https://www.lowes.com/pd/Lilly-Miller-20-lb-4000-sq-ft-16-16-16-All-purpose-Fertilizer/4667371 a bag of this fell into my pool; what should I do about it - if anything? I’ve got the K-2006 set. I haven’t found the MSDS for this if one exists, so aside from trying to break out my chemistry skills to balance all possible equations (lol), I’m kind of lost.
Garden food / fertilizer bag fell into pool
- Thread starter GTS
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 24,495
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Vacuum as much of it out as you can. You either need to vacuum it to waste or capture it somehow.
The nitrogen content is coming from ammonium nitrate and urea. That’s going to consume FC and create lots of CCs. The potassium isnt an issue but it’s coming from some potash which is going to raise pH. The phosphorous is going to contaminate the pool water and you many need to treat for phosphate once water chemistry is under control. It has sulfates which is not good for plaster surfaces and could cause scaling of insoluble gypsum.
Get it cleaned out. It may very well cause a big algae bloom.
The nitrogen content is coming from ammonium nitrate and urea. That’s going to consume FC and create lots of CCs. The potassium isnt an issue but it’s coming from some potash which is going to raise pH. The phosphorous is going to contaminate the pool water and you many need to treat for phosphate once water chemistry is under control. It has sulfates which is not good for plaster surfaces and could cause scaling of insoluble gypsum.
Get it cleaned out. It may very well cause a big algae bloom.
Thanks for the quick, thoughtful response! I vacuumed out (via backwash) what I could rather blindly, because when I picked up the bag, the top portion was already an aqueous solution. I moved the remaining pellets in the bag out of the pool immediately (within ~1hr)
I poured an extra 1.5gal of 10% bleach in to prevent the algae bloom you referenced and increase the FC to probably ~15ppm. Since I don’t have a phosphate test, I’ll have to go to Leslie’s for that. What level would be concerning and worth treating? Could I drain some water + refill to avoid treatment? We got a bunch of rain today too.
- Feb 6, 2015
- 6,244
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Post a full set of current test results from one of the recommended test kits.
Test Kits Compared
Having them posted soon will help @JoyfulNoise provide you additional info once he's back online.
Test Kits Compared
Having them posted soon will help @JoyfulNoise provide you additional info once he's back online.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,495
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Phosphates greater than 3000ppb (3ppm) would be worrisome and at a level that I would treat at. Below that it can be managed with consistent chlorination. Using draining plus rain water refill is the best of all worlds option as rain water is pure and will dilute away a lot of pollutants if you drain first and let the rain refill.
Most fertilizers will contain trace levels of iron and manganese as those are necessary micronutrients. Staining is a possibility to keep an eye out for.
Most fertilizers will contain trace levels of iron and manganese as those are necessary micronutrients. Staining is a possibility to keep an eye out for.
Ok, test results from K-2006 this morning:
FC 1.6 (CC = 5.6!!!)
pH 7.6
TA 100
CH 200 (I don’t have a lot of confidence in this number, because colors looked off)
CYA 55
I added another 128oz of 10% bleach to raise FC. What else should I do? When will CC come down?
FC 1.6 (CC = 5.6!!!)
pH 7.6
TA 100
CH 200 (I don’t have a lot of confidence in this number, because colors looked off)
CYA 55
I added another 128oz of 10% bleach to raise FC. What else should I do? When will CC come down?
- May 23, 2015
- 24,495
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
My guess with the CH test is the fertilizer may have added metals to your water. Do the “Extended Test” protocol to remove metal interference.
That CC level is not at all unexpected. The ammonium sulfate and urea components are reacting with chlorine to form CCs.
You need to SLAM the pool.
I finished the SLAM and pool is increasing pH now by way of Soda Ash + Aeration. It took a LOT of Chlorine (~10 10% NaOCl gallons), but FC is stable including overnight and CC is ~0.
Is getting a Leslie's sample test next since I don't have a way to test for Phosphate? And I'll check CH again, but with Taylor's Fading Endpoint guidance, which is presumably the extended test you're talking about, is that right?
Is getting a Leslie's sample test next since I don't have a way to test for Phosphate? And I'll check CH again, but with Taylor's Fading Endpoint guidance, which is presumably the extended test you're talking about, is that right?
- May 23, 2015
- 24,495
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Correct - fading endpoint.
As for Leslie’s … meh. I’d just buy the K-1106 phosphate test and do it myself. I’ll pay extra not to have to listen to some pool schlep tell me how to take care of my pool.