Deep end is green - filling pool

[SPKNout4CHRIST]

We just had a deep blue liner installed. The pool is currently filling up with water just getting into the shallow end. The deep end has a green tint to it. I brushed around down there to see if I could stir up algae, but there was no change. Water has been running for 24 hours.

Any thoughts on what this could be or did we choose a poor liner color that gives this tint? See picture below although you can’t see the green tint in the pic.

 

[Texas Splash]

I'm not seeing the tint very well from the pic. Have any chemicals been added yet during fill? Are you on a well or known to have iron in your local water. If not sure, place a white t-shirt over the hose spigot to see if it turns brown/orange.

 

[SPKNout4CHRIST]

I'm not seeing the tint very well from the pic. Have any chemicals been added yet during fill? Are you on a well or known to have iron in your local water. If not sure, place a white t-shirt over the hose spigot to see if it turns brown/orange.

No chemicals have been added yet. The local water report shows iron at 0.268 ppm two years ago.

 

[Texas Splash]

No chemicals have been added yet. The local water report shows iron at 0.268 ppm two years ago.

That is right at the desired threefold to where it begins to show problems (0.3). To be safe, you might want to look at grabbing a sequestant and adding it now to keep the iron contained. Sequestrant is a chemical that binds to the iron in the water so that it can't form stains or turn brown. Sequestrant breaks down slowly, so you need to add more regularly. ProTeam's Metal Magic and Jack's Magic the Pink Stuff (regular), the Blue Stuff (fresh plaster), and the Purple Stuff (SWG) are some of the top sequestrants. You can also find other brands with similar products, some of which are noticeably less expensive. Sequestrants based on HEDP, phosphonic acid, or phosphonic acid derivatives are the most effective.

 

[SPKNout4CHRIST]

Okay, let me make sure I understand correctly. Since I have a SWG I should get the Purple Stuff and dose the pool based on its recommendations. Then, that will bind the iron to the water and remove the green tint which will also prevent other iron related issues (i.e. staining, etc.). Is that right?

If so, is that usually sold in a store or typically an online only product?

 

[Texas Splash]

That's correct. With what appears to be iron in the water, you either need to have fresh water delivered or use a sequestrant to contain the iron. You can try to mechanically filter some iron as well. Use the search feature above and you will find many other members who experience the same issue.

 

[justinc]

Okay, let me make sure I understand correctly. Since I have a SWG I should get the Purple Stuff and dose the pool based on its recommendations. Then, that will bind the iron to the water and remove the green tint which will also prevent other iron related issues (i.e. staining, etc.). Is that right?

If so, is that usually sold in a store or typically an online only product?

You can order Jack's Magic products directly from them, from some other retailers online (Amazon, etc) or use their dealer locator on their website to find a pool store near you that sells the products:

Find a Dealer | Jacks Magic

jacksmagic.com

 

[SPKNout4CHRIST]

Everything should be cut in today and then I can finish filling the pool. Then I can tackle this. I wonder why I haven’t had this issue previously. I have been using the same water source to fill the pool for 8 years now. It it possible the filter will capture it when I can finally run it and that is why I’ve never noticed the green tint before? Should I wait to add chlorine until it is either filtered out or the sequestrant is added? From what I’ve read it sounds like chlorine may oxidize it and turn it brown?

 

[Richard320]

Everything should be cut in today and then I can finish filling the pool. Then I can tackle this. I wonder why I haven’t had this issue previously. I have been using the same water source to fill the pool for 8 years now. It it possible the filter will capture it when I can finally run it and that is why I’ve never noticed the green tint before? Should I wait to add chlorine until it is either filtered out or the sequestrant is added? From what I’ve read it sounds like chlorine may oxidize it and turn it brown?

Light blue background plus yellowish Iron tint - green water. You have a dark blue liner, so it figures yours would be darker. Lots of times the green tint just goes away after a day or so. But you are correct- bleach oxidizes it and you pool could end up looking like coffee, but you could probably filter it out easier then.

For the immediate future, why not try stuffing a bucket full of polyester batting and run the fill hose through it? Check out If you’ve got iron in your fill water, use Polyfill to remove it

 

[SPKNout4CHRIST]

Light blue background plus yellowish Iron tint - green water. You have a dark blue liner, so it figures yours would be darker. Lots of times the green tint just goes away after a day or so. But you are correct- bleach oxidizes it and you pool could end up looking like coffee, but you could probably filter it out easier then.

For the immediate future, why not try stuffing a bucket full of polyester batting and run the fill hose through it? Check out If you’ve got iron in your fill water, use Polyfill to remove it

Okay, I’ll give it a few days once the system is back up and running before adding any sequestrant to see if the filter takes care of it first. I’ll also setup the bucket with polyfill to fill the remainder of the pool. Thanks!

 

[SPKNout4CHRIST]

I had a sample of the fill water tested at the pool store to check for metals. All of them came back 0ppm. They said it was likely due to the low alkalinity (36ppm). I have not tested it using my TF-100 yet, but I will once it is full. Can that cause the green water? I am at a standstill currently due to the new liner not fitting and a new one needing to be ordered. No filtering of the water for me for a while longer...

 

[Richard320]

I had a sample of the fill water tested at the pool store to check for metals. All of them came back 0ppm. They said it was likely due to the low alkalinity (36ppm). I have not tested it using my TF-100 yet, but I will once it is full. Can that cause the green water? I am at a standstill currently due to the new liner not fitting and a new one needing to be ordered. No filtering of the water for me for a while longer...

Wear your rubber boots the next time you go into that pool store, because it's deep in there. Distilled water has low alkalinity -- like, none. How green do you think it will make your pool look? The pool store guys see low alkalinity and dollar signs appear. They sell alkalinity increaser in fancy canisters for 4-5X as much as the grocery store sells exactly the same chemical. They have no idea what's causing the green, but they'll never miss a sale.

poolstoreclerk.jpg

• Richard320
• Apr 11, 2019