OMG did our new salt cause THIS???

[Jellwood]

Devastated. Pool & masonry renovation completed last fall. After opening pool in May and pool company adding salt for first time last Tuesday morning to get SWG up and running there is now rust everywhere, including the anchors, the mortar, and Cambridge pavers. Seems worse under trees and shrubs. Also appears in deep end but not as bad. Has anyone seen this before??? Pavers were pristine two weeks ago when we had landscaping done. also unclear about the origin of these drips!!!

 

[ajw22]

What brand salt was used?

Clorox pool salt is known to contain iron and cause staining.

 

[rstrouse]

That stain on the deck looks like somebody dripped silver nitrate when testing the salt level.

 

[JohnT]

Nothing in your pictures looks like rust to me, Color isn't quite right and it doesn't look like places you'd see rust.

 

[SunnyP2000]

Nothing in your pictures looks like rust to me, Color isn't quite right and it doesn't look like places you'd see rust.

i agree it doesnt look like rust stain. anyway how would pool water get by the bushes. did landscaper use some fertilizer in soil that maybe got all over the patio ? still doesn't make sense.

 

[rstrouse]

Over by the bushes (Hydrangeas?) it looks like the dye from the black bark. Any chance you like purple instead of red and watered in some Aluminum Sulfate. Perhaps that leached out some of the dye.

 

[pjt]

Some fertilizers contain iron. If they didn't clean up (or spilled) the prills, it could cause rust stains.

 

[Jellwood]

Hi all! I had landscaper here today and he was stumped. I called pool company and it was Omega salt they used. The whole thing makes no sense at all. If it were fertilizer it would be near all the beds. If it were from our sprinklers/town water it would be everywhere and in front too. This is the only place it appears and it only happened after they added salt on Tuesday.

 

[Jellwood]

Also pretty sure it’s rust because the brand new anchors in those areas are rusted too. Some kind of chemical reaction for sure.

Did not add anything to hydrangeas.

It’s in coping mortar seams too
any other ideas?

 

[ajw22]

There is nothing to rust in coping mortar seams.

You have some type of brown staining in various areas but I doubt it is rust. Open up your mind to other causes then rust from the salt. Also, rust does not appear that rapidly. It is a slow oxidation process of iron.

 

[ajw22]

Crush up some vitamin C tablets into a wet paste and put it on the brown areas. If it is iron staining the Vitamin C will lift it.

 

[Jellwood]

Here are more photos

 

[Jellwood]

There is nothing to rust in coping mortar seams.

You have some type of brown staining in various areas but I doubt it is rust. Open up your mind to other causes then rust from the salt. Also, rust does not appear that rapidly. It is a slow oxidation process of iron.

Ah, good point! I will keep researching!!

 

[Jellwood]

Crush up some vitamin C tablets into a wet paste and put it on the brown areas. If it is iron staining the Vitamin C will lift it.

Good idea. I will try it! Worked like a charm in our pool last year.

 

[Jellwood]

Just moved one of the chairs and this is what’s underneath. It’s like there was a spray... that reacted with metal in chair frame?

 

[ajw22]

Here are more photos

Pool anchors are brass and don't rust.

It looks like someone threw brown stain around your pool area.

Is the top of that anchor pitted like a rusting surface gets? Did you try scraping the top with a fingernail or wire brush?

I see brown stain going out to the right from the anchor along the joint.

 

[ajw22]

It’s like there was a spray... that reacted with metal in chair frame?

The stains on your pavers and stone and coping are not due to reactions with metal.

You have a landscaping company who works around your pool?

Could be from air pollution in your area. You near any farms who do spraying?

 

[mknauss]

I wonder if they dropped or somehow sprayed muriatic acid.

 

[Leebo]

Just moved one of the chairs and this is what’s underneath. It’s like there was a spray... that reacted with metal in chair frame?

That table, is it new or was it maybe stained reciently?

 

[rstrouse]

Picture the scene. A sample is drawn from the pool to test the salt level. Then all the reagents are added to determine the level. Ooops it gets knocked over. You now have silver nitrate reagent on your coping. The stains from this do not appear immediately and begin showing up when the sunlight gets to it.

So the tech starts washing it off. Now I don't know how far and wide it can go once it is diluted but the stains are pretty much permanent when they land on something semi-permeable. You can try hydrogen peroxide but the real thing that will take it out is sodium cyanide. Even if you have some laying around I wouldn't use that. Give hydrogen peroxide a try on the coping spill to see it that has an effect.