New pool startup / maintenance....installers chem cocktail (minerals)

[ajw22]

That copper in the water can be a problem.

You must not add any chemicals that have copper in them, or minerals, or "Blue" in the name.

Copper in Pool Water - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[mknauss]

What has been added has been added. I wish this had been one thread from the start. You were scammed on this start up. You have a simple to maintain pool, and the idiot made it difficult.

The one item your pool water may have that can effect some things going forward is Borates (ProTeam Supreme Plus). Not in a bad way. Just something that complicates things unnecessarily in the early life of a pool. EDIT - the 45 lbs of this product added 50 ppm borates. Also skyrocketed TA. So be prepared to add a lot of acid when you know what your levels are.

 

[PoolStored]

Thank you all very much, everything makes a lot of sense to me. The tablets were added to an erosion chlorinator plumbed in after the filter and before the return jet. I need to get a test kit of my own that measures CYA...the installer left me with a basic pH/FC/TA test kit.

Took it to the pool store yesterday and they read
FC 0.17
TC 0.23
pH 7.8
TA 176
CH 108
CYA 5

I figure their readings are probably suspect...but that CYA and FC can't be that off (meaning: I gotta get those going, they might not be that low but they're clearly low)
Thanks again to you all, I'll get a proper test kit and get better readings.

Should I be concerned with all that has been dumped in already or just get going with CYA/FC adjustments?

Do this:

Add enough Liquid Chlorine to keep your pool at 5ppm of FC.

Order the test kit PRONTO, don't do much else until you get accurate testing on your pool.

If the CYA testing is wrong and you end up adding more CYA, you will be into refill mode. The only thing that CYA will save right now is to help chlorine usage. Better to have good CYA test then add exactly what you need.

Best advice I can give you is 1) have a good test result 2) know EXACTLY what you are adding (read the label) and 3) know WHY you are adding it.

We will figure out what to do from your testing!

 

[mknauss]

That copper in the water can be a problem.

Where is the copper Allen? The algaecide?

 

[ajw22]

Immediately stop using all of those chemicals except for the Trichlor tablets.

If you want stop using the Trichlor and switch to liquid chlorine and muriatic acid. But it may be easier making that switch after you get your test kit and can calculate the correct doses.

 

[ajw22]

Where is the copper Allen? The algaecide?

Probably. Hard to know what the pool guy dumped in at startup. There are a few bottles on the top right I can't see the details of.

 

[cznkane]

OK, off to get a test kit and some Liquid Chlorine

Probably. Hard to know what the pool guy dumped in at startup. There are a few bottles on the top right I can't see the details of.

I'm guessing it came from the ProTeam PLUS? Here's what was done to start the pool best I can recall

Day one

• ProTeam SupremePLUS (full 45lb pail)
• ClearView Chlor Free Shock & Swim 15 (2lb)? (was writing down mental notes as fast as I could, not certain on this one)
• Dichlor? (was writing down mental notes as fast as I could, not certain on this one)
• Filter 24/7 for one day

Day two

• C3 Chlorinating Trichlor Tablets (3 in feeder, turned up halfway to 2.5)
• Natural Chemistry Pool First Aid (two capfuls)
• Natural Chemistry phosRemove Pro Series (one capful)
• Jack’s Magic the ionizer stuff (4oz)
• Haviland Durachlor Combat 60 (4oz)
• HDX Muriatic Acid (1 gal)
• Filter 10hr a day during the day

 

[cznkane]

The small bottles

 

[mknauss]

You do not show an Ionizer in your signature. Do you have one? Post a picture of your equipment pad.

 

[cznkane]

You do not show an Ionizer in your signature. Do you have one? Post a picture of your equipment pad.

No ionizer but I do have this thing in my pump. Will get a picture of the equipment pad and post...it's very basic

Skimmer --> Pump --> 200sqft cartridge filter ---> erosion chlorinator ---> return

 

[ajw22]

No, the Proteam Plus does not contain copper and is ok to use.

He sort of knew what he was doing with adding Jacks Magic Ionizer stuff. The Ionizer Stuff is formulated to prevent copper staining with any copper sanitizing system regardless of whether it’s electronic or catalytic.

So he knew he was adding copper.

 

[ajw22]

No ionizer but I do have this thing in my pump. Will get a picture of the equipment pad and post...it's very basic

Skimmer --> Pump --> 200sqft cartridge filter ---> erosion chlorinator ---> return


View attachment 367932

That thing has the minerals. Remove it ASAP!

 

[mknauss]

So he knew he was adding copper.

Is that thing in the pump basket some kind of Pool Rx thing?

 

[ajw22]

No ionizer but I do have this thing in my pump. Will get a picture of the equipment pad and post...it's very basic

Skimmer --> Pump --> 200sqft cartridge filter ---> erosion chlorinator ---> return


View attachment 367932

PoolRx contains copper sulfate...

 

[cznkane]

Pulled the PoolRX out....all my kids hair did turn green when they went in.
Pic of the pad

 

[cznkane]

 

[cznkane]

No, the Proteam Plus does not contain copper and is ok to use.

He sort of knew what he was doing with adding Jacks Magic Ionizer stuff. The Ionizer Stuff is formulated to prevent copper staining with any copper sanitizing system regardless of whether it’s electronic or catalytic.

So he knew he was adding copper.

Interesting...so the idea (however good or bad it might be) was that the copper is the algicide and the ionizer helps to keep it from staining things? Will the copper subside now that the PoolRX is out or will it stay in the water? 0.5ppm dangerous in any way or fine to ignore?

 

[ajw22]

all my kids hair did turn green when they went in.

The copper did that.

And the only way to fix that is to drain the water and refill with fresh water. Plans when you may do that in the coming months.

 

[mknauss]

all my kids hair did turn green when they went in.

If the copper is to that level, you may want to drain about 50% of the pool volume now.

 

[cznkane]

Argh...ok. Let me see what the water bill was for the fill in the first place (not looking forward to that one but fingers crossed) Copper is at 0.5ppm according to the pool store.