Pool Water Turned green after adding salt

[JayJayJay]

Hi. This is a newly refinished pool with diamondbrite. It was completed 1 month ago. Chemicals have been pretty much perfect over the past month with daily brushing of the surface and a brand new filter. Salt has not been added to the pool until this morning. Approximately 1 hour after adding the salt, the pool turned a greenish color. The water is still clear (you can easily see the bottom), but green and there has never been any obvious algae in this brand new pool (chlorine has been consistently maintained at 3-4 ppm). Here are the current test results. Everything is within the normal range. Please Help. Leslie's pool store did not know what to do. The manager said, "Maybe add more chlorine?".

Free Available Chlorine: 4
Total Available Chlorine: 4
Salt: 2950 ppm
Calcium Hardness: 200
Cyanuric Acid: 70
Total Alkalinity: 120
pH: 7.4
Copper: 0
Iron: 0
Phosphates: 0
Temperature: 83

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
What brand was the salt?

I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry.

 

[PoolGate]

What brand salt? Hopefully not Clorox.

 

[JayJayJay]

Yes it was Clorox. I'm guessing that is a problem?

 

[mknauss]

Yes it was Clorox. I'm guessing that is a problem?

It is. Clorox brand salt is known to have iron staining issues. So do not use it.

Most likely the green will go away. Should filter out.

Use plain water softener salt. No additives.

 

[mknauss]

If the pool surface is stained green, then you may have to use Vitamin C in sock to rub on it to eliminate it.

 

[JamesW]

The green is probably iron. Don't add more chlorine. Add a quart or two of good sequestrant.

Brush the pool really well multiple times and then add the sequestrant.

 

[JayJayJay]

Thanks for your help!!! The surface is not green. The water just has a green tint. They tested the Iron at Leslie's and said none was present. You still think the problem is iron? Is there a specific brand of salt you like?

 

[mknauss]

Thanks for your help!!! The surface is not green. The water just has a green tint. They tested the Iron at Leslie's and said none was present. You still think the problem is iron? Is there a specific brand of salt you like?

It is iron. We don't trust pool store tests.
Use plain water softener salt.

 

[JayJayJay]

Thanks everyone!! I’ll follow your advice and let you know.

 

[borjis]

For a CYA of 70 your FC seems very low....but these are pool store test results so....

 

[JayJayJay]

I brushed the pool, added a little sequestrant and woke up to a perfectly blue pool. I then cleaned the filter which was completely rust colored so I'm guessing Leslie's did not even actually test for iron. Thanks for all your advice. No more Clorox salt for me.