Stained Steps

[D4T]

I just built my pool and have had water in it a couple of weeks. The water was clear up until 2 days ago. It started to get a little hazy and then after a really hot day it turned greenish and my steps are stained from the water line down.

I am running tricolor tabs in the aqua genie chlorine feeders at .5 ppm and had (until reading here) a blue pool rx ball.

My PH and CH were tanked. I've brought my numbers up over the last couple of days to this...

FAS DPD 8
PH 8
TA 50
CH 150
CYA 30

I've noticed the recommended numbers in the Taylor kit don't quite jive with the Pool Calculator number. Should I set the pool calculator to reflect the Taylor numbers?

 

[mknauss]

Looks like you are using the K2006 test kit? Be sure to add that to your signature.
We follow Recommended Levels. If by Pool Calculator you mean PoolMath, just use the levels in it for a starting point. Your pool may vary some from the populated targets, but that is OK.

Have you reviewed SLAM Process? Sounds like you need to follow that. Be sure to use the FC/CYA Levels

 

[D4T]

I have not studied the SLAM process yet. The pool calculator I loaded was recommended on here somewhere, but doesn't appear to the the PoolMath you sited.

 

[mknauss]

TFP does not endorse that calculator. We use PoolMath

 

[D4T]

It also doesn't appear from reading about the SLAM that my pool is in need of that. Pool is clear now and FC is at 8.

 

[mknauss]

You mentioned green. So if you can pass the Overnight Chlorine Loss Test, all is good.

 

[D4T]

I'll get the PoolMath app set up Pronto.

 

[D4T]

Any suggestions on the stains? Magic eraser doesn't affect them.

 

[mknauss]

Can you post a picture? You said the water was hazy then green. You also said you had a copper device in the water. Also the pH was 'tanked'. How did you raise it? You have a vinyl liner so CH is not relevant.

 

[D4T]

I raised it with Sodium Carbonate.

So I don't need to worry about CH at all?

 

[mknauss]

So I don't need to worry about CH at all?

Not on the low side. If it gets above 400 ppm or so then you need to monitor for scaling tendency.

 

[mknauss]

Did the steps stain when you added the soda ash? Why just the steps? Or are they white and the liner a darker color?

 

[D4T]

No. They were already stained when I started trying to balance to water. I figure the low PH and the Pool Rx Copper are the culprit.

 

[D4T]

What is the order I should balance the pool? PH, TA, CYA?

 

[mknauss]

That would put copper in pretty quickly. But first see if it is iron. Take a handful of vitamin C tablets, put them in a thin sock, crush them a bit, and set the sock on the step. If iron, it should wash away quickly. If copper, it might look worse.

 

[mknauss]

What is the order I should balance the pool? PH, TA, CYA?

Low pH is damaging and low FC lets algae start. So always start with those. Then be sure to add CYA to the Recommended Levels

 

[D4T]

Thanks for all the info!