Backstory, bought a house in Wisconsin, with an in-ground, 30,000 gallon (large deep end) vinyl (w/ aluminum walls) swimming pool approximately 4 years ago. We had a leak in the 20 year old liner (pool was installed around 1980) that we needed to replace in 2021.
Last year everything was great, no issues. However, around mid-July this summer, we began having some issues with staining on the bottom of our liner. Most of the stains are large (1-2 feet in diameter) while others are smaller, but blotchy. They are all same in coloring- reddish/brownish blotches, and are typically in the same locations in the pool. They seem to go away for a day or two after shocking the pool, but come back a few days later like clockwork. We are NOT able to brush them away, and have treated the pool with ALL the metal remover products available at the expensive pool chemical stores.
We haven’t changed our chemical routine and things seem to be pretty normal. Our pH tends to be a bit low, and we could be better about using the pH UP product, I will admit. This is the one area I can admit we may have messed up on the chemical front. We are in a heavily wooded lot, but are very good about removing debris. We typically use our solar cover about 3-4 nights a week on average.
Either way, a few different theories are circulating from the limited about of “pool experts” we’ve been able to find. One guy thought it was a fungus behind the vinyl liner. Others think it’s on the liner. My mind is swimming. Bad pun intended.
The guys who installed our liner, JUST did a treatment: drained the pool and poured liquid chlorine, BEHIND the liner. Then sucked the liner back into place and scrubbed the surface of the liner with brushes and chlorine. The pool is now currently refilling with our well water.
Do you have ANY insight???? Hoping you can sense my desperation, as this dang pool is waking me in the wee hours of the morning and sending me down into a rabbit hole in search of answers!
Last year everything was great, no issues. However, around mid-July this summer, we began having some issues with staining on the bottom of our liner. Most of the stains are large (1-2 feet in diameter) while others are smaller, but blotchy. They are all same in coloring- reddish/brownish blotches, and are typically in the same locations in the pool. They seem to go away for a day or two after shocking the pool, but come back a few days later like clockwork. We are NOT able to brush them away, and have treated the pool with ALL the metal remover products available at the expensive pool chemical stores.
We haven’t changed our chemical routine and things seem to be pretty normal. Our pH tends to be a bit low, and we could be better about using the pH UP product, I will admit. This is the one area I can admit we may have messed up on the chemical front. We are in a heavily wooded lot, but are very good about removing debris. We typically use our solar cover about 3-4 nights a week on average.
Either way, a few different theories are circulating from the limited about of “pool experts” we’ve been able to find. One guy thought it was a fungus behind the vinyl liner. Others think it’s on the liner. My mind is swimming. Bad pun intended.
The guys who installed our liner, JUST did a treatment: drained the pool and poured liquid chlorine, BEHIND the liner. Then sucked the liner back into place and scrubbed the surface of the liner with brushes and chlorine. The pool is now currently refilling with our well water.
Do you have ANY insight???? Hoping you can sense my desperation, as this dang pool is waking me in the wee hours of the morning and sending me down into a rabbit hole in search of answers!
