Using "Iron out"

[malexander]

Has anyone heard of using "Iron out", the rust stain remover normally indicated for water softener cleaning,on rust stains in the bottom of a vinyl in-ground, with a heater?
The salesperson in the pool store said it works and is sooo much less expensive than ascorbic acid or Jack's products.
MAlex

 

[NWMNMom]

I use Iron Out in my bathroom - it is exremely caustic, I wonder if it may damage vinyl. I wouldn't use it in my own pool on my vinyl liner but maybe one of the experts can tell you more about how safe/unsafe it would be - I just know it is very caustic and use it to clean rust from the toilet tanks. BTW, I have to be careful when I use it in the tanks because once it ate away the plastic toilet mechanics in the tank - in just one use - just an FYI

 

[malexander]

Thank you for responding. I was thinking as you were about the effects on the liner. I have been doing a lot of research on-line regarding stain removal and follow-up sequestrant usage. I've decided to use the ascorbic acid treatment to try and lift the stains, followed with an initial dose (1qt/10000 gal) of Proteam Metal Magic, and then weekly maintenance doses of Proteam Metal Magic (3oz/10000). From the literature I've read, I want an HEDP sequestrant...I believe Proteam, as well as Jack's Blue Stuff, are HEDP sequestrants (If I understand correctly, Natural Chemistry's Metal Magic is NOT an HEDP, but rather an EDTA, and less effective for preventing the reoccurance of staining). If you, or ANYONE OUT THERE, knows of a better method to follow, or better products to use, PLEASE let me know.
MAlex

 

[JasonLion]

Several people have been using citric acid instead of ascorbic acid recently because citric acid is less expensive. You need to use twice as much citric acid as ascorbic acid and otherwise the procedure is exactly the same.

 

[malexander]

Hello Jason,

I went with ascorbic acid a 5# bulk pkg for $57.50 + $7.5 shipping for a total of $65.00. I found that Natural Chemistry's 'Stain Free' (1.75lb/$30.00 x 3 units of Citric Acid) would have cost $90.00 (even with free shipping), and if, as you say, I would need twice as much citric as opposed to ascorbic, then I'm confused. Isn't the Natural Chemistry's product Citric Acid? If Not, where do I buy bulk Citric Acid, in the event the already ordered 5# bag of ascorbic acid is not enough to remove the staining? In the last week, I have spent, literally, hours scouring this and other pool care sites to the point that I'm now pretty confused about a lot of pool care issues. I have had my pool for 17 years and never, until this year, had any issues with staining or chemical imbalance. I opened the last week of May and could not stabilize my chlorine (46,000 gal/ used over 30 gallons of liquid chlorine and NEVER got it to hold). I have been reading all of the conflicting views/positions regarding 'breakpoint'; whether to use liquid chlorine/bleach or calcium hypochlorite; or whether or not to ever shock. Then I tried to educate myself about the cyn/chlorine ratios. My cyn is low so I added 8lbs of stabilizer, cyn never budged from 'low', (this was a week ago). Shortly after the 2nd week of opening and trying to no avail to balance the chemicals, the stains appeared. So my current plan is to leave the PH at 7.2; the CYN at 0; and the chlorine at 0. I just added 160z of polyquat 60 to control algae until I get these stains out, then I will again try to balance my pool. Any suggestions regarding following this course of action? Thank you for your input.

 

[JasonLion]

You can get citric acid at places like The Chemistry Store.

The most important thing you need to do to solve your problem is to get a top quality test kit. If you don't have reliable test results there isn't any way to clean up the water other than getting lucky.