remark and use it myself when applicable. It appears to be such with the STAINING OF MY POOL!
Have a great day!
Joan