Stained PebbleTech and Possible Copper

[KatyTXPoolOwner]

I took the water sample to local pool store (Leslie's) to get water tested. I would have done it myself but I lost my TFT test kit when my house flooded (Hurricane Harvey) and have yet to replace it. Although we've been more focused on rebuilding our house, I'm about to get busy on the pool. Need to at least replace a spa pump (VS) and a heater and my TFT kit.

Anyhow, the water does not look that bad for being pretty much avoided - thanks to the low water temps over the winter and occasional dumps of MA and bleach. However, I've let stains hang around since the flood and need to get them off and the pool back to pre-flood condition.

STAINS
My first thought on the stains (not sure if they are just nasty dirt/mud stains or not) is to get chlorine to ~3/4 SLAM level, lower the pH to ~7.0 and brush, brush, brush. If that doesn't work, what should I do?

COPPER
Yesterday's readings from Leslie's:
Total Chlorine 5
pH 7.6
Total Alk 80
CYA 0 (he did the test twice upon my insistence)
Cal Hard 170
Borates 7
Copper .3

Aside from the obvious (increasing CYA to 30-50, Calcium to 250-350, and Borates to 50), I am concerned about the Copper at 0.3.

Is the Leslie's test all that accurate for copper?

If it is an accurate test, what should I be doing?

If it's not an accurate test, what test should I get?

Thank you!

 

[Texas Splash]

My first thought on the stains (not sure if they are just nasty dirt/mud stains or not) is to get chlorine to ~3/4 SLAM level, lower the pH to ~7.0 and brush, brush, brush. If that doesn't work, what should I do?

Definitely! In fact, if you are back in the house and can SLAM it full time, that's what I would do. Not even mess around with a 3/4 option. But that store CYA test can be tricky, you probably know that here at TFP. So the sooner you can get a TF-100 the better. But do what you can. Try focus on obtaining an algae-free pool before you go hunting for copper. How much reliance do I place on the store's copper test? Ehhhhh. Even if that's accurate, it's borderline and you'd have to ask yourself how did copper even get in the water? If you didn't add any pool store algaecides or stuff, there should be no copper ...... unless your heater has copper in it and the pH got too low (acidic). Some things to consider I suppose. But focus on the algae angle first. It may resolve your suspected stains. If not, you can always address them more later.

Glad you are safe from Harvey!

 

[cfherrman]

Pool store test says "total clorine", so they didn't use fas-dpd, you gonna trust somebody who doesn't use a fas-dpd test at all?