Jet and Drain Color after Ascorbic Acid Treatment

[athflying]

Two weeks ago today, did an ascorbic acid treatment using the method outlined here. The treatment went well, been keeping chlorine and pH at the low end until everything balances out. Added an additional 12 ounces of Purple Stuff last week and again today.

I went out of town Friday and post treatment, the jets and return drain were very bright white. Got home today and they had an orangey discoloration to them. So somehow in a 48 hour period, they dramatically changed color. I had a new pool light installed Friday from older halogen to a Pentair LED....not sure if possibly the installer used something during the install that would have impacted the color somehow? There doesn't appear to be staining on the pool itself, so I don't think it's the iron coming out of solution.

Any thoughts what it could be?

 

[JamesW]

Probably iron.

Pictures?

Can you show the filter cartridge?

 

[athflying]

Not the best cause pump running, but you can see the contrast in color. Oddly different plastic effected differently. Another jet the nozzle is more orange but the actual jet is whiter.

 

[JamesW]

Probably iron.

Iron tends to be attracted to plastic.

 

[athflying]

I can get pics of filter tomorrow

 

[athflying]

So assuming it is iron, would more sequestrant help at this point?

 

[JamesW]

Iron is very difficult to control.

Iron rusts and that's just the nature of iron.

You have iron that is constantly wet and surrounded by chlorine.

Sequestrant can help some, but it's almost impossible to completely control.

 

[athflying]

Well, prior to treatment, lots of staining that the ascorbic acid did wonders on. The plastic prior to treatment definitely had slight discoloration but not like this. I left Friday and nice white, I just found strange to come back to this, chlorine was low at .5 and pH around 7 when I checked coming home today.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

When you raise chlorine high, or pH gets high, the iron can fall out of solution and appear orange again. You can try sequestrant and use is routinely to "hide" the iron... or you could work to remove it by using polyfil -

If you’ve got iron in your fill water, use Polyfill to remove it

EDIT: Found out this method only works if your iron is oxidized already, meaning it’s got a dull or bright green tint to the water, or a nasty brown tint. If you know you have iron in your fill water, but it isn’t oxidized yet, bring your pool to shock level and it’ll turn the telltale green...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[athflying]

When I left Friday chlorine was 2-3, pH 6.8 - 7. Testing today, chlorine .5 and pH still just under 7. CYA is 60 so have kept the chlorine around 3...I don't think chlorine or pH has been an issue.

 

[JamesW]

lots of staining that the ascorbic acid did wonders on.

All of the iron in the stains went into the water and the amount of iron in the water jumped up by a lot.

Before the ascorbic acid, the amount of iron in the water was probably low.