Water turned a reddish rust looking color.

[bryabra01]

I need help. I just recently filled my I ground pool. About 33,000 gallons. I filled it with well water. Took water sample to local pool supply. Was told my metal count was a little high. She gave me a liter bottle of METAL FREE. Told me to add let circulate for over the weekend and come back for another water test. When I went back she told I could start adding salt. Then add 3 pounds of shock. I added salt and once I added shock the pool immediately turned green. I called pool place. Was told to let it circulate to see if it clears up. A couple hours later the water went from green to red rusty color. The water isn't just a tinted color. It looks like it was dyed with rust. I know it's probably iron but HOW DO I GET RID OF IT?

I contacted the closest Leslie pools. They had me add 2 more liters of metal free and to put culators in the skimmers. It hasn't gotten ANY better.

 

[Richard320]

Welcome!

When it turns into ruist that you can't see through, that's actually a good thing. It means it's precipitating out and you can filter it. Check out this thread: http://www.troublefreepool.com/thre...-verify-what-I-should-add?p=805033#post805033

Others have lined the skimmer basket with paper towels and caught huge amounts of rust that way.

 

[ddrager]

Picture?

I'm a little concerned they said "Metal count" was high - which metal?

 

[bryabra01]

The iron was high. As of 2pm central time it was .3.

 

[duraleigh]

Run your filter 24/7. Now that the iron has precipitated, you need to filter it out of your pool.

Sand or DE filter will catch it. A cartridge filter will catch it, too but it may ruin your cartridge.......I don't know that for sure and there is nothing to be done about it anyway, I think.

 

[bryabra01]

Someone mentioned putting hexametaphosphate in pool and it will clear right up.

 

[SCon36]

Someone mentioned putting hexametaphosphate in pool and it will clear right up.

If filtering will get it out, that sounds better than adding something else to your water.

 

[bryabra01]

I decided to just drain it a refill. The water was starting to stain the pool walls.

 

[Richard320]

I decided to just drain it a refill. The water was starting to stain the pool walls.

If you're refilling from the same well, it'll just come back.

 

[bryabra01]

Yup it came back. Filled it up. Put enough metal free in to treat 60k gallons of water. Let pump run for 4 days to filter water. Had water tested yesterday for metals. No metals were in water according to test. Came home put salt in pool. Start generating chlorine. Woke up this morning to reddish water just like last time. I'm about it just fill in pool.

 

[Richard320]

Yup it came back. Filled it up. Put enough metal free in to treat 60k gallons of water. Let pump run for 4 days to filter water. Had water tested yesterday for metals. No metals were in water according to test. Came home put salt in pool. Start generating chlorine. Woke up this morning to reddish water just like last time. I'm about it just fill in pool.

Metal free doesn't remove the metal. It is a sequestrant. It isolates it. Consider the hard candy shell on an M&M. It is a chocolate sequestrant. The chocolate's still there, it just isn't visible. It doesn't melt in your hand. But if you soak those M&Ms in water a while, the sequestrant dissolves and you have chocolate visible. So it is with metalfree. That Iron is still there, it's just wrapped up in the sequestrant, which, sadly, chlorine breaks down. But instead of meting in your hand, it clouds your pool.

As I said above, if it's precipitating out where it's visible, it can be filtered out and removed. Then you have such a small amount remaining that the sequestrant dose is small and easily maintained.

 

[bryabra01]

Ok so I have a de filter. If I haven't put in any of the de filter powder will help cause what is happening?

 

[Richard320]

Ok so I have a de filter. If I haven't put in any of the de filter powder will help cause what is happening?

Pillow stuffing or paper towels in the skimmer are probably a better idea. You can actually see when they need to be replaced.

But don't run your DE filter without DE, either. The coating of powder keeps stuff from getting embedded in the screens which can ruin them.

 

[jblizzle]

If you run the filter with no DE in it, you can pretty quickly ruin the grids.

 

[bryabra01]

So those metals have probably gotten embedded in the grids? None of the pools supply stores I have been to have ever mentioned de powder

 

[jblizzle]

Well, are you sure you have a DE filter?

Please add your pool details to your signature as described HERE as it will help us help you.

 

[Richard320]

So those metals have probably gotten embedded in the grids? None of the pools supply stores I have been to have ever mentioned de powder

Could. You're sure it's a DE filter and not sand or a cartridge? Is there a label on the side of the filter? Or does it resemble any of the pictures in the visual encyclopedia?

 

[bryabra01]

It looks like this.

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Well the pic didn't attach

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But it has 8 white grids on the inside.

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And the label says de filter

 

[jblizzle]

Well that label is a good indication

To post more/larger pictures, you either need to raise your storage allotment by Becoming a TFP Supporter or follow the How To Post Pictures tutorial.

 

[Richard320]

It looks like this.

- - - Updated - - -

Well the pic didn't attach

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But it has 8 white grids on the inside.

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And the label says de filter

Then you need to add DE or the cellulose replacement stuff. Without it, you haven't been filtering anything.

Under a microscope, DE powder looks like sponges. Picture a grate made out of chicken wire covered by shredded sponges. The water pressure forces the sponges against the grate, forming a solid mass. The water has to go through the holes in the sponges to get to the other side. That's a DE filter magnified 10,000 times. You aren't filtering anything out using chicken wire.