Maintenance after stain removal

[Ai Papi]

So I found this site after I encountered stains in my pool. I had been using a pool service through one of the national pool stores and when our pool developed stains I found myself questioning the process and cost of chemicals. I ended up using 1 lb of food grade ascorbic acid in our in ground 11800 gallon gunite pool. Within a couple of days my pool was as clean and clear as it has ever been. PAP suggested that I put Ultimate Metal Control in the pool to sequester and a CuLator 1.0 to collect the metals. In my quest for "more knowledge" I decided that PAP didn't always know what they were doing so a second opinion for Leslie's was needed. Water sample testing from both yeilded different results, with. Leslie's telling me I had high phosphates that needed immediate treatment (lots of stuff bought). A half a bottle of "non-clouding NoPhos yielded a cloudy pool for several days until a couple of oz of clarifier cleared it all up. PAP has declared my pool with a balanced test " good to go."
Ok so now I find this site (better late than never) and understand I need a better testing kit than the Poolmaster PAP kit I own. I am electing to do my own weekly cleaning (already have a Hayward Aquanaut 200 vac) and will be using liquid chlorine and muriatic acid (just like PAPs service did).
The question is will I need some sort of metal control to keep from staining the pool again or do you think the CuLator will be all that's necessary?
TIA
Papi

 

[Ai Papi]

By the way, I'm guessing that the high phosphates were a result of the Ultimate Metal Control from PAP.

 

[AK-]

Welcome to TFP Papi.

You are right about the test kit and that is the very first thing you are going to need. I recommend the TF-100 (link on my signature), but a K-2006C will do fine. Test Kits Compared

If you have a proper FC level for your CYA level (see FC/CYA Levels) you should not worry about phosphates. Sure, phosphates are algae food, but dead algae don't eat.

To the copper question. Take a sample to a pool store and ask them to test for metals (test kits for metals are a bit expensive and the PS testing for metals is not too bad).

 

[Ai Papi]

Thank you for your response. I am still wondering about the process of metal removal/control. I did the ascorbic acid treatment followed by a metal control dose, a sequestering agent. Does this just suspend the metals so that the CuLator picks it up? Will this need to be continued or do you think the CuLator will be the only thing needed? Trying to wrap my head around this. Noob here, ya know!

 

[AK-]

Thank you for your response. I am still wondering about the process of metal removal/control. I did the ascorbic acid treatment followed by a metal control dose, a sequestering agent. Does this just suspend the metals so that the CuLator picks it up? Will this need to be continued or do you think the CuLator will be the only thing needed? Trying to wrap my head around this. Noob here, ya know!

I don’t want to give you an answer for Metals…because oxidized Iron, with turns water brown, can be removed with a polyfill filter.

As for copper I’m unaware of any methods other than dilution (drain/refill) to remove copper, but this not a subject I had ever to deal with myself. All products are going to keep the copper at bay preventing staining for as long as they are effective, so yes you may need to reapply from times to times.

 

[markayash]

glad you ditched the pool store you will save a lot of money and time by doing it yourself.

Yes you will need to add a sequestering agent to keep the stains from coming back. I use jacks purple stuff but several here like metal magic. I just add approx 3 oz every couple of weeks ( nothing exact ) and it seems to help.
For my pool keeping PH below 7.8 ( I try for 7.5 ) also helps keep the iron stains from coming back

 

[markayash]

Ascorbic Acid Treatment - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com