Green water that's not algea

Jun 26, 2018
26
Wapakoneta, OH
I had 11,000 gallons of water brought in from a local volunteer fire department; it has been green since it left their tank and entered my pool. It is clear and the bottom can be seen. I had my water tested by the local pool store which recommended 3.5 lbs of Calcium Plus, 1/2 gal of Muriatic acid, 16 oz of Metal remover and chlorine tablets for my skimmer. I've done all of that including cleaning a very orange filter every couple of hours, letting the pump run 24 plus hours, adding 2 gallons of bleach, adding stabilizer, shocking twice, and using stabilizer tabs in my skimmer and my water is still green. The test from the pool store shows there is 0 Copper and 0 Iron in the water. It just rained but current testing levels are FC 3; pH 7.5; TA 120; TH 400; CYA 40. I know it is close to the end of the season but it's been 80 to 90 degrees for the last 4 days; any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
It sounds like metal in the water, regardless of what the pool store tests say.

Are you testing your own water?
Are you planning to continue to follow the advice of the pool store ... or ... take control of your pool and follow the methods taught here?
 
I am testing my own water before and after the pool store test. I'm over the pool store and plan on following advice and methods given here.

Great. Can you tell us what test kit you are using to get your results? Please add it to your signature.
 
Currently I'm using the hth multi purpose 6-way test strips. I know it isn't ideal but I'm interested in suggestions for better tests to purchase.

I also forgot to mention that I have also tried an algae treatment as directed on the bottle and it didn't take away the green.
 
Order a TF100 test kit
The only other real option for a test kit is a Taylor K-2006-C. Be careful comparing prices because the K-2006 comes in sizes, designated by a letter. The basic K-2006 has .75oz bottles. You need to get the K-2006-C to get the larger bottles that you want.
I also have the SpeedStir. It makes testing much easier.

Test Strips simply do not provide the accuracy and consistency you need. Because of this we do not make chemical recommendations based on them.
 
Great. Can you add the kit to your signature?

You show CL and TC. Can you post FC and CC from the FAS-DPD test? Those are what is important.
 

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The bright stix are Trichlor with copper. They should not be placed in the skimmer unless you run your pump 24 hours per day. Be aware that the Trichlor adds CYA to your water (yours is OK but should not go much higher). Also the copper will build up in your water and stain surfaces and turn blonde hair green.

I would suspect you have iron in your water. It is being oxidized by the chlorine and your filter is turning orange as it is filtering out the iron oxide.

You can use a sequestrant to bind up the iron or filter it out. You may have staining on your liner by now.
 
This might be a silly question, but what do you mean by "use a sequestrant or filter it out"? I'm assuming there are two different methods? Is one method better than the other? I've read a little about the sequestrants but I've read so much it all runs together. I have no doubt there is iron in the water, there isn't water around here that doesn't have iron of some level and we all use softener salt with "iron out" in it. I've been trying to brush off the liner to keep it from staining but I have noticed staining in a few spots; is there a way to remove the stains?

The Brite Styx were recommended by the pool store (that worked well).
 
Search the forum for 'iron filter'. Several members have designed filters.

Sequestrant is a chemical added on a regular basis that binds the iron. You most likely will need it even if you filter most of the iron out.

Stains are removed by doing a Ascorbic Acid treatment. Read Pool School - Metals in the Water and Metal Stains
 
Completely off your subject, but I doubt your TA test is accurate. With a spanking brand new test kit, the TA reagent R-0009 tends to "jump" off the dropper tip resulting in small drops and a high TA test result.

Wiping the dropper tip with a damp cloth in between drops will eliminate that issue. It will go away by itself....usually in a few weeks as the R-0009 loses that "freshness"

For anyone else reading this, that characteristic is applicable ONLY to the R-0009. It is not an issue with any other test.
 
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